Newell-Fonda
High School
Newell,
Iowa
Teacher: Mrs. Doonan
What is a person who sits back and watches while others suffer and does nothing? In today’s society that person may be called cruel, heartless, or a murderer. Yet, so many sit back and allow people of other countries to die because of poverty and illness. If society allows this to happen, isn’t it just the same as the person who sits back while others suffer? The United States has so much more than other countries and a lot to offer to them. President Bush is proposing funding to these underdeveloped countries to give them a chance to prosper also; this great idea is called the Millennium Challenge Account.
Understanding
the Millennium Challenge Account and its future would put some of the concerns
to rest. The funding that the account is designed to give is limited and has
many standards a country must reach before getting the funds from the account.
The countries must agree to govern justly, invest in the people, promote
economic freedom, and root out corruption. President Bush made this statement
about the countries that would receive funding in his speech in Washington,
D.C., saying the Millennium Challenge Account will, “reward nations that root
out corruption, respect human rights, and adhere to the rule of law… invest in
better health care, better schools, and broader immunization….” His plan is
to promote better conditions for the world. By helping other countries, it will
improve the entire world.
September
11 was a tragedy that will stay with all alive on that day of terror. But
society must move on and build from that day.
To move on means to not hold this event against those who lived where the
terrorists were from, but instead help build a real government that can weed out
such people. The Millennium Challenge Account is made to not allow countries
with abundant amounts of corruptness to receive money.
With this as an incentive, perhaps countries will work against the
corrupt people or terrorists and aid us in our fight against terror.
Also, this is to help prevent
international crises. By aiding other countries, the U.S. can stay on good terms
with them. Clinton stated during a speech in 1997,” Every dollar we devote to
preventing conflicts…brings a sure return in security and savings.” This
implies that both U.S. citizen’s lives and those in other countries would be
saved.
A
person who sits back while others suffer is cruel. America is trying to show
that it is compassionate and is trying to aid others in their struggle. The
Millennium Challenge Account, as President Bush has said, will do this. It is
not there to aid terrorist but to help prevent poverty and death in
underdeveloped countries. The money invested in this fund will save so many
lives, cure diseases, and so much more. How can the society of the great United
States of America say no to this? Yes, it would be easier for people to sit back
in their comfort and say these countries should help themselves, but could those
same people look at the faces of the dying children in those underdeveloped
countries and tell them they are against helping them?
Work Cited
Bandow, Doug.
“Help of Hindrance: Can Foreign Aid Prevent International Crisis?”.
April 25, 1997:
34. CATO Institute. Jan.8. http://www.cato.org/pubs/pas/pa-273.html
1.
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?
-They come from domestic
capital, from foreign investment, and especially from trade.
2.
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?
-It also requires
citizens who are literate and healthy.
3.
When is money sometimes counterproductive, according to President Bush?
-When the money is not
accompanied by legal or economic reform.
4.
Describe the Millennium Challenge Account and include in your
description what is anticipated from donors and recipients.
-The Millennium Challenge
Account is a new aid to foreign policy. It
is a fund trying to get money to the underprivileged countries.
It is designed to help cure disease, poverty, illiteracy, and set up
economic, social, and political reform. The
donors are asked to give money, which may never be returned to them, for the
good of the people. The countries
receiving the money must meet some requirements. They must have an economy below a certain amount, not be
corrupt, show promise in different social reform categories, and many others.
5.
What are the three broad standards that President Bush expects the
leaders of the developing nations to adopt?
-Political reform, legal
reform, and economic reform.
6.
Describe President Bush’s challenge to development banks and explain
why or why not you favor it.
-President Bush
challenges the development banks to provide up to half of the funds devoted to
poor nations in the form of grants, rather than loans.
He wants to stop the dept. I
agree with this idea. Yes, the
grants may never be repaid but that is a risk to helping all those people.
7.
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.
-
3.5% is my guess.
-.1 is the real answer.
8.
Describe and defend a “Me First” attitude.
- I believe it means we
should take care of our people first. We
should help our poor, fix our debt, solve our problems before going to help and
fix other countries.
9.
Describe and defend a “Mutual Benefit” attitude.
-Everyone needs to
succeed before the others can succeed. One
country depends on the others to do well. So they help each other to better
themselves. One prospers, all prosper.
10.
Describe three unsuccessful foreign aid programs operated by the U.S.
government or private American citizens.
-The following countries
have had foreign aid programs fail; Micronesia, Bangladesh, India, and Egypt.
11.
Describe three successful foreign aid programs operated by the U.S.
government or private American citizens.
-South Korea, Indonesia,
and Japan. The U.S. helped these
countries to become first world countries.
12.
Steve Radlet, Senior Fellow at the Center for Global Development,
believes we can do both, 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.
-I
believe we can offer both because we have a strong economy and we are the
leader. Being the strong and
powerful country we are we should use that for good and help those less
fortunate than ourselves.
13.
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 U.S. foreign assistance.”?
-I think it is a good
idea to see what they want to use the money for but they should have to follow
our standards also. We can take
their proposals into consideration but it is our money and our help so they
should follow our agreement.
14.
Which of Mr. Radelet’s three concerns regarding the MCA concerns you
and why?
1.
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.
2.
The make-or-break requirement may unnecessarily eliminate some
countries.
3.
The separation of U.S. foreign assistance into two agencies could lead
to a lack of coordination and overlapping functions.
-The first concern
worries me the most because these countries should not be becoming more
eligible. As we help there should be less and less countries needed the
funds. But this could be a serious
problem if it does happen. If it
does the poorest countries need the funds but if we take on too many, funds will
become less available leaving these countries with less aid.
15.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 we need to
concentrate on both equally. Concentrating
on WMA to help and eliminate negative opinions towards the U.S. and WMD’s to
make sure we are protected. We must
stay on good terms with the world but also be able to defend ourselves.
16.What does the World Bank 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.
-The World Bank wants the
amount for foreign aid to be $40-$60 billion a year by 2015.
The U.S.’s, share of this amount would be approximately an additional
$10-$15 billion dollars. I do think
we can afford this. After all, the
Bank based these figures off of our economy and its wealth. They are not trying
to hurt us so the amount must be legitimate.
It is a lot of money but for a good cause.
17.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.”?
-I think it’s a good
thing. It will help make the
government not go into debt. It’s
a creative way to help people without taking from other programs and the
government.
18.
How many countries would be affected positively y health-related
investment according to the Commission on Macroeconomics and Health (CMH)?
-Eighty-three countries
would be affected in a positive manner.
19.
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 annually.
20.
Use the Internet for your research and name the two congressmen who
introduced H.R. 4524. Give a 2-line
synopsis of that bill.
-Chris Smith and John LaFalce were the two congressmen who introduced it. The bills are a debt relief program. They are there to help reduce the debt countries have to benefit them. They require administration and other creditors to amend the indebted countries. These bills are great at helping the countries move on out of debt and build. Back