The 2011 annual release of the CWI reports that children are bearing the brunt of America’s widening income gap and that cuts to education, food stamps, and health insurance programs would drastically worsen the situation.
Although the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has risen 168 percent since 1975, American children’s quality of life has risen a mere 3 percent. This year’s report paints a stark picture of the reality of American families and their children, finding that the well-being of children and families has trailed far behind our country’s hefty economic growth over the past 35 years.
Other key findings from the report include:
- Families have lost all economic gains they’ve made since 1975, and are likely to continue losing ground.
- The percentage of children living in poverty stands to increase.
- There has been no substantial improvement in health insurance coverage for children: seven million American children are still uninsured, and the number is growing.
- As additional funding from the Federal Stimulus Package ends, things stand to deteriorate further if the federal and state governments don’t make investments quickly to fill this gap.