NEWS: U.S. Increases Tsunami Support to $350 Million

The U.S. pledged to increase its outright monetary support to the earthquake and tsunami victims in SE Asia from $35 million to $350 million. The increase brings the total amount pledged from governments worldwide to $1.2 billion.



This will no doubt go far in helping the countries devastated by this disaster recover on top of all the material support already being sent. Perhaps this will quiet the complainers about the U.S. not doing enough. I for one feel that the response to this point from the world as a whole has been excellent and to finger point at the U.S. or any other nation is simply wrong.


[edit on 31-12-2004 by Banshee]

Our government does not have a pot of gold setaside for diaster relief for foreign nations. This money that the president has just released belongs to you and I. You, the taxpayer are being asked to fund this relief effort. When was the last time our government gave you anything for free. As this nation ever been given foreign assistance to help in our own natural diasters. Wake up people, we are being raped again by all the nations that hate us.

Originally posted by flycatch
Our government does not have a pot of gold setaside for diaster relief for foreign nations. This money that the president has just released belongs to you and I. You, the taxpayer are being asked to fund this relief effort. When was the last time our government gave you anything for free. As this nation ever been given foreign assistance to help in our own natural diasters. Wake up people, we are being raped again by all the nations that hate us.

Don't you think that paying to help these people is good, even if it's coming out of your taxes. If you already donated then I could see why you might be a little upset, but if you haven't donated then stop crying about it.

Here's my vote



If this means we just "gave until it hurt" then maybe we're getting close to giving enough..that will remain to be seen.

If I have to give up a highway being fixed for another year or two because of it - big damned deal...sacrifice makes the gift more precious.

We'll all live through this...but not all the people we're trying to help will.

Originally posted by flycatch
Our government does not have a pot of gold setaside for diaster relief for foreign nations.

no, but we have one for bogus wars...

I am glad they upped the amount and i will willingly pay more taxes for a justifyable cause.

[edit on 31-12-2004 by dgtempe]

Toronto Sun - No One Gives More Than The United States
www.canoe.ca...

Of course the 350$ is in ADDITION to all the private donations
from Americans that are expected to reach 1 billion dollars.

Indigo_Child

A Child Of God
Member

posted on 31-12-2004 at 03:11 AM Post Number: 1058315 (post id: 1080208)

Outrage at the truthsayer

Why don't you fess up that US governments contribution is indeed miserly. Even the UK public has given more towards the relief. Now it seems like US is going to be forced into increasing it's aid to save it's face.

The political rhetoric has me in splits! Anyway, $350 million, though still small, is not peanuts like before.



[edit on 31-12-2004 by Indigo_Child]

Now, everyone always asks about the $$$ the United States has. We have plenty of money, we spend $270 million a day for the war in Iraq. Earlier in the year, Bush gave almost $13.6 billion (yes that is billion) to disaster relief efforts in Florida, but then again, his brother is the governor and it was an election year, how can the residents of Florida vote against Bush after that? If we stopped fighting in Iraq for 14 hours we would have enough money to hire back all of the teachers who won't have jobs next year because of Education funding cuts. If we didn't fight for a month we would have enough money for every child in America to have health care (right now 9 million children are without healthcare in America). So when people say that we don't have the money, correct them and tell them that if Bush has $40 million to spend on is Inaguration Ball, and $270 million to spend on one day of occuping and taking over Iraq, we have enough money to help out these families in Asia.

Here's another stat. If we took that $270 million we spend every day and put it towards providing a home for the homeless and needy of our own country, almost 13 million families would have a home and enough food for a year.

[edit on 12/31/2004 by KISSfreak]

as posted by indigo_child
The political rhetoric has me in splits! Anyway, $350 million, though still small, is not peanuts like before.

Let me get this straight, a preliminary 10-fold increase amounts to mere peanuts and then you talk about political rhetoric has you in splits? Whats hilarious here is that your own political rhetoric has me in splits!
What happened in Florida, which happens to be a US state, contributes with taxes, has the ability to vote, etc. has no bearing on what the US should do in SE Asia.
What is happening in Iraq has no bearing to on what the US should do in SE Asia.

Talking about being in splits over the political rhetoric that is transpiring over this tragic event, has most of you playing politics over the people's dead bodies that were lost in this castastrophe! You people cry over $15 million, then you cry over $35 million, and then you people are moaning and groaning (crying) over $350 million. What this proves is how ridiculous you people are in your on humanitarian way of thinking. Hell, if the US were to allocate $1 Billion it still wouldn't be good enough!!
My mother always said, "If you don't have anything worth while 'good' to say, don't say anything at all, cause when one is in need and asking for help, don't whine and cry over what is given, cause it certainly is something you didn't have in the first place."
Something is always better than nothing!





seekerof

[edit on 31-12-2004 by Seekerof]

Originally posted by dgtempe
I am glad they upped the amount and i will willingly pay more taxes for a justifyable cause.

Pardon me, but I will not give one red cent more in taxes for any reason. I am taxed until I almost cannot afford it. The governments entitis that tax me are not very good at fiscal responsibility, not by a longshot.

If you feel your government should do more, by all means, log on to amazon.com or the Red Cross and pledge your $$. Don't put the rest of us into a wish for more taxes.

~~~~~~~~~~~

It makes me SICK the way this tragedy is being politicized. It should surprise do one that there are conflicts throughtout world. The world can't even act together when tens or thousands are dead and millions are without food and shelter.

I bet Halliburton is licking it's chops for the tsunami rebuilding contracts.

I tell you what compare to the defense budget we have, 350 million looks like a fair donation to such a tragic event.

And for my taxes, I really love to donate every single dollar to this people than have it gone to useless things.

Or perhaps the government should give this year all the tax money to us to keep and disperse any way we want.

Originally posted by UnBreakable
I bet Halliburton is licking it's chops for the tsunami rebuilding contracts.

No No Haliburton is oil. Think Bechtel

Why does the rest of the world or the people inside the U.N. have the b...s to tell us the we are stingy? The U.S. is the world leader in everything. Period. Next thing you know, they will be demanding our paychecks and a bottle of fine Scotch. I get mad as hell with the rest of the world demanding from us more and more all the time. If they want a better life style or a bigger home, get off of their butts and go work for it just like everyone else. There are many nations around the world when I spin the globe and I would challange any of them to match us at least 10%. Why is it that we always have to be the ones giving and giving? We have men, women, and children right here in Va. that do not have a roof over their head and have no idea where their next meal is going to come from. Our govt. is not working for us anymore people. We are in essence subsidizing the rest of the world. Don't get me wrong, I donate and feel good about it but at least I know where the money goes. If we send these funds through the UN, I wonder just how much Coffee Cup Annan and his son will take off the top? Our system of govt. is broken and we need to get it fixedbut which route should we take? Maybe we should slip into a little isolationism for a while. Or better yet, why does'nt someone submit some ideas? Im sure I can't be the only one out here that feels this way. Does this get me pissed off? You bet! We are taxed to death on a good day and now the UN is making us look like a bunch of cheapskates. If they want any money from me they can come and get it from me but they had better watch their back. I was always taught to take care of your own first!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!

[edit on 31-12-2004 by FLYIN HIGH]

Sorry about the rant but it pisses me off the way our govt. gives our money away without our input. I have not been a member long I and I would like to tell everyone on the site:Have A HAPPY AND SAFE NEW YEAR

Just to put things into perspective. The US originally set aside $35mill for the relief fund. Ok, now, take a look at how big the US is, how large its economy is etc etc...pretty big isn't it.

Right, now, take Australia. Basically as soon as we heard about this, bam, $10mill towards the relief fund. A few days later, we'd upped that to $25million, plus hercules aircraft, mobile hospitals / morgues, soldiers, virgin australia offered free plane trips back to australia for aussie victims, not to mention all the charity organisations that basically flew over asap & started buying goods LOCALLY (as in, they took the money over to indonesia etc and bought the goods there which was a very smart move) to help get people back on their feet. On top of that, within 1.5weeks of starting a telethon, world vision raised almost $8million. Now that's not bad considering australia only has a population of what, 20million?

$350million does sound a bit more reasonable considering how large the US is (economically, population wise etc etc) and how much money is flowing through it.

But anyway, don't forget that the main point is there are 127,000 dead, entire villages wiped out, entire families destroyed. While we sit here and bitch about who's paying what, there are people dying, rotten bodies still floating around, millions without houses, food or water, and this isn't due to civil war, it's due to a natural event, as such morally the entire human race is responsible for pitching in and helping their fellow man get back on his feet in whatever way they can.

Originally posted by FLYIN HIGH
The U.S. is the world leader in everything. Period.[edit on 31-12-2004 by FLYIN HIGH]

Someone's been watching Fox News!

In my school there are 4 computers for a population of almost 1,100 pupils. We can't afford any more computers than that in our district. Many of my classmates can't afford to eat a hot school meal. What do you see wrong wit hthis equation?

Originally posted by Molloy XX

Originally posted by FLYIN HIGH
The U.S. is the world leader in everything. Period.[edit on 31-12-2004 by FLYIN HIGH]

Someone's been watching Fox News!

Yeah, cause these are the real numbers and the US is far from leading:

US 350 M
EU 330 M(40 M Directly and 290M purely for rebuilding projects) + seperate donations by all member states, for which the netherlands give 35 M for instance, Germany 56 M, Spain 68 M, , wich puts the EU over the US by far and thats just a few of the member states, and then you also have all EU nations doing tele fundraisers among the citizens where alot more money will propably be raised.
The UK gives 96 M, China about 63M, Denmark 54 M, Japan 30 M and so on.

All wealthy nations are contributing as much as they can, the US's first number of 35M was rediculous and boosted once the EU number was released, but they didn't seem to count on all EU nations giving money seperatly too.

I only show these numbers to shut up the US ego maniaks and want everyone to know the following.

This isn't a race for who gives the most money or who takes charge or does most. Its everyones duty to help the people and nations struck by this disaster to the best extent, trough all posible means.

We are one planet, one human race, we have to stand together to help eachother and we have to stop acting competitive about who gives the most stinking bloodmoney, money is worthless to the people that die while we all quarel and spit out bull about who is the better selfish *****. If you want to give money, do it for those people, not for your ego or to feel better.

[edit on 31-12-2004 by Banshee]

Good post thematrix.

Originally posted by stephenkingfan1
In my school there are 4 computers for a population of almost 1,100 pupils. We can't afford any more computers than that in our district. Many of my classmates can't afford to eat a hot school meal. What do you see wrong wit hthis equation?

I fully understand what you mean and I understand your feelings stephenkingfan1. But what you have decribed is 1100 very lucky people, compared to probably 75% of the worlds population.

I saw today on the news several families that have just lost their homes (if you can call a 10 x 10 tin shack a home), all their cooking pots and what few clothes they have. They do not have insurance or a welfare system and they have no way of making enough money to get the things they have lost back. These people were saying they wished they had not survived, because they can see nothing but suffering ahead. And that is REAL suffering, not just being unable to buy a school meal.

Back on topic:

Yes 35 million was a pitiful offering considering the wealth of the US. But what you must remember is that the US or any other country was not obliged to give anything. But they have and that is what matters. 350 million is obviously much better and I can see that the amount donated will increase.

To everyone, stop whining. Get off your butts and donate, if you can and have the skills go to the needing countries and help.

Remember, what goes around comes around. Even if you can help just one person, the satisfaction and pride you will get is second to none.