Businesspeople endorse preserving Head Start

[Armstead]

(Press release, so no copyright)

http://www.commondreams.org/news2003/1020-06.htm

Over 80 Business Leaders from Across America Sign Full-Page New York Times Ad Defending Head Start

NEW YORK - October 20 - Declaring in a full-page New York Times advertisement yesterday (October 19) that Head Start “pays enormous dividends,” ninety leading businesspeople called on Congress to “stand up and fight for Head Start” rather than dismantle it, as proposed by President George W. Bush.
Pointing to a new study showing that society gets over $8 back for every dollar invested in Head Start, the business leaders’ ad states: “How is this possible? Because, compared to needy children who aren’t in the program, Head Start kids are healthier, miss less school, need less special education, read better, learn faster, are more likely to graduate and go to college—and grow into far more productive adults.”


The ad continues: “And businesspeople especially know how valuable Head Start is. It has given us a more productive work force. It has created a larger pool of talent to choose from. And it has meant better child care for our employees.”


Among the Business Leaders for Sensible Priorities signers of the ad are Alan Hassenfeld, Chairman & CEO of Hasbro Inc.; Arnold Hiatt, former Chairman & CEO of the Stride Rite Corporation; Ben Cohen, co-founder, Ben and Jerry’s; Bob Johnson, Founder and CEO, BET; Richard Johnson, founder and former CEO, HotJobs.com; Barbara Krumsiek, President and CEO, the Calvert Group.


The ad is sponsored by Business Leaders for Sensible Priorities (BLSP) and the Head Start Association.


Advised by retired admirals and generals, BLSP has 700 business members and runs TrueMajority, the online advocacy organization of 330,000 members. Readers of the ad are encouraged visit the www.TrueMajority.org to send a free fax to Congress, opposing the dismantlement of Head Start.

http://www.TrueMajority.org

[havocmom]

1. This is good news, the average citizen needs allies.

Business people coming out and endorsing programs which help the common good. Maybe some people in smaller businesses are realizing that once the Corporate Facists steal all they can from the common citizen, they are next on the menue. Would be grand to have more of them as allies in the fight to put common sense and common good back into public policy debates. (Hells bells, it would be good just to return to some form of actual debates on public policy.)

[havocmom]

2. Neocons do not recognize there are win-win solutions

and resonable business leaders do.