Bush vs. Gore on the One Income Family

How will one income families be affected if the promises of Bush and Gore are kept once they take office? I realize that this is a BIG if, but for the purposes of this article, let's just take them at their word. Which candidate offers one income families a better deal? better hope for their kids' futures?

Let's look at the facts, taken from each candidate's web site listing of positions on issues. I hope these facts explain why my strong opinion is that George W. Bush has the interests of One Income Families in mind. This goes equally for two parent families with one parent at home and single parent families.

On taxes:

Both Bush and Gore claim they will reduce or eliminate the marriage penalty (although Clinton just vetoed that legislation). Bush says he will cut the 15% tax bracket to 10%, eliminating all federal taxes for 6 million families, or 1 in 5 with kids. A family of 4 making $35,000 would not pay federal taxes at all. Single parent families with one child making $32,000 would have their tax burden lowered 95%.

On the other hand, the rest of Gore's tax cut plan subsidizes day care, benefitting working families but not those with one parent at home. Gore's plan does offer up to $500 to at-home parents for child care, but what would at-home parents use that for? Can we claim our teenage weekend babysitter costs? Gore doesn't say.

Gore does expand the earned income credit, but only for large families and 2 earner couples. I am bothered by Gore's giving tax incentives to encourage both parents to work and to use day care. Why not reward parents who care for their children at home? This stinks of social engineering.

On school:

It doesn't get better as Gore advocates universal preschool and expanding Head Start. Many parents at home do not want to surrender their children to preschools, especially if government-run. Should those parents have to pay for other kids' preschool (or day care, for that matter)? I don't believe so.

Bush advocates school choice (vouchers) for parents whose schools are failing; Gore does not. I, for one, would like to have the choice to send my kids to private school if my child's school was substandard. On my own, I cannot financially do this.

The one thing I like about Gore's plan for schools is his plan to reduce class sizes. From my research, smaller class sizes is very effective in improving students' learning and achievement.

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