Split- US Donations

[FaneeshiaV]

I guess it's just one more thing to hate Americas for right? The fact that by percentage what the US gives is less than every other developed country, but that low percentage still equates to double everyone elses' amount in real dollars.

[joesnewboat]

So we give the largest dollar amount and that makes us the Scooge becuase percentage wise of economic activity is not the biggest??? We can afford to give alot and not have it be a high percentage of our econmic activity because we produce alot more economic activity than our European & Asian counterparts. We have alot smaller unemployment rates and strong economic growth. We do not have riots when our employers can fire us for any reason because we get another job.

[NewYorkKid]

Its not a hate thing at all, it just does my head in when Americans boast about how they are the most generous country in the world when in fact they are one of the least generous.

Now I'm going to do something astonishing, I can only pray (pardon the pun) that AikiMac doesn't see this because I will never live it down.

[yads]

You can call it that if you want. The fact is the 'most generous' countries you cited are also the industrialized countries with highest tax rates. If helping the poor of the 3rd world means screwing my elderly neighbor out of his house because he can no longer afford the tax burden, then I fail to see how the gov't is 'helping' the people it's responsible to? Moreover, I believe men should live on their own terms, not at the 'by your leave' of a gov't pencil pusher. Western European socialism, especially on the Continent disgusts me. I'd rather starve on my own terms than live like a slave to a gov't social system. Blah...makes my skin crawl.

[ejb199]

Scrooge may be strong, but it is not far off base. America is the richest country in the world and as such should be expected to provide the most money, it is unrealistic to expect smaller economies to match the contribution dollar for dollar. That is why these agreements are based on % of GNP. That way everyone gives the same proportion of their economy. That is the only fair way to do it. I give roughly £200 per year out of my personal wealth to charities in various forms. Bill Gates gives hundreds of millions. I do not earn hundreds of millions, but I still give what I can afford.

I cant believe I am trying to explain this to an economist.

[marielle]

yeah, your elderly neighbour is going to lose his house because 7c out of every $10 he earns goes to stop a child in Africa dying. Seriously, you should write a book, it would be the only recruitment tool Al Qaeda would ever need.

[suziq]

No one is demanding that other countries match it. Why should Bill Gates give an equivalent % of his income if you % is higher? Its irrelvant. He should give as much as he wants to as you should give as much as you want.

The US gives in many ways. We give as much as we want. Nothing is wrong with that. No one is required to give anything.

[mikusss]

yeah, fine give nothing, but dont boast about being the most generous nation in the world. Norway and Sweden kick the crap out of the UK's contributions, and that is their choice, but we dont go round blowing our own trumpets talking about how super duper generous we are. In fact we spend most of our time kicking ourselves because we dont feel we give enough.

[Leo007]

I split this off of the Palestinian thread as I felt the topid deserved its own thread and it was derailing the other.

[worrylwart]

thanks wry,