obama- 0.7% of the GNP goes to the UN

hackster · 02-20-08, 04:35 PM

obama's bill in congress-

if he gets his way, the UN will get 0.7 percent of the US Gross National Product, about 845 Billion dollars, to fight world poverty.

your taxes at work, baby- worldwide.

Obama plan ships dollars overseas â€“ by the billions

Obama Pushes Bill That Would Mandate Global Tax

DarkWizard12 · 02-20-08, 05:04 PM

Wait wait wait, to fight world poverty? hmmm....I think I know how that is going to go:

Obama: Here is some money to fight World Poverty
UN: Thanks!
Obama: Exits
Saudi Arabia: So South Africa, what are you going to do with your money?
South Africa: I'm going to gamble it all in Cuba, and you Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia: I'm going to give some to OPEC and gamble the rest in Cuba
Cuba: Hurray! More Money
China: *Looks devious* X)
Iran: Nuclear...ahhh...power!

hackster · 02-20-08, 09:18 PM

can you say "UN OIL FOR FOOD SCANDAL"?

how soon we ferget...

DarkWizard12 · 02-20-08, 09:21 PM

The UN has proven itself to be...how should I say this? Greedy ultra-capitalistic scumbags. Haven't we Americans learned the first time about giving money to them? Let me answer that, no.

chevydriver1123 · 02-20-08, 09:57 PM

There should be a national vote to stay or get out of the UN.

SouthernDemocrat · 02-20-08, 10:20 PM

Why don't we look at the bill itself.

The following is the summary for the bill:

Quote:

The following summary is provided by the Congressional Research Service, which is a nonpartisan government entity that serves Congress and is run by the Library of Congress. The summary is taken from the official website THOMAS.

9/25/2007--Passed House amended.

Global Poverty Act of 2007 - Directs the President, through the Secretary of State, to develop and implement a comprehensive strategy to further the U.S. foreign policy objective of promoting the reduction of global poverty, the elimination of extreme global poverty, and the achievement of the United Nations Millennium Development Goal of reducing by one-half the proportion of people worldwide who live on less than $1 per day.

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?b...amp;tab=summary

Does anyone disagree with that premise? Does anyone disagree with the premise that a major priority of U.S. foreign policy should be to reduce global poverty and eliminate extreme poverty?

If you do, please speak up.

The text of the bill is here:

Quote:

HR 1302 RFS

110th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 1302

←→
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

September 26, 2007

Received, read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

AN ACT

To require the President to develop and implement a comprehensive strategy to further the United States foreign policy objective of promoting the reduction of global poverty, the elimination of extreme global poverty, and the achievement of the United Nations Millennium Development Goal of reducing by one-half the proportion of people worldwide, between 1990 and 2015, who live on less than $1 per day.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Global Poverty Act of 2007'.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress makes the following findings:

(1) More than one billion people worldwide live on less than $1 per day, and another 1.6 billion people struggle to survive on less than $2 per day, according to the World Bank.

(2) At the United Nations Millennium Summit in 2000, the United States joined more than 180 other countries in committing to work toward the United Nations Millennium Development Goals to improve life for the world's poorest people by 2015.

(3) The United Nations Millennium Development Goals include the goal of reducing by one-half the proportion of people worldwide, between 1990 and 2015, that live on less than $1 per day, cutting in half the proportion of people suffering from hunger and unable to access safe drinking water and sanitation, reducing child mortality by two-thirds, ensuring basic education for all children, and reversing the spread of HIV/AIDS and malaria, while sustaining the environment upon which human life depends.

(4) On March 22, 2002, President George W. Bush stated: `We fight against poverty because hope is an answer to terror. We fight against poverty because opportunity is a fundamental right to human dignity. We fight against poverty because faith requires it and conscience demands it. We fight against poverty with a growing conviction that major progress is within our reach.'.

(5) The 2002 National Security Strategy of the United States notes: `[A] world where some live in comfort and plenty, while half of the human race lives on less than $2 per day, is neither just nor stable. Including all of the world's poor in an expanding circle of development and opportunity is a moral imperative and one of the top priorities of United States international policy.'.

(6) The 2006 National Security Strategy of the United States notes: `America's national interests and moral values drive us in the same direction: to assist the world's poor citizens and least developed nations and help integrate them into the global economy.'.

(7) The bipartisan Final Report of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States recommends: `A comprehensive United States strategy to counter terrorism should include economic policies that encourage development, more open societies, and opportunities for people to improve the lives of their families and enhance prospects for their children.'.

(8) At the summit of the Group of Eight (G-8) nations in July 2005, leaders from all eight countries committed to increase aid to Africa from the current $25 billion annually to $50 billion by 2010, and to cancel 100 percent of the debt obligations owed to the World Bank, African Development Bank, and International Monetary Fund by 18 of the world's poorest nations.

(9) At the United Nations World Summit in September 2005, the United States joined more than 180 other governments in reiterating their commitment to achieve the United Nations Millennium Development Goals by 2015.

(10) The United States has recognized the need for increased financial and technical assistance to countries burdened by extreme poverty, as well as the need for strengthened economic and trade opportunities for those countries, through significant initiatives in recent years, including the United States Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Act of 2003, the Millennium Challenge Act of 2003, the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative, and trade preference programs for developing countries, such as the African Growth and Opportunity Act.

(11) In January 2006, United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice initiated a restructuring of the United States foreign assistance program, including the creation of a Director of Foreign Assistance, who maintains authority over Department of State and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) foreign assistance funding and programs.

(12) In January 2007, the Department of State's Office of the Director of Foreign Assistance added poverty reduction as an explicit, central component of the overall goal of United States foreign assistance. The official goal of United States foreign assistance is: `To help build and sustain democratic, well-governed states that respond to the needs of their people, reduce widespread poverty and conduct themselves responsibly in the international system.'.

SEC. 3. DECLARATION OF POLICY.

It is the policy of the United States to promote the reduction of global poverty, the elimination of extreme global poverty, and the achievement of the United Nations Millennium Development Goal of reducing by one-half the proportion of people worldwide, between 1990 and 2015, who live on less than $1 per day.

SEC. 4. REQUIREMENT TO DEVELOP COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY.

(a) Strategy- The President, acting through the Secretary of State, and in consultation with the heads of other appropriate departments and agencies of the Government of the United States, international organizations, international financial institutions, the governments of developing and developed countries, United States and international nongovernmental organizations, civil society organizations, and other appropriate entities, shall develop and implement a comprehensive strategy to further the United States foreign policy objective of promoting the reduction of global poverty, the elimination of extreme global poverty, and the achievement of the United Nations Millennium Development Goal of reducing by one-half the proportion of people worldwide, between 1990 and 2015, who live on less than $1 per day.

(b) Contents- The strategy required by subsection (a) shall include, but not be limited to, specific and measurable goals, efforts to be undertaken, benchmarks, and timetables to achieve the objectives described in subsection (a).

© Components- The strategy required by subsection (a) should include, but not be limited to, the following components:

(1) Continued investment in existing United States initiatives related to international poverty reduction, such as the United States Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Act of 2003, the Millennium Challenge Act of 2003, the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative, and trade preference programs for developing countries, such as the African Growth and Opportunity Act.

(2) Improving the effectiveness of development assistance and making available additional overall United States assistance levels as appropriate.

(3) Enhancing and expanding debt relief as appropriate.

(4) Leveraging United States trade policy where possible to enhance economic development prospects for developing countries.

(5) Coordinating efforts and working in cooperation with developed and developing countries, international organizations, and international financial institutions.

(6) Mobilizing and leveraging the participation of businesses, United States and international nongovernmental organizations, civil society, and public-private partnerships.

(7) Coordinating the goal of poverty reduction with other development goals, such as combating the spread of preventable diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria, increasing access to potable water and basic sanitation, reducing hunger and malnutrition, and improving access to and quality of education at all levels regardless of gender.

(8) Integrating principles of sustainable development into policies and programs.

(d) Reports-

(1) INITIAL REPORT- Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President, acting through the Secretary of State, shall transmit to the appropriate congressional committees a report that describes the strategy required by subsection (a).

(2) SUBSEQUENT REPORTS- Not less than once every two years after the submission of the initial report under paragraph (1) until and including 2015, the President shall transmit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the status of the implementation of the strategy, progress made in achieving the global poverty reduction objectives described in subsection (a), and any changes to the strategy since the date of the submission of the last report.

SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:

(1) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES- The term `appropriate congressional committees' means--

(A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives; and

(B) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.

(2) EXTREME GLOBAL POVERTY- The term `extreme global poverty' refers to the conditions in which individuals live on less than $1 per day, adjusted for purchasing power parity in 1993 United States dollars, according to World Bank statistics.

(3) GLOBAL POVERTY- The term `global poverty' refers to the conditions in which individuals live on less than $2 per day, adjusted for purchasing power parity in 1993 United States dollars, according to World Bank statistics.

Passed the House of Representatives September 25, 2007.

GovTrack: H.R. 1302: Text of Legislation

Now where in that bill do you see 865 billion dollars? Also, where do you see where we would be just throwing a bunch of money at the U.N. You don't. Why? Because the bill has to do with the prioritization of foreign aid. It seems that a bipartisan coalition of congressmen and senators believe that our foreign aid ought to be used to actually help people rather than prop up dictators. Imagine that. Oh the horrors.

DarkWizard12 · 02-20-08, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Does anyone disagree with that premise? Does anyone disagree with the premise that a major priority of U.S. foreign policy should be to reduce global poverty and eliminate extreme poverty?

No, its not our job to police the world, remember?

SouthernDemocrat · 02-20-08, 10:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkWizard12

No, its not our job to police the world, remember?

There is a difference between throwing our military around and foreign aid (most notably being that foreign aid is much, much cheaper) Doing what we can to mitigate extreme poverty is very much in our national interests as well as being in the national interests of every other nation on earth. The more we can help the 3rd world increase its literacy rates, grow its own food, stop the spread of diseases like aids and malaria, and become more productive societies the better off we all are both in economic and national security. For example, when we build a school in the Middle East (or when any NGO or other developed nation does so), then those villages we build them in don't have to look to radical islamists who would build madrases there. When we teach a village in sub-Sahara Africa modern farming techniques and help them live sustainable lives, dictatorship does not foster so easily, and just as important, American countries can invest there (even American oil companies).

If developed nations got nothing out of foreign aid, then none of them would do it. In the end, just like individuals tend to be selfish, so do nations. Most foreign aid is not based in some liberal altruism, but rather it is purely pragmatic. After all, doing what we reasonably can to promote stability, education, and sustainability in the third world is a lot cheaper than fighting wars there. (it does work too, because of the U.N. World Food Program and others like it, the number of children who starve to death each year has been cut in half in the last 30 years).

Of course, as a side note, if anyone is that concerned over the money, in terms of a percentage of GNP, we have the second smallest foreign aid budget in the developed world. Of course, because we are such a rich nation, the dollar amount is higher, but as a percentage of GNP, its tiny (we rank 21st in that regard).

hackster · 02-21-08, 09:42 AM

take care of our affairs... quit being the world's "decider".
especially with MY tax money.

---

excerpt from the blacklistednews link i provided:

The legislation itself requires the President "to develop and implement a comprehensive strategy to further the United States foreign policy objective of promoting the reduction of global poverty, the elimination of extreme global poverty, and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goal of reducing by one-half the proportion of people worldwide, between 1990 and 2015, who live on less than $1 per day."

The bill defines the term "Millennium Development Goals" as the goals set out in the United Nations Millennium Declaration, General Assembly Resolution 55/2 (2000).

The U.N. says that "The commitment to provide 0.7% of gross national product (GNP) as official development assistance was first made 35 years ago in a General Assembly resolution, but it has been reaffirmed repeatedly over the years, including at the 2002 global Financing for Development conference in Monterrey, Mexico. However, in 2004, total aid from the industrialized countries totaled just $78.6 billion - or about 0.25% of their collective GNP."

In addition to seeking to eradicate poverty, that declaration commits nations to banning "small arms and light weapons" and ratifying a series of treaties, including the International Criminal Court Treaty, the Kyoto Protocol (global warming treaty), the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The Millennium Declaration also affirms the U.N. as "the indispensable common house of the entire human family, through which we will seek to realize our universal aspirations for peace, cooperation and development."

Jeffrey Sachs, who runs the U.N.'s "Millennium Project," says that the U.N. plan to force the U.S. to pay 0.7 percent of GNP in increased foreign aid spending would add $65 billion a year to what the U.S. already spends. Over a 13-year period, from 2002, when the U.N.'s Financing for Development conference was held, to the target year of 2015, when the U.S. is expected to meet the "Millennium Development Goals," this amounts to $845 billion. And the only way to raise that kind of money, Sachs has written, is through a global tax, preferably on carbon-emitting fossil fuels.

DarkWizard12 · 02-21-08, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SouthernDemocrat

Of course, as a side note, if anyone is that concerned over the money, in terms of a percentage of GNP, we have the second smallest foreign aid budget in the developed world. Of course, because we are such a rich nation, the dollar amount is higher, but as a percentage of GNP, its tiny (we rank 21st in that regard).

But we have the highest national debt in the world.
NAtional Debt
US Budget
Our budget and debt has been so destroyed, we need the G-8 to give aid to us!