December 03, 2008
Gates Urges Obama to Maintain Education and International Spending
By Caroline Preston
Washington
In a public-policy speech on Wednesday, Bill Gates warned President-elect Barack Obama against using the economic freefall to cut spending on U.S. schools or on health and antipoverty programs overseas.
Mr. Gates, who is increasingly using his pulpit as arguably the country’s best-known businessman and philanthropist to influence American policy, said that programs supported by his foundation, and by the U.S. government, have proven that investments in those areas do produce results.
“If you look at the stock market, business activity, or business deficits, things are dark,” said Mr. Gates, speaking before a crowd of policy experts, grantees, and college students at George Washington University. “But if you consider our capacities and opportunities, our passion and vision, the outlook is bright.”
Mr. Gates said the U.S. government could afford to expand its programs to help American students and people overseas by developing a new “fiscal vigilance” that would include reducing waste and inefficiencies, and emphasize spending on proven programs.
He called on Mr. Obama to make investments in recruiting talented teachers, align state educational standards with top international standards, and reward students who complete college.
“Today’s economy doesn’t mean education will be less important for the future, so a down economy doesn’t mean we should cut back on education,” said Mr. Gates.
He also urged the president-elect to honor a pledge he made during the campaign to double U.S. foreign aid, to $50-billion by 2012. Many people, including vice-president elect Joe Biden, have raised questions about whether Mr. Obama can maintain that commitment amid the deepening financial crisis.
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Actually, I am more impressed with President-Elect Obama for finally directing some urgency to problems we are experiencing right here in the US. However, I have heard him state many times his interest in continuing support for programs that fight HIV-Aids, genocide, and poverty in other countries.
— Juanita Dec 3, 03:48 PM #
President-Elect Obama hit the ground running. I agree that foreign aid is important, but I think that his initial focus on the economic crisis in this country is essential and the best indication that his promise of a “Change for the better” was not empty rhetoric.
— Richard S. Thill Dec 3, 06:41 PM #
I commend Bill Gates for bringing to the forefront the health and education issues. In the Bering Strait Region we had 101 high school graduates and 203 drop outs in the 2006-2007 school year. We have 75% higher rates of youth suicide than any other region of Alaska. We are one of the two highest regions for suicide events overall.
These are URGENT issues and we are working diligently to fundraise for a regional heritage center to reignite the connectivity to our traditional values and practices. By looking into other American Indian/Alaska Native best practices, we know that there is a direct correlation between perpetuating and sharing our cultures to the reduction of these shocking health and social disparity rates.
— Trudy, Nome, Alaska Dec 4, 04:04 PM #
What gives Mr. Gates the right to “warn” the future President of the United States? It must be his money but it is a dangerous precedent that favors only Mr. Gates’ pet “causes.” Does he not care about the economic well being of the next generation of Americans? I hope and pray that Mr. Obama will take steps to insure the quality of life for America’s children first and foremost.
— Ann Fabrizio Dec 29, 11:25 AM #