Medicine
Lodge High School
Medicine Lodge, Kansas
Teachers:
Devra Parker and Steve Germes
Should
We Give Away Our Much Needed Money?
by
Colt Cox
12th
Grade
In
August of 1992, south Florida was hit by a category 4 hurricane
named Andrew. This devastating
disaster caused nearly 25 billion dollars worth of damage, making it the most
expensive natural disaster in United States history.
As most Americans know, the United States faced another major tragedy
on September, 11, 2001, with the collapse of the World Trade Center in New
York City. The twin towers
collapsed after being struck by two airplanes flown by terrorists.
The United States gives billions of dollars to countries having
problems, regardless of how rich they are, but did any other country offer to
help us at the time of these great disasters?
Steve
Radelet stated that in March 2002, Bush proposed
an increase of foreign aid by 50 percent over the next three years through the
creation of a Millennium Challenge Account.
This proposal stated that select countries would receive five billon
dollars a year, given that the countries show that they are using this money
“justly.” The U.S. is having many economic problems right now, being
nearly seven trillion dollars in to debt. Despite this enormous figure, we
still continue to give billions of dollars away each year.
I
believe that the United States should not increase its commitment to foreign
aid. In fact, I believe that we
should worry about our own problems instead of putting others in front of our
country’s needs.
For example, The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy states that
in the United States a baby is born every minute to a mother under the age of
18. Despite the overwhelming
amount of teenage pregnancy, we are sending millions of condoms to Africa and
other AIDS stricken nations to try and help stop the spread of this
devastating disease. These
condoms should be made available to teens that may have intercourse but be too
embarrassed or not have the money to buy condoms.
This would help stop the rising amount of teenage pregnancies in the
U.S.
There are many cases of negative and also positive
foreign aid. Depending on the
circumstance, foreign aid can either help or economically ruin a country.
In many instances when a country has became
dependent on foreign aid from the United States and has stopped receiving it,
a mass outbreak of deaths has occurred. This
was the case when our country was giving powdered milk to countries to use for
nursing their children. However,
after two shipments were sent, they received no more.
Mothers who had stopped nursing because they were
feeding their children this milk could no longer breast feed their young.
This lack of milk caused the children to die from starvation and
malnutrition.
How much good actually comes from foreign aid? Israel,
one of the greatest recipients of aid will receive more than $3 billion this
year. In fact, foreign aid for this country has risen in recent years. Bovard
states that each new billion-dollar aid package was premature on the
government's commitment to substantial economic reforms. Yet, after massive
injections of U.S. aid, the government still effectively controls the economy
and price controls are persistent. The government still directly or indirectly
employs the majority of Israelis and owns the vast majority of land.
Foreign aid is supposed to help a country hold its own economically,
yet we are still pouring money into Israel.
Another problem with foreign aid is that not very many
U.S. citizens are aware of how much money we spend on foreign aid each year. A
2001 poll sponsored by the University of Maryland showed that most Americans
think the United States spends about 24 percent of its annual budget on
foreign aid—more than 240 times the actual figure.
Another poll conducted in July 2002 states that 81 percent of Americans
support increasing foreign-aid spending to fight terrorism.
However,
not all foreign aid is horrible. President
Bush has said that “poverty doesn’t cause terrorism.” Many experts,
however, argue that poor countries with non-democratic governments could
become havens for terrorism. Foreign aid has been proven useful in our fight
against terrorism. Without our
money going to other countries, we may develop more enemies than the people of
the U.S. could or would like to handle.
So, depending on one’s belief, foreign aid can be good or bad.
I believe that the United States should not increase its commitment to
foreign aid, and we should think of our own problems before anyone else’s.
Questions
Q1-
President Bush claimed that most funds for develop4ment do not come from
international aid. He mentions three things that do fund development. What are
they?
The
funds that go to development come from domestic capital, from foreign
investment, and from trade.
Q2-
President Bush reminded his audience that successful development in a third
world country requires more than funds. What two items did he mention in this
regard?
Successful
development requires citizens who are literate, who are healthy, and who are
prepared and able to work. Development also depends upon financing.
Q3-
When is money sometimes counterproductive, according to President Bush?
Money
is counterproductive when the nations refuse to enact sound policies, because
it subsidizes bad policies, delays in reform, and crowds out private
investment.
Q4-
Describe the Millennium Challenge Account and include in your description what
is anticipated from donors and recipients.
The
funds in the Millennium Challenge Account will expand the fight against AIDS,
bring computer instruction to young professionals in developing nations, and
assist African businesses and their people to sell goods abroad, and give
textbooks and training to students in Islamic and African countries.
Our agricultural technology will also be shared with these people.
Q5-
What are the three broad standards that President Bush expects the leaders of
the developing nations to adopt?
President
Bush expects the leaders of developing nations to adopt the following
standards: ruling justly, investing in their people, and encouraging economic
freedom.
Q6-
Describe President Bush’s challenge to development banks and explain why or
why not you favor it.
He
challenges other nations to develop banks because he feels as though the World
Bank will gain 20 percent of the American people’s support over the next
three years. I favor it because I feel as though exchanging currency between
countries will be more efficient, and more fair.
Q7-
What percentage of our national income (GNP) do
you think the United States government committed to foreign aid in 2002?
First answer this question and then
use the Internet to find the answer.
I
guessed that the United States spent around 7% of our national income on
foreign aid in 2002. I was very wrong,
the actual percentage is .1%.
Q8-
Describe and defend a “Me First” attitude. (Use your head ¾ you won’t
find the answer in the required reading.)
America
should have a “Me First” attitude. The
United States has many problems that need to be
solved, just to name a few: drug abuse, homelessness, a
fluctuating economy, aids, and terrorism. Take care of the problems at home
before you go and save the world.
Q9- Describe
and defend a “Mutual Benefit” attitude. (Use your head ¾ you won’t find
the answer in the required reading.)
A “Mutual Benefit” attitude refers to the
beneficial attributes that derive from commerce and diplomatic relations
between countries. This helps to keep the peace, and it helps both countries
build a better, more stable economy.
Q10-
Describe three unsuccessful foreign aid programs operated by the U.S.
government or private American citizens. (Do not use the programs discussed in
the testimony of Faith Action for People-Centered Development Policy included
in your required reading. Conduct research using the Internet. Duplicate
examples from the same class will not be accepted.)
The
first unsuccessful program is the Wheelchair Foundation The
purpose of this foundation is “to deliver a wheelchair to every man, woman,
and child in the world who needs one.” They have delivered over 34,404
wheelchairs in over eighty countries. The organization did not submit a report
as to where all of their funds were going. They also did not report for any
fund raising expenses. The program had another program, the Kenneth E. Behring
Foundation, which supplied over $490,000 to help them ship the wheelchairs to
the other countries.
The
second unsuccessful program is Barnabas International. Barnabas International
serves the staff of other missionary agencies, and they travel extensively to
mission locations worldwide. Barnabas International provides counseling
ministries for ministry families, retreats, Bible conferences, seminars, and
marriage enrichment. This program was unsuccessful, because they did not have
a clear objective and vision set out for the year ahead. After the year of
2001, Baranabas International had a loss of
$31,933.
The
third unsuccessful program is Aid to Somalia it has been a failure because
many glitches in the structure of the aid organization. Aid has been
beneficial in some ways, but it also has not been very helpful. The easy
availability of free medical supplies put professional Somali hospitals out of
business, while the medical supplies from foreign aid were distributed by the
aid workers that are untrained in the medical field. Overall, foreign aid has
a questionable record as far as standard of living improvements. Aid has
proven to have little impact on the short life expectancy in third world
countries. Also, the means of income has been distorted by a handful of very
wealthy people.
Q11-
Describe three successful foreign aid programs operated by the U.S.
government or private American citizens. (Do not use the programs discussed in
the testimony of Faith Action for People-Centered Development Policy included
in your required reading. Conduct research using the Internet. Duplicate
examples from the same class will not be accepted.)
The
first successful program is InterAction’s Solar
Cookers International program it caters to refugees in Kenya. Since 1995,
Solar Cookers International has helped over 22,000 families cook with
environmentally safe cookers for a good price. Each cooker is a little more
than five dollars per person. These solar cookers save up to 27-70 percent of
firewood for warming the family’s dwelling, and have helped save the forests
of Northwest Kenya. With these cookers, citizens of underdeveloped countries
are able to eat up to four servings daily. The increase of food intake has
substantially increased health. Without fire, fewer burns exist.
The
second successful program third successful program is Doctors of the World.
The Doctors of the World programs leads the fight to bring health education,
health care, and social services to street children in America and abroad.
American physicians and mental health professionals currently offer medical
assistance to more than 20 nations. Refugees, torture victims, AIDS victims,
and homeless children are relieved through services of this program.
The
third successful programs is the Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean it
obtained the lead role in giving U.S. funds for reconstruction as a result of
over $8 billion in 1998 hurricane damage for countries in Central America as
well as in the Caribbean. Activities focus primarily on the economic recovery
of the areas, transportation, public health, watershed management, housing
repairs, and schools. Striving to rebuild the communities, the activities were
based on community participation and international donor volunteers.
Q12-
Steve Radelet, Senior Fellow at the Center for
Global Development, believes we can do both ¾ take care of our own people and
lend a helping hand to citizens of less developed countries. Explain why you
think we can or cannot offer aid to both.
There
are still problems in America. These
problems are not being solved, they are being pushed aside.
In some cases, they’re getting worse, such as drug abuse.
I feel that the money that is collected through taxes should be used to
better the people’s lives that are actually paying those taxes. If we can
make that much of a difference in a foreign country with .1% of our national
income, then just think of the possibilities in our own country.
Q13-
What do you think about Mr. Radelet’s assertion
that “the administration is leaning towards a system in which eligible
countries would write proposals (or business plans) describing their
objectives and strategy, how they would use the money, the benchmarks used for
evaluation. Giving recipient countries this responsibility is a revolutionary
change in US foreign assistance.”?
I
feel that if the United States will be giving foreign aid to other countries
they should be required to give us a detailed list of what they are using this
aid for. This would eliminate
unreasonable expenditures.
Q14-
Which of Mr. Radelet’s three concerns regarding
the MCA concerns you and why?
I
believe that the separation of US foreign assistance into two agencies would
create confusion and unreasonable spending.
It may become more of a competition between the two agencies than an
agreement on the uses of aid.
Q15-
There is evidence of an increase in negative world opinion towards U.S.
foreign policy, not necessarily the American people. To counter this negative
perception of the U.S. some people want the U.S. to concentrate more on
weapons of mass assistance (WMA) and less on weapons of mass destruction (WMD).
Please comment.
I
believe that we should be worried more about ridding the world of weapons of
mass destruction than on assistance. We
have enough of our own problems in the United States, getting rid of our
defense could make things even worse.
Q16-
What does the World Bank recommend as the United State’s “just and
appropriate share” to reach the Millennium Development Goals by 2015?
America’s
share would be 10-15 billion dollars. I
do not believe that Americas ever growing lower-middle class could afford to
put such funds into foreign aid programs.
Our economy is suffering as it is without extra burdens.
Q17-
What do you think about the request of Faith Action for People Centered
Development Policy’s request that tax dollars be used to fund, not only
government-sponsored foreign aid programs, but “that funds also go to NGOs
and grassroots organizations.”?
Tax
dollars should be distributed equally, but more money is required in certain
fields. Foreign aid may require
billions more dollars than NGOs could manage.
The difference in expenditures are so great
that saying spend this much on foreign aid, and this much in NGOs is an
unrealistic figure.
Q18-
How many countries would be affected positively by health-related investments
according to the Commission on Macroeconomics and Health (CMH)?
83
countries are affected positively by health-related investments.
Q19-
According to the CMH, how much would be gained annually between 2015-2020 due
to saved lives and increased economic growth, if an increased investment were
made in global AIDS and other health services?
$360
billion would be gained every year between 2015 and 2020 from an increase
investment in health services.
Q20- Use the
Internet for your research and name the two congressmen who introduced H.R.
4524. Give a 2-line synopsis of that bill.
Rep. Chris Smith and Rep. John LaFalce were two
congressmen who introduced H.R. 4524. The
bill provides provisions to give aid to poverty stricken nations.
This would help those nations be able to stand on their own without
much foreign aid. Back