TrueMajority's Save Head Start campaign

"...America is at its best when we care for each other, especially our most vulnerable fellow citizens. That's why it's so shameful that our government is giving huge tax breaks to millionaires but failing to provide our poorest kids with the basics, like Head Start. And just this week President Bush announced, in the name of "improving" Head Start, that he wants to begin dismantling this under-funded program. TrueMajority.org agrees with child advocates like the Children's Defense Fund, the National Head Start Association and many others who oppose Bush's plan because it would:

Dismantle Head Start as a federal program;
Replace Head Start with untested state programs;
Refuse to offer Head Start funding to all eligible kids.
Head Start has a strong track record of success in helping kids in poverty, and needs to be protected. The program must not be scrapped, and instead should be fully funded with an additional $2 billion/year (that's one half of one percent of the Pentagon budget).

To send a free fax (text below) to your Representative* urging him or her to fully fund Head Start and to oppose the Administration's plan to dismantle the program, just click "Reply," and then "Send." If you are not currently registered with TrueMajority or would like to customize your message, click here:

http://www.truemajority.com/index.asp?action=10042&ms=hdst1&ref=40824

For more information on Head Start, click here:

www.saveheadstart.org

Yours for Basic Compassion,

Ben Cohen
President, TrueMajority.org
Co-Founder, Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream+

+ I am writing this email on my own and not on behalf of Ben & Jerry's, which is not associated with the TrueMajority campaign.

Here's the letter we'll send to your Representative:

Dear Representative:

How can our nation claim to offer equal opportunity for all when we are failing to give all of our poorest kids the basics-like Head Start, which has a track record of success in helping kids in poverty:

Children who participate in Head Start are more likely to graduate from high school;
Kids who graduate from Head Start commit fewer juvenile crimes;
Because children in Head Start require less special education in school and don't break the law as frequently later in life, Head Start saves between two and four federal tax dollars for every dollar invested in the program.
Why in the world is the Bush Administration proposing to dismantle Head Start and replace it with inconsistent and untested state programs? This makes no sense at all and is directly at odds with the values that our country stands for.

Rather than dismantle Head Start, please fight to continue the program and expand its funding to cover all eligible children.

Sincerely,
(We'll put your name and address here.)