Newell-Fonda
High School
Newell,
Iowa
Teacher:
Mrs. Doonan
The Fight Against the Millennium Challenge Account
By
Ashley Bellinghausen
12th
Grade
The
Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) is a proposal made by President George Bush.
The account is a $5 billion plan that he addressed in a recent speech to help
developing nations. The purpose of the Millennium Challenge Account is to
provide a more organized and trusting way for our country to work with others
when assisting in foreign aid. President Bush’s proposal may have been
suggested with the best intention in mind; however, many negative aspects have
arisen during the duration of the Account’s existence.
Those
defending the MCA have many arguments as to why they believe this plan will
improve foreign relations. They believe that the United States owes it to the
world to give money. With this new plan, other countries will be easier to work
with. These same people deem that the United States has more than enough money
to go around. They believe in taking a little from the rich can give a lot to
the poor. Another point that the defenders bring up is that other countries are
in deeper desperation than their own. They want to help the people with the most
serious problems before assisting others. The argument is also brought up that
by giving these countries money, the U.S. lowers the amount of terrorism in the
world. The people that live in desperation are most likely to turn against other
countries.
This system
suggests that with a hand shake and a pat on the back, the Nation’s
governments that the U.S. is helping will abide by every rule. The nations agree
to try all they can to help themselves as well. The United States may think that
they know how the money is utilized in other nations, but there is no way of
truthfully knowing how their governments use it. The money that is given to
these countries in foreign aid is not directly handed to the poor. The U.S. puts
trust in other governments that the money will reach the right people without
considering what they could do with it. The foreign nations also should help out
more than they do. The country as a whole is not in complete poverty. Residents
of the country at hand could give up a little rather than forcing other
countries to contribute all the aid funds. The countries’ government can set
up a welfare program and make necessities such as schooling and doctor visits
affordable for those who most need them. They need to work through their
hardships by using each other and not relying on others to always be there to
aid them.
The
United States has a large amount of money, but they do not know how to use it in
the most beneficial ways. If money management is something that everyone learns
at a young age, why do the leaders of the United States not assume the worst for
the future? In doing so, they will not regret all the money lost to the other
countries because they will always have that safety money to fall back on. The
people in the U.S. that have a good sum of money may not be so willing to give
it up. President Bush stated in his speech proposal for the MCA, “This new
version looks beyond arbitrary inputs from the rich, and demands tangible
outcomes for the poor.” The ironic thing about President Bush saying this is
that the greater prosperity of the country comes from the wealthy. The fact that
the president of their own country does not want to spend his time and money on
them, who do a lot for this nation, could anger those people. So this puts our
country in the position of being loved by others but not by themselves.
The
United States is so concerned about everyone else by trying to make the world a
better place that the government often times forgets that they have their own
country to maintain. The United States seems to often fall behind other
countries when considering needs. President Bush assumes what the people of the
U.S. want when he states, “America supports the international development
goals in the U.N. Millennium Declaration, and believes that these goals are a
shared responsibility of developed and developing countries.” In this single
sentence, President Bush puts words into many disagreeing U.S. citizens’
mouths. His statement could have easily been taken from his own opinion; because
he is the leader of the country, he assumes it is everyone else’s belief as
well. The United States also needs
to recognize the problems that are going on in their own country. AIDS is an
obvious problem in the U.S. along with other countries; homeless people live on
the streets of this country as well as others.
Because
terrorism is now such a vast issue, the United States should be more cautious of
money management. After the September eleventh attacks on our nation, it only
makes sense to provide more suspicion towards other countries.
As mentioned earlier, the U.S. does not know for certain where their
money is going. The money could have paid for the planning of the destruction to
the Trade Towers; it could be paying for another plan, in a different country,
right this minute. The education that the U.S.’s money is providing could also
be making the receiving nations terrorists more knowledgeable. It should not be
the goal of this nation to make others smarter and more of a threat.
The
United States, while considering the Millennium Challenge Account, neglected to
look at major issues that present problems. The U.S. government can not trust
another government by only their word, they don’t have all the money in the
world, they didn’t cause the problems that other countries are having, and
terrorism is still a big factor all over the world. Without these things
considered it makes a person wonder how safe the U.S. government is keeping
their people. Will the money they give today, blow US up tomorrow?
Q1-
President Bush claimed that most funds for development do not come from
international aid. He mentions
three things that do fund development. What
are they?
A1-
He mentioned domestic capital, foreign investment, and 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 his regard?
A2-
People who are literate and healthy; people who are prepared and able to work.
Q3-
When is money sometimes counterproductive, according to President Bush?
A3-
When nations refuse to enact sound policies and progress agency poverty is
nearly impossible.
Q4-
Describe the Millennium Challenge Account and include in your description what
is anticipated from donors and recipients.
A4-
The Millennium Challenge Account will expand our fight against AIDS, bring
computer instruction to young professionals in developing nations, assist
African nations and their people to sell goods abroad, etc.
The recipients are expected to abide by the law and eliminate corruption.
Q5-
what are the three broad standards that President Bush expects the leaders of
the developing nations to adopt?
A5-
they are ruling justly and investing in their people, and encourageing economic
freedom.
Q6-
Describe President Bush’s challenge to develop banks and explain why or why
not you favor it.
A6-
He suggests that the banks provide half the funds in grants rather than loans.
Q7-
What percentage of our national income (GNP) do you think the United States
government committed to foreign aid in 2002?
A7-
The percent that the U.S. government committed in foreign aid in 2002 is .1%
Q8-
Describe and defend a “Me First” attitude.
A8-
The U.S. will think about their own country before any other,
The money will be distributed to our people before any other country
receives money.
Q9-
Describe and defend a “Mutual Benefit” attitude.
A9-
Regards to the fact that we are benefited as well as the other countries when we
give them money. We are said to get
stronger trade through our acts of kindness.
Q10-
Describe three unsuccessful foreign aid programs operated by the U.S government
of private American Citizens.
Q11-
Describe three successful foreign aid programs operated by the U.S. government
or private American Citizens.
A11-
All Luther World Relief has medical facilities, Church World Service has
excellent emergency programs, and Mennonite Central Communities helps with
farming.
Q12-
Steve Radelet, Senior Fellow at the Center For Global Development, believes we
can do both take care of our own people and lent a helping hand to citizens of
less developed countries. Explain
why you think we can or cannot offer aid to both.
A12-
We cannot offer aid for both because if we take on the task of being the
worlds’ “Mr. Fix-it” Even we will run out of money sooner or later because
everyone will just expect us to hand them over a large sum of money whenever
they feel the need for it.
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.”?
A13-
I have no doubt that a countries word would be very convincing, but how are we
to believe that everyone in that country will abide by the agreement.
People in our country break laws so why wouldn’t people in those
countries as well?
Q14-
Which of Mr. Radelet’s three concerns regarding the MCA concerns you and why?
A14-
As more countries in this income range become eligible, there will be fewer MCA
funds available for the poorest countries that are implementing sound
development strategies. I chose
this selection because everything should bring up concerns, but when it comes
down to whether or not we have enough money for ourselves in the future that
area takes on a little more importance.
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 percentage 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.
A15-
We should spend our time and money briefly on WMD for our defense because there
is always the chance of us needing to protect ourselves.
We should also spend little time on WMA because creating too much for
other countries could be suicide, but there is always a limit that I am sure is
closely watched.
Q16-
What does the World Band recommend as the United State’s “just and
appropriate share” to reach the Millennium Development Goals by 2015?
Do you think our citizens can afford that kind of increase?
Defend your views.
A16-
Some of our people can easily afford it, but others can’t because we do have
poor people here in the U.S. too.
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 NGO’s
and grassroots organizations.”
A17-
As long as the taxes don’t increase and the money is just divided more
severely then I see no problem with this because I am sure that tax money goes
to places that no one in the country knows about anyway.
Q18-
How many countries would be affected positively health-related investments
according to the Commission on Macroeconomics and Health (CMH)?
A18-
Eighteen people from different agencies were brought together by CMH.
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
global AIDS and other health services?
A19-
$360 billion would be gained.
Q20-
Use the Internet for your research and name the two congressmen who introduced
H.R. 4525. Give a 2-line synopsis of that bill.
A20-
Reps. Christopher Smith and
John LaFalce first introduced it. This
bill is meant to help relieve AIDS and dept in Africa.
It has been stuck in Congress though for the past few years waiting to be
passed.