The answer, I’d suggest, goes beyond the fact that children can’t vote, while seniors can and do. These days, political support for programs that aid children is surely hurt by the fact that less than half the population under 15 is non-Hispanic white. The result was a decline in assistance for the poor children who needed it most. Multiple studies have found that safety-net programs for children have big long-term consequences. Children who receive adequate nutrition and health care grow up to become healthier, more productive adults.

Source: New York Times January 16, 2020 22:52 UTC