Well, I guess I'm one of the "lucky" ones in the working middle class who makes just enough money to justify keeping a job and placing my two children in daycare. We couldn't afford full time care for both. So for three days a week, childcare costs more than my mortgage. In fact, when I balance my childcare costs with my income I'm bringing in about $500/month. Nevermind the 2 other stressfull days we juggle to watch the kids. Things are very tight. My husband's hours have been cut and ALL of our expenses have gone up in the past two years. Of course, I haven't received a raise in 2 years either. I have a Master's degree and work for a prominent university. We are a two income household. If we can barely afford childcare, how could anyone with less education or experience afford it? Sounds easier to go on welfare. We have just resigned ourselves to being poor...at least until our kids enter public school. How this country can focus so much effort and money into the juvenile justice, remedial school, jails and treatment programs, when study after study shows that investments in early child education return thier value 10 fold, I will never understand. Childcare should be subsidized for all. Each dollar spent in early childhood development will return 17 back to the community, so it will more than pay for itself. It's time for America to get with the program and abandon our outdated, outmoded policies. If we want to compete with the rest of the world, it's time we started investing in families and children.