John Kerry 2004 On The Issues

Strong families - blessed with opportunity, committed to responsibility, and filled with dreams - are the heart of a stronger America.
Today, parents face more challenges than ever as they try to get ahead. Wages are lagging behind inflation; hundreds of thousands of young people are being priced out of college; millions of parents and children are uninsured or are paying too much for health care; and millions more families are struggling to juggle job and family responsibilities.

John Kerry and John Edwards believe in an America where strong, healthy families build a stronger America. They know that government doesn't raise children - parents do. But they believe that together, we can put government back on the side of America's families and build an America where every family can look to the future with hope.

John Kerry and John Edwards will:

Fight For Education, Beginning In Early Childhood
Education is the cornerstone of the American Dream. Yet today, too many schools don't give our children the high-quality education they deserve. John Kerry and John Edwards will expand and improve early childhood education and Head Start programs. As president, John Kerry will fully fund the No Child Left Behind Act and work to put a great teacher in every classroom so all of our children get a great education. And by offering to help pay for college and reining in tuition increases, he will make sure that the cost of college never stops our children from paying for college.

Improve Afterschool And Daycare Opportunities For Families
Too many parents today worry desperately about where their children will be after school, or whether their young children will have quality day-care. John Kerry and John Edwards have a plan to expand high-quality afterschool opportunities to cover 3.5 million children, and they will keep afterschool programs open until 6 p.m. with good transportation options. And with child care costs rising two times faster than inflation, the Kerry-Edwards plan will increase the Child Care Tax Credit and make it available to stay-at-home parents and parents with lower incomes.

Keep Children And Families Healthy
Today, nearly 44 million Americans don't have health insurance, and 8.5 million children are uninsured. At the same time, skyrocketing costs are a rising burden for working families. John Kerry and John Edwards will reform our health care system to cover every American child, offer parents the same affordable health options available to members of Congress, and the costs of family premiums by up to $1,000.

Reward Families' Hard Work With Economic Security
A good job with a steady paycheck is the economic foundation of a strong family. Today, the jobs being created in our economy pay $9,000 less than the jobs being lost, and family incomes are going down. John Kerry and John Edwards have a detailed plan to get paychecks going up again by restoring fiscal discipline, investing in the jobs of the future, and revitalizing our manufacturing sector.

Source: John Kerry for President 2004 Web Site