Had to address this:
QUOTE(quarkhead @ Jan 4 2003, 05:32 AM)
We already spend next to nothing in "foreign aid." Most of what we call foreign aid is money that goes to US based defense contractors, whom the government pays to build hardware which we then give to other countries. In non defense areas, it is much the same. I can't put my finger on the source data, but of western industrialized nations, we have one of the lowest percentages of foreign aid.
Nice try Quarkhead. $13 billion is not "next to nothing".
Here's what we (the Federal government) have spent:
$13,287,000,000 on International Assistance in 2002.
FY 1998 $8,974,000,000
FY 1999 $10,059,000,000
FY 2000 $12,093,000,000
FY 2001 $11,792,000,000
FY 2002 $13,287,000,000
Increase from 2001 to 2002:
$1,495,000,000 (12.68%)
Increase from 1998 to 2002:
$4,313,000,000 (48.06% )
You can find a complete analysis of the Federal Budget
here.
Then, add in the private sector donations (2000 only):
Feed the Children $395,581,981
World Vision $372,045,000
Habitat for Humanity International $371,086,000
There's another billion, and that is only the three largest international charities I could find.
Mike