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Does it make sense that the U.S sends 100's of millions of dollars in aid to foreign countries when our own economy is F'd up? Why isnt this money being spent to help out our own economy rather than others?
I read the US withheld $800mil in aid to Pakistan after the whole Bin Laden debacle. What did they do with this money instead and why isnt it being pumped back into our economy?
Today the US sent $100mil in aid to Africa to help with the drought and famine crisis.
Everytime there's a crisis somewhere in the world, the U.S sends millions upon millions in aid while there are clearly people here in this country who are still starving, homeless, and in need of aid, all the while our entire economy is collapsing.
Can someone give me any insight on this?
There you go using common sense again. As we all know, common sense is AWOL in DC. Giving away $$$$ we don't have.
That's a fascinating take on the concept of "aid", which is supposed to benefit the recipient, not the donor.
When somebody says "Can you help me with this?",
there is a big difference between what i might do and what government should do. i dont see the role of government being a global charity organization. they take our money by force and i think the understanding is that it is to operate our country for the benefit of its citizens.
there is a big difference between what i might do and what government should do. i dont see the role of government being a global charity organization. they take our money by force and i think the understanding is that it is to operate our country for the benefit of its citizens.
You've contradicted yourself. First you say there is a difference between what you'd do and what the government might do, then your understanding of the government is to do the same as the citizens would, in terms of operating the country.
Why don't the people just elect a government that stops taking their money by force?
You've contradicted yourself. First you say there is a difference between what you'd do and what the government might do, then your understanding of the government is to do the same as the citizens would, in terms of operating the country.
i didnt contradict myself at all. 1. people in other countries arent american citizens, i said government should do things for the benefit of its citizens 2. taking money from one group of citizens and handing it out to another (in my opinion) isnt in the benefit of america's citizens as a whole so i wouldnt support government just handing out money to its citizens either.
i didnt contradict myself at all. 1. people in other countries arent american citizens, i said government should do things for the benefit of its citizens 2. taking money from one group of citizens and handing it out to another (in my opinion) isnt in the benefit of america's citizens as a whole so i wouldnt support government just handing out money to its citizens either.
Which is it that you object to:
1. Giving anything at all, ever, to the needy, out of charity.
2. Collectively appointing a government to be assigned the task of giving a bit of our aggregate wealth (a penny out of $10) to the needy, out of charity, so beggars don't need to knock at the door of each and every one of us.
Somewhere in Central Africa, today, there is a woman who walks five miles every day, barefoot, over rocky ground carrying a jug of water on her head for her family, raising children who are sick or deformed, some of them not even her own, who has never even seen a school. I am so sick and tired of rich fat American bastards in their AC SUVs saying it's her own fault for being so lazy and irresponsible, she should have gone to Harvard Medical school and interned at the Mayo Clinic, she wouldn't have it so hard, anybody can do it just by showing a little responsibility and hard work like I did to get where I am, in fact why doesn't she roll up her sleeves and dig a well with her bare hands closer to her village, and I'm bloody well not going to give the w**** and millions like her a penny, let them learn from their own stupid mistakes.
1. Giving anything at all, ever, to the needy, out of charity.
2. Collectively appointing a government to be assigned the task of giving a bit of our aggregate wealth to the needy, out of charity, so beggars don't need to knock at the door of each and every one of us.
how dumb does number 2 sound? "so beggars dont need to knock at the door of each and every one of us" is that serious?
what is so hard to understand? government isnt in operation to take our money and charitably give it to people who live in other countries. thats wrong. thats what charities are for. so we can voluntarily give our money to causes that we support. its funny that warren buffet complained about not being taxed enough but when he wants to give charity does he give it to the government? no, he chooses specific charities because 1. he support those specific causes and 2. he believes charities handle the money more effectively than government.
how dumb does number 2 sound? "so beggars dont need to knock at the door of each and every one of us" is that serious?
what is so hard to understand? government isnt in operation to take our money and charitably give it to people who live in other countries. thats wrong. thats what charities are for. so we can voluntarily give our money to causes that we support. its funny that warren buffet complained about not being taxed enough but when he wants to give charity does he give it to the government? no, he chooses specific charities because 1. he support those specific causes and 2. he believes charities handle the money more effectively than government.
How do the people in need let YOU know that they need your charity?
We live on a continent with a temperate climate and adequate rainfall distributed through the year, and an abundance of natural resources for buiding materials and energy, and to hell with everybody else, who didn't have the good sense to be the last genocidal conquerors of a rich land, it's all mine mine mine mine mine mine mine mine mine mine mine mine.
Does it make sense that the U.S sends 100's of millions of dollars in aid to foreign countries when our own economy is F'd up? Why isnt this money being spent to help out our own economy rather than others?
I read the US withheld $800mil in aid to Pakistan after the whole Bin Laden debacle. What did they do with this money instead and why isnt it being pumped back into our economy?
Today the US sent $100mil in aid to Africa to help with the drought and famine crisis.
Everytime there's a crisis somewhere in the world, the U.S sends millions upon millions in aid while there are clearly people here in this country who are still starving, homeless, and in need of aid, all the while our entire economy is collapsing.
Can someone give me any insight on this?
There are about three things that I can tell you that I think are worth understanding.
1. The foreign aid the United States distributes is in part because we believe we have a humanitarian obligation to do it and in part because we think it is in our best interests to do so. (For example, helping to immunize people in Africa is in the public health interests of the United States; everybody in the world is no more than a day's travel away from the United States.)
2. The amount of money given out by the United States in foreign aid is a microscopic fraction of our budget.
3. Whenever Americans are surveyed on how much foreign aid we should be providing, the percentage of our budget that people think we should give is way higher than what we're actually spending on foreign aid.
Somewhere in Central Africa, today, there is a woman who walks five miles every day, barefoot, over rocky ground carrying a jug of water on her head for her family, raising children who are sick or deformed, some of them not even her own, who has never even seen a school. I am so sick and tired of rich fat American bastards in their AC SUVs saying it's her own fault for being so lazy and irresponsible, she should have gone to Harvard Medical school and interned at the Mayo Clinic, she wouldn't have it so hard, anybody can do it just by showing a little responsibility and hard work like I did to get where I am, in fact why doesn't she roll up her sleeves and dig a well with her bare hands closer to her village, and I'm bloody well not going to give the w**** and millions like her a penny, let them learn from their own stupid mistakes.
And you are naive enough to believe that the aid we send there is actually benefitting her? If it WERE helping her to better her situation, then by all means, I would consider it a good investment. After all, I'd like her to buy American goods! New customers! Yay!
But the sad truth is that most of it goes to corrupt dictators that use it to further their own grips on power.
I'm about as far away from being religious as you can get, but I think Bush was onto something with the faith-based initiatives. If funds could be funneled to provenly effective missionary organizations that are THERE in that country, on the ground with those people and overseeing the charity, it would be a much better situation.
How do the people in need let YOU know that they need your charity?
We live on a continent with a temperate climate and adequate rainfall distributed through the year, and an abundance of natural resources for buiding materials and energy, and to hell with everybody else, who didn't have the good sense to be the last genocidal conquerors of a rich land, it's all mine mine mine mine mine mine mine mine mine mine mine mine.
its funny how you pretend that you are completely ignorant in order to make your ridiculous point. are you suggesting that you cant find a charity that will take your money and help the people of x country that you wish to help? if you are having a hard time, id be willing to help you out. who would you like to help?
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