Rockridge
High School
Taylor Ridge, Illinois
Teacher: Barbara Downey
A
Great Idea But...
By: Heather Mandle
12th Grade
With the United States being one of the richest nations of the world, many people have stated that our country can afford this foreign aid policy, that is, unless we go to war. But even if we go to war, we could still easily afford the MCA during wartime. The money would be able to come from any number of places; it would only become a matter of what we would be willing to give up. When it begins to take away from our possessions and our lifestyle, we can suddenly no longer afford it. Many Americans are only willing to help the other nations as long as it does not hurt us.
We want our country to look helpful by supporting these other nations. The MCA has great goals. The program would like to “halve the proportion of people who suffer from hunger”, and “reduce debt burdens”. These are both wonderful plans. But if we want to support those who are suffering, there are plenty here in the United States who need it. There are people in our own nation with these as well as many other problems. Most of these people would gladly accept aid in these areas mentioned.
Yes, there are many people all over the world suffering from hunger. All over the world would also include the United States. What about the proportion of people who suffer from hunger in our own country? These people feel the same pangs of hunger here as they would anywhere else. Yes, the percentages may not be as high as in those foreign countries, but these people are right in front of our government’s eyes, yet they are practically ignoring them. There are people, through to no fault of their own, who starve every day in our government’s own backyard, and these people need help. Yet we choose to ignore them, day in and day out.
The MCA would also like to “reduce debt burdens”. And many of these countries do have large debts. But, might I ask, what is our country’s National Debt? And what is being done to take care of that? Currently, our nation’s National Debt is well over $6 trillion. And this number is only rising. Fifteen years ago, our National Debt was just over $2 trillion. Where will it be fifteen years from now? If we do not start paying attention to this number, our national debt will become so large, we will not be able to handle it ourselves.
If our country is not doing anything about our National Debt, there are still many right here in our own country that have large debts of their own. Many of these are due to their own faults, but not all. Some have had no choice in the matter. Our government should take the time to help those in our own country with this issue, rather than another nation.
The United States can currently afford this commitment to foreign aid with the proposed Millennium Challenge Account. But I do not feel that at this time the MCA is the way for this to be done or that it is a good plan for foreign aid. The Millennium Challenge Account is a proposed foreign aid policy that wants to help developing countries become stronger economically. Instead of spending most of our time and aid money helping other nations become healthier, more educated, and stronger economically, we should try to help those in own country with those same problems.
Bibliography
“National Debt.”
On-line. Internet. 25 Jan.
2003. Available WWW:http://www.publicdebt.treas.gov
Questions
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?
Most funds for development come from domestic capital, foreign investment, and 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?
Aside from money, successful development in third world countries also requires education and health care.
3. When is money sometimes counterproductive, according to President Bush?
According to President Bush, money can be counterproductive when nations refuse to enact sound policies.
4. Describe the Millennium Challenge Account and include in your description what is anticipated from donors and recipients.
The Millennium Challenge Account is a foreign aid policy with a goal of helping other nations to survive on their own economies. It is anticipated that the donors will set examples that others will follow, and later more money will be donated to help more countries. It is anticipated of the recipients that in the years to come they will be able to manage their own nations, and possibly even help by donating money to help other nations.
5. What are the three broad standards that President Bush expects the leaders of the developing nations to adopt?
President Bush expects the leaders of the developing nations to govern justly, invest in their people, and to promote economic freedom.
6. Describe President Bush’s challenge to development banks and explain why or why not you favor it.
President Bush challenges development banks to provide up to half of the funds devoted to nations in grants instead of loans. I do not favor this, because I do not feel that it is right for President Bush to ask them to give up their money instead of being able to later receive it back.
7. What percentage of our national income (GNP) do you think the Untied States government committed to foreign aid in 2002? First answer this question and then use the Internet to find the answer.
I believe that the United States committed 6% to foreign aid in 2002. After researching, I found that had committed .108% in 2002.
8. Describe and defend a “Me First” attitude.
A “Me First” attitude means that you believe that your own problems should be taken care of before you try to help others. One cannot help another when they have problems of their own. They would like to take care of their own problems, and then move on to someone else’s.
9. Describe and defend a “Mutual Benefit” attitude.
A “Mutual Benefit” attitude shows that one wants to try and help both themselves and others at the same time. They would like to get ride of their own problems, while getting rid of someone else’s at the same time.
10. Describe three unsuccessful foreign aid programs operated by the U.S. government or private American citizens.
Society of Missionaries of
Africa was created to help those in Africa, as well as other Africans, wherever
they may be. While they do use their money to help these people, they also use a
great amount of their money on other things. Reports have shown that this
organization is spending far too much of fundraising, to make more money.
Planet Aid was created to help those in developing countries, particularly with community development projects and with disaster relief. It has been shown by reports that Planet Aid is paying out too much of its money to its board members.
Food for Peace was created
in 1954, and is considered one of the foreign aid programs our nation has. This
program uses over $2 billion a year feeding third world nations. While it does
help to feed the people, it only hurts their economy, because it makes it more
difficult for the nations to produce their own food and to support themselves.
11. Describe three successful foreign aid programs operated by the U.S. government or private American citizens.
The Children’s Health Fund
provides medical attention to children around the world that would otherwise not
receive it. The program has helped many children and adults all over the world.
It also helped children in New York City after the September 11th attacks.
Project ORBIS International,
also known as SightFlight, is a traveling eye hospital. It travels the world to
provide eye care in places where it is
desperately needed. Along with the traveling hospitals, SightFlight also has
year-round establishments in five different countries.
Habitat for Humanity International assists families in all 50 states to provide homes in low-income communities. The program also assists 64 foreign countries to do the same in their developing nations. In one year, this program builds or renovates houses for nearly 20,000 families worldwide.
12. Steve Radelet, 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 think that we can offer
aid to those both home and abroad, but only to a certain extent. If we are
dividing the money, neither one is being helped as much as they could be.
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 their money, the benchmarks used for evaluation. Giving recipient countries this responsibility is a revolutionary change in US foreign assistance.”?
I feel that this could be a very good plan. It would help the United States know where exactly its money is going. But I think that if this is going to be done, they need to follow through and make sure that countries are doing with the money what they said they would be doing.
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 US foreign assistance into two agencies could lead to a lack of coordination, thus overlapping functions.
I feel that “the
separation of US foreign assistance into two agencies could lead to a lack of
coordination and overlapping functions.” is the most concerning to me. This
concerns me because with overlapping functions, eventually, there will be
overlapping paychecks. We do not want to pay two people for doing the exact same
job.
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. Please comment.
I feel that the United States should concentrate much more on weapons of mass assistance. If we are able to help these other nations, then there will be no need for the weapons of mass destruction.
16. What does the World Bank recommend as the United States’ “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 recommends an additional $10-$15 United States billion a year for the United States to assist these programs. I do feel that, overall, citizens can afford this increase. If this is something that our nation wants to spend its money on, and is important to the people, then we can always find a way to afford it.
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 NGO’s and grassroots organizations.”?
I feel that tax dollars
should be used to fund non-governmental organizations as well as grassroots
organizations. If they are both helping the same people in the same way, I do
not see why it should matter whom the money goes to, and then who spends this
money.
18. How many countries would be affected positively by health-related investments according to the Commission on Macroeconomics and Health (CMH)?
83 countries would be positively affected by the health-related investments.
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?
According to the CMH, $360 billion would be gained annually due to lives saved and increased economic growth.
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.
Christopher Smith and John
LaFalce were the two Congressmen who introduced H.R. 4524.
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