$35 Million - Is it enough?

[Macfistowannabe]

I get way too irritated. Threads start out like this one, a topic that should be able to be discussed and end ups about Bush Snr, Nazis, and crap knows what else.

Its just one big circle, Bush, Nazis, abortion, Christianity, rinse and repeat.

Very few actual topics get discussed in here.

PS Wheres Klaus? I miss him.

I agree, let's please stick to the topic. I don't mind history being presented - in fact, I like it, but jeez. It's like we're making it a big contest of who can give the most money. Funding for this natural disaster was not planned in any country's budget, and I'd like to thank each one of them that is helping out. Including the United States.

 

[beli]

I have been in touch with Klaus. He is well, but will not participate in interference anymore due to the fake Edge.

I have tried to get him to come back.

I have severe issues with this topic also. I banished myself for a month. Swore my head off.

At the end of the day theres only one person I disrespect and I have decided to not let my opinion of that person get in the way of me interacting with my pixellated friends.

But I understand where Klaus and the other "missings" are coming from. Do you know if he posts anywhere else?

 

[deep]

Powell, Jeb Bush to lead U.S. team

Thursday, December 30, 2004 Posted: 6:37 PM EST (2337 GMT)

Powell will lead a U.S. delegation to the region to determine what other help is needed.


CRAWFORD, Texas (CNN) -- -- A U.S. delegation headed by Secretary of State Colin Powell and Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, brother of President George W. Bush, will travel to southern Asia Sunday to assess humanitarian needs, a White House spokesman said Thursday.

_________________________________________________

 

[Dreadsox]

But I understand where Klaus and the other "missings" are coming from. Do you know if he posts anywhere else?

I am not sure...I can ask...I miss him and Anitram. Two people I did not agree with on a regular basis, but were always high on my respect list.

 

[beli]

I agree, let's please stick to the topic. I don't mind history being presented - in fact, I like it, but jeez.

I dont like all these extra issues been thrown in. Its a dirty argument. Its like what they say about relationship counselling - only discuss the current issue not turn the argument into a long list of previous greviances.

 

[beli]

Deep, I love you.

Krank

 

[tennispunk]

typo. my bad. you knew what I meant tho

100 million people didnt die. More like 100 thousand.

 

[indra]

LOL. I think not!

I get way too irritated. Threads start out like this one, a topic that should be able to be discussed and end ups about Bush Snr, Nazis, and crap knows what else.

Its just one big circle, Bush, Nazis, abortion, Christianity, rinse and repeat.

Very few actual topics get discussed in here.

PS Wheres Klaus? I miss him.

I ususally just discuss things until I get bored and then I quit and find something else to discuss. Keeps me from getting too irritated. And I try to never reply to something that really irritates me right away -- helps avoid "poster's remorse."

On the subject -- no. $35 million is not enough.

 

[Macfistowannabe]

On the subject -- no. $35 million is not enough.

It sure isn't, but hopefully we can trust that more will come.

 

[trevster2k]

I just hope that governments continue to give money in the months ahead after everyone forgets about these people.

The US is by far the richest country in the world and its contribution should dwarf most of the other contributions. Seems fair to me. Plus look at all the good will it would generate for the US which needs it right now.

Canada has pledged $40 million so that's a start but hopefully our buttheads in government will do what the people want and that is to help as much as possible. Apparently, Canada is also allowing victims who have family members already living in Canada to bypass the usual 5 year wait to enter Canada and come over if they wish. The news estimates that could be about 5000 people.

I don't understand why there has not been the kind of response like I saw during 9/11. Geez, they raised over a BILLION dollars in public pledges during that music telethon after the attacks. And there were less than 4000 victims. Southeast Asia has over 115000 victims and counting, plus millions without water, food, and shelter so I hope someone gets a similar project going because the poorest victims in the world need more help than the richest victims.


Another point is how sickening it is in our world that countries ( and no I am not picking on the US so relax, all countries do this) have no problem spending billions on killing other people but have a hell of a time spending money to save lives. Humans are so fucked up.

Peace out

 

[Earnie Shavers]

$40 Million is the cost of Bush's inauguration.

Having said that, I'm sure $35million isn't the total. Just about every country is adding more everyday. Australia announced a further $25million today, taking our total to $60million, not including private donations, which has reached $30million (for a nation with a population of 20 million that's not bad).

I have no doubt the US will contribute hundreds of millions over the next few weeks.

 

[Dreadsox]

THE political and ideological exploitation of perhaps the worst natural disaster in all our lifetimes is almost beyond belief — were it not for the fact that nothing these days is beyond belief.

Even as tears spring into the most hard-hearted person's eyes at both the unimaginable scope of the tragedy and at the wrenching individual stories of loss, opinion leaders just can't help themselves.

They are using this cataclysm as little more than cheap debate fodder about the nature and character of the United States, its president and its citizens.

Don't misunderstand.

It is fine and proper to have a debate and discussion about the degree of generosity the United States could, should and must show in the wake of this literally earth-shaking event.

But at this moment, the United States is not the issue.

The foreign-aid budget of the United States is not the issue.

Our government should not be the focal point of the discussion right now.



Don't we owe the dead, dying and injured the minimal grace not to convert their suffering into a chat-show segment — the latest left-right clash over the Bush presidency?

And couldn't the editorialists at The New York Times have forborne — even just for a week — making use of the tsunami to complain about U.S. government spending on "development aid"?

Development aid is the blanket term for American grant money handed out to other countries, supposedly to help their economies grow. Development aid has nothing — nothing — to do with what has happened.

The aid at issue now is disaster relief.

Secretary of State Colin Powell found himself in the position of having to remind the world that over the past four years the United States has provided more such aid than all other nations on the planet combined.

It is appalling that he had to mention this, and that President Bush was compelled to cite the same information on Wednesday, because you're not supposed to brag about how charitable you are. But once a United Nations official decried the American aid pledge as "stingy," the administration had little choice.


Any rational person would have understood without having to be told what the president told the world on Wednesday morning, which is that the $35 million pledge "is only the beginning of our help."

But maybe people are looking for a sideshow to distract them from the sickening pictures and the keening cries of the untold numbers of mothers whose babies were swept away

 

[verte76]

It's true that Bush said it was only "a beginning". They've now promised more. These people are in a position of always being second-guessed everything they do. Sometimes the criticism is justified but sometimes it's excessive. It's what they end up doing that counts, not necessarily how they start.

 

[verte76]

It's true that Bush said it was only "a beginning". They've now promised more. These people are in a position of always being second-guessed everything they do. Sometimes the criticism is justified but sometimes it's excessive. It's what they end up doing that counts, not necessarily how they start.

 

[verte76]

Damn, sorry about the double post.

 

[nbcrusader]

Good post dread. Finger pointing never saved a life or comforted one in need.

 

[Dreadsox]

Its an editorial that I apparently did not link to...my bad....sorry...not my words.

 

[foray]

Thanks for that foray.

You're welcome. Sorry it didn't turn up coherent enough.

foray

 

[Sicy]

If you all want a thread closed, report it instead of screaming in the thread to close it. We are not mind readers

 

[beli]

Will do. I just worked out where the report button was yesterday. So far I have only reported myself but its early days

 

[verte76]

I've reported "problem" threads and notes myself. It's actually easier if you have the anonymity of the report button as well. It's a bit messy to do this in public.

 

[tkramer]

Well, everyone probably knows that the new USA number is 350 million, but don't forget their strongest place: private USA funds. These are reported to be in the hundreds of millions already. We, the average Joe, happen to care to lot. And I will reiterate that this is not the time to be picking political fights. People are dying.

 

[cardosino]

Well, everyone probably knows that the new USA number is 350 million, but don't forget their strongest place: private USA funds. These are reported to be in the hundreds of millions already. We, the average Joe, happen to care to lot. And I will reiterate that this is not the time to be picking political fights. People are dying.

Let's not also forget it costs a ton of money to be using our Military to divert warships, load cargo planes and to deliver the aid also.

 

[nbcrusader]

I heard an interesting report on the news this morning. Middle eastern countries, including countries with budget surplusses in the billions, are barely contributing.

Saudi Arabia gave more to families of suicide bombers last year than they have pledge for relief to tsunami victims.

 

[beli]

I heard an interesting report on the news this morning. Middle eastern countries, including countries with budget surplusses in the billions, are barely contributing.

Saudi Arabia gave more to families of suicide bombers last year than they have pledge for relief to tsunami victims.

Well thats odd, given Indonesia is the largest Muslim country in the world.

Do you have a reference please? Im curious as to the reasoning of the "Middle Eastern countries".

 

[Dreadsox]

Well, everyone probably knows that the new USA number is 350 million, but don't forget their strongest place: private USA funds. These are reported to be in the hundreds of millions already. We, the average Joe, happen to care to lot. And I will reiterate that this is not the time to be picking political fights. People are dying.

This is NEVER counted in FYM. all that counts is what the governement takes from us.