Defense Spending vs. Children

[mickeyfan2]

The whole OP is from a pamphlet from Ben and Jerry's. I saw them there yesterday it comes with a liitle post card where you can fill in your senators name and mail to them saying you want to increase "efforts to lift children out of poverty"

So now I am to let Ben and Jerry think for me?

BTW countries like France are the size of states here. So to do a real comparison (like a previous poster stated) you would need to include what the state does. I am sure there are states that do BETTER than France does.

PA had the CHIPS program for all working parents to get their kids health care. I believe the family can make ~45K and still qualify. Don't know the exact details (just what the commercials state) since I am not using the program.

 

[mickeyfan2]

Or for family policies that cost $800 per month (the amount I would have to pay if I COBRA'd my insurance)?

I can and do and we have for almost 20 years. So it is part of our budget. It is about priorities and we make health care one of them.

 

[DawnCt1]

"Poverty" in the US is NOT the same as REAL poverty in third world countries.

.

To quote a comment from an African who wished to immigrate to the United States; "I want to live in a country where the poor people are fat". Something that is unheard of in the 3rd world.

 

[rayelias]

I would like to see us divert some of the vast dollars we spend on defense to deal with children in abject poverty, not here, but in the third world. In the last century the disparity between the nations that have and those who have not has grown exponentially. Before the 20th century most people on earth were poor. After the industrial revolution, the western world prospered while others were left behind. The fact that there are so many on this planet with so little while we have so much is a national security concern. It's not good to have too many people with nothing to lose...

In his book, The End of Poverty, Jeffrey Sachs of Columbia University, lays out a plan that would enable us to wipe out abject poverty in our lifetime. It would take money and commitment. His proposal is for the first world nations to devote 0.7% of GDP to vaccinations, family planning, building roads and digging wells to give those in the third world the means to join us in the global economy.

Bill and Melinda Gates, recently joined by Warren Buffet, are devoting significant resources to this effort. I hope it's just the beginning.

Why is it OUR responsibility to deal with poverty and problems in the third world? You know, less than 300 years ago, people in this very country had nothing. No food, no shelter, no healthcare, no money, nothing. Not bad for 300 years of progress.

In my post, "Let's get off the teacups, out of Fantasyland, and back to real life", rayelias, amateur bioethicist and graduate, sumo-go-loudly of the school of hard knocks reminds us that the US already spends billions upon billions of dollars every year attempting to end poverty and disease in third world nations. Where's the return on investment? Where's the progress? The answer is that money isn't the issue - it chaning a mindset. And, again, I'm just an AMATEUR bioethicist, but if you're living in an area where you can't grow food... MOVE! If you're in the desert, and there's no water, and the conditions are bad... GO SOMEWHERE BETTER! What's holding them there, a great career with benefits and vacation?

The reason AIDS remains such a problem in many third world countries, despite the education, and the free condoms is that they WON'T USE THEM! Robs them of their manhood. So, instead of sleeping around, spreading disease how about (how's this for an idea) MONOGAMY?!? Seems like that might help. Nah... just give them more money. That'll do it.

And, perhaps if they didn't dispose of their trash and their dead in their rivers, just how many more diseases might be cured?

Throwing more money at the problem is like trying to fill a funnel.

 

[BuckNaked]

I would like to see us divert some of the vast dollars we spend on defense to deal with children in abject poverty, not here, but in the third world. In the last century the disparity between the nations that have and those who have not has grown exponentially. Before the 20th century most people on earth were poor. After the industrial revolution, the western world prospered while others were left behind. The fact that there are so many on this planet with so little while we have so much is a national security concern. It's not good to have too many people with nothing to lose...

In his book, The End of Poverty, Jeffrey Sachs of Columbia University, lays out a plan that would enable us to wipe out abject poverty in our lifetime. It would take money and commitment. His proposal is for the first world nations to devote 0.7% of GDP to vaccinations, family planning, building roads and digging wells to give those in the third world the means to join us in the global economy.

Bill and Melinda Gates, recently joined by Warren Buffet, are devoting significant resources to this effort. I hope it's just the beginning.

Noble idea, but no thanks. If private citizens, such as the Gates and Buffet choose to spend their money that way, more power to them. But I fail to see why it the obligation of the United States to spend that much money on foreign aid.

 

[DVC Sadie]

And throwing hundreds of billions into Iraq wont make terrorists go away either.

The allotted money for education is also at an all time high and we (as a nation) have not been able to get our (collective) children on a equal footing. It appears that no matter how much money is increased for education we are sub par to just about everyone else.

How come other citizens of different nationalities/countries can come over to this country and have their children not only receive scholarships for further education but receive grants.

Why do our children (US) have a hard time graduating from high school, let alone go to college. It could be because other nations parents put a higher emphasis on education then us.

 

[JoeEpcotRocks]

I guess I missed the part in the Constitution that said we should be caring for children on a national level. Nor about providing an education, lifting anyone out of poverty, or providing health care. But the Constitution clearly states "Provide for the common defense".

Not only don't I think these issues are federal issues, since when does the government do a great, efficient job at anything? Why does everyone keep looking to the government for solutions instead of themselves or private organizations? If I had $20 to give, I'd rather it go to the Salvation Army, which does a tremendous job IMHO, than give it in taxes to the government.

If you want the government to take care of everything, you might be a lot happier in a socialist society.

Very well said. ITA

 

[DVC Sadie]

I too hope others join this effort to help our (US) children with educational opportunities but sometimes the effort has to begin with the parents. Charities can only do so much for any problem.

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

if you're living in an area where you can't grow food... MOVE! If you're in the desert, and there's no water, and the conditions are bad... GO SOMEWHERE BETTER! What's holding them there, a great career with benefits and vacation?

People in third world countries move all the time to try and find a better life for their families -- it's the reason why there are huge slums in many of the big cities in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. It's the reason why there are refugee camps teeming with people all over the world. And, it's the reason why people are willing to leave their families, and risk their lives to cross the border into the U.S..

As to "what's holding them there" it's usually because the only options are worse. For a family without a car, in a famine struck region, walking for days to the nearest feeding station can carry huge risks -- that the extra exertion will kill a vulnerable child or an old one. That disease outbreaks or violence at the camp will kill them all. In war torn regions travel may be so unsafe that people don't risk it. Or the nearest, stable place with a decent economy may be too far to get to by any available means of transportation.

I'm really hoping that this post is a joke (although it doesn't read one) because otherwise the stupidity and insensitivity of blaming someone for an "accident of birth" is overwhelming.

 

[Free4Life11]

The allotted money for education is also at an all time high and we (as a nation) have not been able to get our (collective) children on a equal footing. It appears that no matter how much money is increased for education we are sub par to just about everyone else.

My point was that defense spending seems to get a golden pass. Just like people say "throwing money" at education and welfare wont change things, I say throwing money at the DOD wont make us that much safer either. Come on we're over $450B! Every year it goes up up up. We account for 58% of all defense spending in the world. We are we spending so much more than any other country? There has got to be some inefficiency in there. I don't even think the defense budget includes all the Iraq costs.

Why is it OUR responsibility to deal with poverty and problems in the third world?

It's not an obligation. Some of us have a heart for those living in third world countries. You obviously are not one of them.

And, perhaps if they didn't dispose of their trash and their dead in their rivers, just how many more diseases might be cured?

You're just on a roll aren't you.

 

[BuckNaked]

As much as I feel poverty is an issue in this country, I think we've all ready proven throwing money at it doesn't help the problem (Welfare system). I do think there's a problem but I just don't see the federal gov't as being able to do anything about it but causes mismanagement of the money and higher tax burden for everyone to pay for it.

Very well said, and ITA.

 

[Planogirl]

Then why don't they have people running through firing lines to live in their country? Why don't they have immigration problems? Why aren't people jumping all over themselves to live in those places?

Why don't YOU move to one of those places if it bugs you so much????

If you check it out, you might find that many of these nations also have huge immigration problems. This isn't a problem unique to the United States.