Prompts winter weather advisories as cold air moves in Friday night

MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all. 

Turn Up Your Support

It is undeniable that entitlement programs like Medicare and Social Security are consuming an ever-larger part of the federal budget.  In an era of budget cuts, some say the money comes at the cost of spending on kids' programs.

Urban Institute reported earlier this year

 that for every $7 spent by the federal government on Americans at the oldest end of the spectrum, just $1 is spent on Americans on the youngest. This is happening at a time when research shows how vital those early years are in childhood development.

"Cutting back on the young is like eating the seed corn: satisfying a momentary need but leaving no way to grow a prosperous future," 

But looking at federal spending doesn't tell the whole story, 

On The Daily Circuit, we'll take a look at the spending numbers and how America chooses to divide the funding.

Gallery

Fortune editor says U.S. needs another financial crisis

Can charities fill a void left by government cuts?

Politics and Government News

Social Issues

In an era of budget cuts, some say the money for entitlement programs comes at the cost of spending on kids' programs.

Is America shortchanging kids to help seniors?

Go Deeper.

Like this?