(no subject)

[mmmmjournal.livejournal.com]

Michael Ramirez, The Los Angeles Times

Comments

[stephano.livejournal.com]

[chipperspragish.livejournal.com]

maybe I'm a bad democrat for agreeing with this.

[dickies.livejournal.com]

you're not a bad democrat, you might just be a little bit open minded and educated then the average *donkey*

[java-drinker.livejournal.com]

Me 2

[somefantastic10.livejournal.com]

the united states government gave 13 billion dollars to florida in wake of the hurricane. Before international criticism, the US was planning on giving only 15 million to tsunami victims.

[mmmmjournal.livejournal.com]

There you go again, telling only half the story and expecting outrage, like some Michael Moore clone in training.

The fifteen million was pledged on the first DAY of the disaster, when the death toll was believed to be only 12,000 to 15,000. When it became apparent that the death toll would increase tenfold, so did America's pledge to help.

Oh, and your Florida comparison is also poor, since the cost of living in Florida is JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE than Sumatra, Somalia, or Sri Lanka. The $350 million over there will do far more than the $15 billion would here, considering that here in America, we build our homes with such interesting features as electricity, glass windows, and running water. It costs a bit more to restore somebody's quality of life here in America than it does on a tropical island in a third-world country where people are used to living in homes made of twigs and mud.

Besides, THIS IS AMERICA. Shouldn't we help Americans in their time of need? I suppose the next time Florida gets a devastating hurricane, we should let them rot in case something bad happens to Uruguay, Portugal, or Mozambique?

It's bad enough we have to be the police for the rest of the world, must we be the medic as well? Those nations (which hate America and, in some cases, harbor terrorists I might add) are lucky to get anything we choose to give. Not to sound completely selfish, but $350 million is pretty damned good. Any victim who actually sees any of that cash will be damned grateful; we could hand the average Sri Lankan or Bangladeshi a twenty dollar bill and it would be more than they'd ever seen in their life.

Oh wait, but George W. Bush is evil, right? Right. I guess the tsunami must have been his fault in the first place.

[pressed-flowers.livejournal.com]

From your icon I can see our basic political views are different but you have my respect because this was so well said and I totally agree with it.

[annainthecity.livejournal.com]

Besides, THIS IS AMERICA. Shouldn't we help Americans in their time of need? I suppose the next time Florida gets a devastating hurricane, we should let them rot in case something bad happens to Uruguay, Portugal, or Mozambique?

See, I actually agree with this, and of course, the obvious question comes up? WTF are we spending billions in Iraq when we could be "helping Americans in their time of need"?

[maggiesox.livejournal.com]

Uh, not exactly. (http://washingtontimes.com/national/20041231-112357-1511r.htm)

The United States pledged $4 million the day after the tsunami struck. That amount was increased to $15 million on the second day of the crisis and to $35 million on the third day.

[mmmmjournal.livejournal.com]

So as the death toll has increased, so has America's pledge for relief. Where's the problem?

[maggiesox.livejournal.com]

Just pointing out that the $15 million didn't, in fact, come the day after the tsunami. That's all. NO more, no less.

[somefantastic10.livejournal.com]

hey mmmmjournal:

your ignorance is showing.

Your entire arguement seems to be stemmed from the fact that "were Americans!" and we can do what the hell we damn please. In my opinion, when natural disasters strike, international boundries dissapear; we are all humans, and in times of need we should be willing to instantly help each other. This is not a politics issue. This is not a foreign policy issue. This is merely the human existance. The fact that you posted a cartoon COMPLAINING that the americans, by far the wealthiest and most powerful country in the world, are being asked to donate money to save lives is typical of your traditionally closeminded posts on this board.

i am appalled at the fact that you can justify spending 35 times as much on relief for a disaster that killed over 2000 times as many people merely because "were Americans and they're poor; they don't need money."

Those nations (which hate America and, in some cases, harbor terrorists I might add) are lucky to get anything we choose to give.

Do you try to be the stereotypical conservative? Does anything you disagree with "hate" america? I think its odd to say that countries such as India, Thailand "hate" America despite the presence of major American companies that supply jobs and pump new life into these countries. America has enjoyed prosperous foreign relations with 99% of the world for the last twenty years, that is of course until we started persuing a unilaterist agenda. Plus, when we start saying that countries that undergo natural disasters of unprecedented perportions are LUCKY to get anything we CHOOSE to give, its no small wonder that the international community has been looking at us like were crazy lately. Rememeber, well over 100,000 people are dead, villages have been wiped off the face of the earth, and this is all in a very poor region of the world. Oh, and your comment about harboring terrorists is cute. Indonesia's only skirmish with Al Queda happened on the opposite side of the country, and had no ties to the region at all. Harboring terrorists isn't quite the phrase i would use.

And for the record, Bush's 350 million for disaster relief was only pledged after the US was called out for being "stingy." Despite the fact that 3000 Americans died, Americans contribution accounts for only 11% of tsunami relief, and only third on total donations list.

And to contradict myself, although this idea of giving foreign aid should not be a political decision, the idea to give a small token settlement to the country with the world's largest Muslim population probably wasn't celebrated in the extremist world.

Besides, THIS IS AMERICA. Shouldn't we help Americans in their time of need? I suppose the next time Florida gets a devastating hurricane, we should let them rot in case something bad happens to Uruguay, Portugal, or Mozambique?

abso-friggin-lutely not. More contortion. I am all for aiding Florida or anywhere in the US with hurricane/natural disaster/ relief. I in fact lived in Florida for 7 years, and our family suffered property damage as a result of a hurricane in 1995. My point is that any major disaster deserves assistance; and the fact that many feel the US is not very generous with aid does not bode well on our prosperous country.

Oh wait, but George W. Bush is evil, right? Right. I guess the tsunami must have been his fault in the first place.

Obviously the tsunamis are his fault. in all seriousness though, i'm happy that he finally coughed up the money for aid. It was a no-brainer, and no one should be opposed to the idea. And evil isn't quite the word i would use. I instead like the idea of him being a "belligerent war mongerer," but thats just me.

[mmmmjournal.livejournal.com]

your ignorance is showing.

Being called "ignorant" by a Bush-hater like yourself only tells me that I know EXACTLY what's going on. Thanks.

[somefantastic10.livejournal.com]

hah, did you even read my post?

[mmmmjournal.livejournal.com]

Yes I did, but rest assured, it won't happen again.

Reading you is a colossal waste of time.

Charity begins at home

[beretta.livejournal.com]

That was when the death toll was only counted at around 40,000 and the extent of the damage was not fully known yet. As the need grows, so will the amount of money we give.

[jimb.livejournal.com]

No joke. Foreign aid is what, 3% of our annual budget?

[chrisfrap.livejournal.com]

sad when 3% of our budget equals 40% of the worlds foreign aid

[jimb.livejournal.com]

Even more sad when most Americans believe that it is 20% and it isn't.