Why do Bush and GOP Congress critters hate America's children?

Personally, I'm surprised a study like this wasn't already under way, but that could just be me.

In private conversations across the country this holiday break, pediatricians are buttonholing their congressmen and making a heartfelt plea: Save the National Children's Study.

This is the latest attempt to rescue the most important study of children's health and the environment in the United States.

Hundreds of scientists have helped plan the project since 2000. The scope is enormous: Researchers are set to track 100,000 children from birth to age 21, collecting genetic material and blood samples and recording kids' exposure to everything from pesticides to chemicals and air pollution. Enrollment activities were scheduled to begin in 2007.

But earlier this year, President Bush's proposed budget called for terminating the $2.7 billion study instead of allocating the $69 million requested for fiscal 2007. "The issue is really an issue of prioritization" of limited research money, Elias Zerhouni, director of the National Institutes of Health, told a Senate hearing in May.

The administration's move provoked an outcry, and the House and Senate appropriations committees responded by affirming strong support. But neither committee set aside new funding for the National Children's Study, leaving the project's future in limbo.

What's the problem? They only need $69 million. Hell, that'll buy Bush just one two-seat EA-18G Growler electronic warfare platform ($66 million). Can't they give up one damn plane for the kids?

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