Maybe $35 million is enough to save lives. Does anyone know?

[MikeG]

[Skittles]

1. every dollar helps

everyone, please donate to assist with the humanitarian efforts (another thing our clueless bastard president should include if he got off his ass to address the nation). I sent a donation to Doctors Without Borders.

[MikeG]

2. I agree.

[MichiganVote]

3. We're broke in the US. We borrow just to make it, our dollar is very low,

we can't fund even our schools, we have next to nothing in health care and people complain we're not spending enough money for a two day old natural event? Bullshit.

Our priorities may be seriously awry in this country and we may not all agree about the why but 35 million dollars is a hell of a lot of money.

[arcos]

4. You are NOT broke...

You are the biggest superpower in the face of the planet, you have the most money in the world, and you can't afford $35 million?? bullshit!

You should see how broke other countries around the world are...

[oscar111]

5. 105 trillion is usa wealth

return to trumans tax structure, ninety percent top rate, and suddenly instantly,

fed revenues jump 2. 7 Trillion more than now.
Today, top rate is a pathetic one third of Trumans rate.
Pathetic.

Now, about 2. 4 Trillion.
is fed budget. Truman would have it at total of 5.1 trillion.

The extra 2. 7 Trillion... would help here and India coastline

to end all usa poverty... 3OO billion.

to end homelessness .. 4 billion
..hunger.. 12 billion

to double NIH .. another 3O billion.

Do all that here, and you have about 2. 3 Trillion left over.

Michiganvoter guy, we are not short of cash at all.. we all just need the real facts on this matter. From the gov, no less!
see bottom line..

http://www.federalreserve.gov/releases/z1/current/accessible/l5.htm

of course, CEO kozlowski must repeat his two million dollar birthday party with vodka flowing from a male opening in an ice statue.

Folks must keep eating the thousand dollar omlet at the NYC hotel. You agree, right? These are top priorities. They must continue.

[MichiganVote]

8. Your numbers mean nothing without first hand experience.

Are these figures a reality in the US? Hardly. But let a poor country experience a natural disaster and suddenly the wallet of the US taxpayers is open for inspection. Sick of it. When people need help, fine, give it to them. But to stand around and question whether a proposed 35 million dollars is enough after a mere 2 days worth of time to determine what is needed beyond the obvious is silly.

[arcos]

11. yeah, how dare people suggest developed countries should help...

:eyes: :eyes: :eyes:

[itzamirakul]

27. Top off that $1000 omelet with...

a $1000 sundae at Serendipity's.

Don't forget the $4000 cocktail that comes complete with diamond ring inside the glass.

Ahhh, the rich and famous who have nothing better to do with their tax-free gazillions. Seems that some of them would be making some really serious donations. Or, at least some fresh water.

[MichiganVote]

6. The hell we aren't. Live here, work here and you'd see. The US is not

the face it wears in the world. The fact that other countries are poor does not mean that disaster aid should be anything but that, aid for a disaster.

[arcos]

7. You can certainly afford 2 or 3 times $35 million...

we are not talking about any small disaster here...

[MichiganVote]

9. Says who and for what reason? Do you know what is needed?

The proportions of this disaster span a number of countries. Are you proposing that they all recieve 35 million? Come on. Get real.

[arcos]

10. Money is what they need...

I never said that every one of them should receive $35 million, but the tragedy is certainly gigantic, and $35 millions is lump change for a country that has wasted several billion dollars in a stupid war.

[MichiganVote]

12. Then I'll tell you what, ante up Costa Rica

and we'll all play poker for the rest. Right now there are at least 20 major care organizations that have head offices in the US offering aid. These are care org.'s that annually recieve millions of dollars to aid disaster victims throughout the world from appropriation and other grant funds. Find the articles yourself that list them.

The US marines have been in and US planes have flown in aid that was originally slated for US troops in Iraq. Not that the parents of the US soldiers should give a damn. Their kids can keep eating MRE's, afterall aren't all Americans rich?

So how much in costs has your government given in two days time? Surely with the US taxpayers so "stingy" all the other countries will want to outshine us.

[arcos]

13. haha, I knew that was coming... how predictable...

I donated what I personally can, and I would like my government to help too, although that is highly unlikely because we really cannot afford it. In contrast to the US government, my government doesn't spend money destroying other countries and their people.

Of course I know that most US citizens are not rich. And although you are trying to put words in my mouth, I never said US taxpayers are stingy. The American people are good and generous, and unlike your President, I'm pretty sure they would support giving more aid to nations that have suffered a horrible tragedy.

If you can spend billions in a war, why can't you spare a few more millions to HELP and build instead of destroying?

[Be Brave]

14. Correction, arcos: Hundreds of billions in a war, not billions.

The US government is very generous that way. ;)

[MichiganVote]

15. So get informed junior

The US has pledged 35 million. (A little more than a "few millions)

Australia has pledged 27 million

Saudi Arabia has pledged 10 million

Pakistan sent roughly $168,000

Iran has pledged an undetermined amount

No word from China, India or Russia

Costa Rica is not hurting b/c of Americans. You love Americans coming to buy your real estate. See the ads everyday brother.

[arcos]

16. What does real estate have to do with anything?

First, real estate isn't a significant percentage of CR's GDP, so it really doesn't make much of a difference whether Americans come here to buy houses. What does make a difference is direct investment from companies who are outsourcing their jobs, but that's a different topic.


And yes, $35 million is just a few millions for your country... nothing more than lump change. Why don't you address the fact that so much money is spent killing people on the middle east?

Are you that belligerant on threads talking about the amount of money that will be used on your President's inaguration?

on edit: as I thought, no comment on the inaguration, only to say that the US is leading in the amount of aid given to this disaster. I imagine you are ok with wasting $40 million on an inaguration?

[MichiganVote]

18. You raised the issue of aid from America for disaster relief

I responded to that issue. Now you want to talk about the US and the war or the Presidents inauguration? Forget it. I'm not interested. First its not your war and second, he's not your president. More's the pity.

BTW, it's chump change, not lump change. And for the record, your remarks prompt outrage. Your attitude invites belligerance.

[arcos]

19. Funny, you are the only one who's outraged by me....

If you check other threads, most people are outraged by the same thing I am... Just as I expected, your problem is helping other countries, not making schools better, or the budget deficit.

Thankfully he's not my President but sadly, his actions affect me too. And I have every right to criticize him, even if you don't like it.


(thanks for the correction by the way, I promise never again to say lump change... it really added a lot of wisdom to your post :eyes:)

At least my comments about the war and inauguration were remotely related to this issue. Real estate is not.

[Be Brave]

21. Actually, I think your comment on the war was very

relevant, and not merely remotely related. If this government had reflected a shred of wisdom in its policies, and exercised fiscal responsibility, then it probably would not have come to the point where it has to think twice before helping when major international disasters strike.

[arcos]

23. Thanks...

I thought I was starting to go crazy :P

:hi:

[Desertrose]

28. nah...not crazy at all, arcos...

I think you made some great points.

What's the saying...with great privilege comes specific obligations or something? .......evidently that doesn't apply to georgieboy.


I wish they'd take the damn inauguaration party money and give it as aid....but it'll never happen cause we have a megalomaniac psychotic whackjob for our illegally elected president.....never thought I'd see the day when the US has fallen so low....and that so many people still don't see that.

I bet the American people will give plenty of their own money ...hope it embarrasses the hell outta the gov't....(I am now laughing hysterically at that.....)

sigh...DR

[Be Brave]

29. And isn't there a verse in the Bible which says

"To whom much is given, much is expected", or something like that? Oh, but silly me. These people never practice what they preach.

[arcos]

34. I'm sure they will be embarassed...

Amazon.com has raised nearly a million in less than a day, and I'm sure Doctors Without Borders and the Red Cross have raised huge amounts. Hopefully that will increase throughout the week, and on to the new year.
:hi:

[Ladyhawk]

24. You're on target. I'm ashamed that our taxes are being spent on...

...killing people in an unjust war. I'm ashamed our "president" is more interested in throwing himself a goddamn party than in helping the people affected by this disaster.

I'm on disability and as soon as the first rolls around, I'm donating. I have to make sure I can eat until the end of the month. I'm sure my money will still be needed by the first. I hope they can wait. Maybe it would be best to pay by credit card so they can have the money now. :(

Perhaps we should have an "I Donated" thread?

[Be Brave]

26. I'm sure they can use all the help they can get.

Don't worry about having to wait until the first. I'm sure they will need money for a long time. The idea behind a collective donation is that each one of us donate whatever we can, even a small amount. For if there are many, many of us donating, then those small amounts add up to a lot.

[arcos]

33. sounds like a good idea!

I was only able to afford $25 now, but will give another $25 on the first.

They will still need your money after the first, so be sure to buy food and take care. :hi:

[Tanuki]

32. Do the math, MichiganVote

You say:
"The US has pledged 35 million. (A little more than a "few millions)

Australia has pledged 27 million"

Considering that Australia has a population of only a little more than 20 million, compared with the U.S. population of just under 300 million, the U.S. donation is a disgrace. The Australians are donating more than ten times as generously per capita. You have inadvertently reinforced arctos' point.

[pacifictiger]

35. $35 million too much?

Well believe it or not that amounts to a mere 12cents per US citizen. Hardly a worthly contribution for a country as wealthy as this one for such an enormous catastrophe.
There have been 12 countries affected by this earthquake. A hospital in Thailand, just one, has posted the names online of 383 people from 38 countries, including many from the US, as injured. The island nation of the Maldives who depends on tourism for their economy has been practically flattened. All infrastructure gone. In Sri Lanka infrastructure devastated too - water, sewer, electric, roads, railways. Businesses and homes gone. Some islands have had everything swept away and rescuers are still trying to contact them to find out if there is even anyone left alive.
Just trying to bury 60thousand+ bodies before disease sets in will be a monumental task. Let alone getting clean drinking water in to people to minimize more deaths in the coming weeks. There have been over a million people, and counting, who have lost their homes.

[Jesus H. Christ]

17. $35 million is chump change.

The US should be ashamed of themselves if that's all they send.

[AgadorSparticus]

20. absolutely. it's almost obscene to be sending so little for such

a devastation of such horrific proportions. perhaps if more white people were killed, we'd sing a different tune.

[Jesus H. Christ]

22. Undoubtedly

Just compare reactions to 9-11.

[Ladyhawk]

25. I guess what you're seeing is people's reactions to this happening...

...in another country.

Some people don't like to think that we're all connected and should help each other. It's basic ethnocentrism.

[bpilgrim]

30. $20 million is a LOAN

and of course that will help but considering our economy and the devastation it is OBVIOUS not enough... shoot, their paying $47 mil for his damn inauguration :puke:

peace

[Fleshdancer]

31. slap on the interest rate and this admin could make $$ off this tragedy

:grr:

:cry: