Geico266

Its jeolousy plain and simple. We are the only courntry in the world that needs walls to keep people out! There is a reason for that. The rest of the world wants to be like us and when they can't they are jeolous. Its tough being #1, everyone wants to take your place.

President Bush just stepped around the UN by calling a meeting of the USA, Australia, & Japan to see what we can do to best help these people. The UN just got downsized, outsourced, and made irrelevant. And the UN called us stingy.

ramlovingvet

I am all for aiding the poor folks devistated by this BUT! I wouldnt give one Red Cent to the UN Aid ppl. I sent mine to the Salvation Army.


GET US OUT OF THE UN!! American fighting Men and women should never be under the Blue helmets.

willysrule

It was a natural disaster and nothing that anyone caused…so I feel that we should aid in some way…but not as much as we do…When it all comes done to it everything is “survival of the fittest”…I do believe that we have many of problems in this country that need to be addressed and fixed before we give billions of dollars to other countries…I know it sounds selfish but I would rather my tax dollars feed and help provide heath care for a family in my state or even country, than to feed a family overseas....

Here is a little thought for you, this is kind of how I look at it…..

Would you feed your neighbors that you have never met, with the last of your food if your own family was starving?

Didn’t think so…..

apache

Was watching last night on a news show where there were 2 people from either side of the coin. Cant remember this gals name but she pretty much tore the US a new one ranting how we have spent 20 billion on a war to help a small amount of people and how we should be ashamed at how little we are helping out with aid to asia tsunami repairs. I cannot belive the things she was saying. What the hell is wrong with people? this country is doomed with idiots like her, a true hater of her own country. I have nothing against helping out, How much is enough? What about our own?

Flashdancr

How many people do you know in the USA that are starving?

Haulin_in_Dixie

Tell you what I think. We should increase the amount earmarked for aid, but.... Send it to Israel to be presented by them to the countries. They don't want it, fine, starve. What rationale is being used when they refuse aid from Israel and the people are dying of thirst and starving.

willysrule

That was just a theoretical scenario…they are out there thou…a county not far from me has 40 some percent of it’s residence without real work, hardly any food and many have no heat in the winter, they just can’t afford it…there are not many jobs in there area and the ones that are around are filled…I would MUCH rather help those people with tax dollars than someone that isn’t a fellow America and lives half way around the world…call me selfish but that is how I feel....

1st, Then help the rest....

Begle1

I think that if we have extra taxes to be spending on welfare or aid, it should be going to rebates above all else. Where'd we get all this extra money anyhow?

Geico266

These people need to pick up themselve up by their bootstraps and move to where the jobs are. BTW, there is NO county in this country with 40% unemployment. My ancestors would roll over their graves if they heard what you just said. They came to this country with nothing and WORKED at any job they could, and when all the jobs were taken they MOVED to where the jobs were. In Nebraska we have less than 3% unemployment, and jobs go unfilled here everyday. I have no sympathy for people in this country who won't help themselves.

Redleg

Helping those country's does help us. If we didn't help make those place better, they would ALL come HERE. Besides, if people didn't have those exxotic places to travel to, I'd have to fight for more elbow room on the river. I'm sure some of you golfers could relate too.

Did you see how the guy from the U.N. was back-pedaling later? How do you get a position like that , and not have the fore-sight to know you'd be eating your words when you let that kind of excriment come out of your mouth? They're probably P.O.'d that we contacted the country's directly, instead of routing through U.N. channels. Then they tried knocking us for not helping with the 800,000 hungry and homeless after the earthquake in Iran. Iran has full control of their destiny. Turn over their nuclear records and I bet not a one of them would be hungry.

12valve@heart

I won't even start on the issue of the UN but the article in the link posted below pointed out several things that I thought were interesting. Bear with me through two quotes and then I'll make my point.

"In dollar terms, the United States leads the world in foreign aid from government sources. But individual and corporate charity from the United States also exceeds that of any other developed nation, and those donations exceed official government expenditures. Last year, Americans donated billions to international causes."

"Another measure of U.S. generosity can't be found in the foreign aid budget. That's the cost of transport planes that are used to ferry supplies and navy vessels that purify tens of thousands of gallons of water. Added to that is the work of all the airmen, Marines and sailors who make it all possible."

My belief has always been that government should be designed to do for the people what the people are unable do for themselves (build highways, fight wars, etc.). In the case of natural disasters and foreign aid, my opinion is that the US government should not be giving out any cash but should be restricted to providing transport services and other similar types of services that are difficult or impossible for the general public to provide. Leave the charitable contributions to the individuals and corporations of America and we'll give the money where we see fit.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,142878,00.html

Just my $0.02 worth.

apache

Ironically there was a commercial for the 80cents a day to feed a hungry child in a forign country. They were panning around in in a area similar to what got hit. Now I realize this a a 3rd world country but good God, why dosent someone sent someone there to teach them how to pick up their trash. It looked like a couple C130s air dropped 500 tons of rubbish over their neighborhood. Now wonder sanitary conditions are an issue. I see this as pure lazyness or just dont care. It dosent take an educated human to see the problems with living in your own filth and excretment. This is not a skill like farming or ?

Sidewinder

Maybe I watched a different interview (I don't think so) but the UN guy said that it was unfortunate the the prosperous countries now donate less in foreign aid than they did years ago. He did not mention the US or any other country specifically and was just stating that as the wealth of countries (in general) increased the actual dollar amount of aid contributions has decreased.

Didn't sound like a personal attack on any country to me, more like an observation. Could the media have overhyped this - no never.

Redleg

Hmmm, that kind of sounds like part of the re-interview I heard after Bush responded.......

Lary Ellis (Top)

I believe in helping out these poor people, politics aside it is the people who are suffering.

Some of these aid items from the US are the only things these people will ever see from us..It can make a lasting impression on a mind that is bombarded with anti american rhetoric.

My only hesitation is with WHO do you give the aid too for distribution? Much of it will be stolen and never reach the people who really need it. That ticks me off and I have absolutely no idea how to prevent that.

Helping people no matter where they live in a time of crisis is a good thing even if you do not care for their political agendas.