Bush Threatens RIF Program

This topic falls under the "why am I not surprised?" heading. It seems the idiot who usurped the Oval Office seven years ago is at it again: praise an organization for their work, or proclaim how elemental their services are -- then cut that program or the funding for it as much as you can. He's done it before (consider all those Iraq veterans going without any or proper medical care do to cuts early in his presidency), and he's trying to do it again. This time those at risk are our nation's children and, since children represent a country's future, all of us in turn.

I'm sure many of us who grew up in the US remember the "Reading is Fundamental" commercials sandwiched in between our afternoon and Saturday morning cartoons. This essential program distributes books to low-income families and is now in peril of losing its funding. Rather ironic (and yet so TYPICAL) of the Idiot in office that he preaches the need to improve literacy in this country, yet wants to cut such a vital program -- one that helps kids learn to read by distributing free books to those who cannot afford them. There are too many children in this country who enter kindergarten without ever having seen a book in their home, held a book of their own. There are too many children reading at a level far below what they should. This is not only wrong, but study after study shows how vital it is to a child's learning that they are read to from an early age.

You can contact your representatives directly through the RIF site, which lists those members of both the senate and congress who have already declared their support of RIF. Please do what you can to get the word out so we may save this program!

Below is more info, as posted to Terry Pierce's blog:

Here is how the RIF website summarizes it:

“The President's proposed budget for fiscal year 2009 eliminates the Inexpensive Book Distribution Program, which is the RIF Book Distribution Program. Unless Congress reinstates funding for this program, RIF will be unable to distribute 16 million books annually to the nation's youngest and most at-risk children.”

RIF is the oldest program of its kind, started in 1966. For many at-risk and less advantaged children, the RIF program is the only way for them to have books of their own. Think about the first book that you knew was YOURS. Remember that feeling of wonderment and how you read it over and over again? Now imagine how many kids will never have that happen if the RIF program is gone. Having books excites kids about reading (I won’t go into the pros of reading—I think I’d be preaching to the choir on that issue!). We must do what we can to try to save this program.

Please-please-please—act now by going to the RIF website (CLICK HERE) and following their simple instructions for locating your political leaders (congressmen/women, state senators, and the president himself) and asking them for their support in continuing to fund RIF. It’s very simple and only takes a few minutes to complete (and isn’t it worth a few minutes of your time to help put books into the hands of less fortunate kids?).

Let's not allow Bush to hurt our country any more than he already has. This is an important program, needed more now than ever. I should also note that, much to my surprise at time of this posting, Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, Sen. Herb Kohl and Sen. Russ Feingold HAVE NOT signed in support of RIF.