US Aid update

[cardosino]

From BBC

"USA
$350m in government donations, plus military assistance involving 12,600 personnel, 21 ships, 14 cargo planes and more than 90 helicopters."

I noticed Germany just in the last day or so raised their donation from $27M. Didn't notice any outrage towards them on these forums, and they are among the richest nations in the World.

 

[MaxFisher]

I have heard new reports of U.S. private donations surpassing 200 million.

 

[DrTeeth]

I noticed Germany just in the last day or so raised their donation from $27M. Didn't notice any outrage towards them on these forums, and they are among the richest nations in the World.

Am I the only one who thinks it's pathetic that this is being turned into a competition?

 

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

No.

 

[BAW]

Re: Re: US Aid update

Am I the only one who thinks it's pathetic that this is being turned into a competition?

No, you are certainly not the only one

 

[Rono]

From BBC

"USA
$350m in government donations, plus military assistance involving 12,600 personnel, 21 ships, 14 cargo planes and more than 90 helicopters."

I noticed Germany just in the last day or so raised their donation from $27M. Didn't notice any outrage towards them on these forums, and they are among the richest nations in the World.

why did i see on tv a german president talk about giving 500 milion euro ?

 

[MaxFisher]

The U.S. was rediculed specificaly for supposedly not acting quickly enough to send aid to the victims. Americans were labeled as stingy and aloof to global concerns outside of U.S. interests.

In a little over two weeks we have now pledged over a half billion dollars, not counting equipment and man power.

That's the point of the thread.

 

[strannix]

I noticed Germany just in the last day or so raised their donation from $27M. Didn't notice any outrage towards them on these forums, and they are among the richest nations in the World.

Those damned Germans!

Feel better now?

 

[MaxFisher]

W has contributed 10,000 dollars of his own money.

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/a/2005/01/05/national1340EST0579.DTL&type=printable

 

[Rono]

It is in German,...and they are talking about 500 milion euro ( $ 650 million )


http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,1564,1449815,00.html


....end of competition. We need team work.

 

[cardosino]

It is in German,...and they are talking about 500 milion euro ( $ 650 million )


http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,1564,1449815,00.html


....end of competition. We need team work.

I have no qualm with 27M or 270M, the more the better.

Obviously only a few people actually understood my point, which was that this forum lambasted the you-know-what out of Bush for "only" originally offering $35M then $50M, and yet were noticeably quiet about Germany's contribution which was only just recently upped from their original donation of $27M.

It was NOT about any kind of competition, it was about the fact the lack of consistency when knee-jerk reacting, judging the US far more harshly than their peers. A quick search of messages after the original announcements will bear that out for anyone who cares.

How 'bout them Trojans !

 

[BVS]

I'm glad everyone is doing something but it's ridiculous to make it into a competition. Tasteless.

 

[cardosino]

I'm glad everyone is doing something but it's ridiculous to make it into a competition. Tasteless.

Who's making it into a competition ?

 

[strannix]

It was NOT about any kind of competition, it was about the fact the lack of consistency when knee-jerk reacting, judging the US far more harshly than their peers.

In terms of wealth, the US has no peers. It's as simple as that. If you want to say that Germany and the US are anywhere near equal in this regard, go for it.

 

[cardosino]

In terms of wealth, the US has no peers. It's as simple as that. If you want to say that Germany and the US are anywhere near equal in this regard, go for it.

Germany is a peer in that it is a relatively wealthy industrialized Western democratic nation.

I have no numbers to say Germany is or is not "wealthier" than the US, currently running record budget deficits. Do you ?

Still, if you think it was OK to criticize the US for initially offering $35M but not OK to criticize Germany for offering 25% less than that up until yeasterday, that's your call.

 

[ImOuttaControl]

Who's making it into a competition ?

I totally got your point. People bitched about the U.S. and its "stingy" 35M dollar original aid, but didn't bitch about other countries who had even lower amounts of aid as the U.S. Then they call you tasteless and making it into a competition..ect. I just think what you pointed out didn't fit in too well with the usual crowd here that likes to bash the U.S. and praise particularily Europe for being so much more "enlightened" than thos in the U.S.

 

[diamond]

the ppl who were making it a competition are the ppl who claimed America was stingy the day after the tsunami hit.

thank you,

db9

 

[cardosino]

I totally got your point. People bitched about the U.S. and its "stingy" 35M dollar original aid, but didn't bitch about other countries who had even lower amounts of aid as the U.S. Then they call you tasteless and making it into a competition..ect. I just think what you pointed out didn't fit in too well with the usual crowd here that likes to bash the U.S. and praise particularily Europe for being so much more "enlightened" than thos in the U.S.

Thank you. It's not like we were talking about aid amounts from Outer Mongolia or something, we're talking about a G7 (or is it 8 these days ?) member, probably the 2nd or 3rd richest nation on Earth and no one said a thing, they were probably too busy looking for another reason to bash the US to actually stop and look at the facts.

 

[BVS]

the ppl who were making it a competition are the ppl who claimed America was stingy the day after the tsunami hit.

thank you,

db9

WTF

 

[BVS]

Germany is a peer in that it is a relatively wealthy industrialized Western democratic nation.

I have no numbers to say Germany is or is not "wealthier" than the US, currently running record budget deficits. Do you ?

Still, if you think it was OK to criticize the US for initially offering $35M but not OK to criticize Germany for offering 25% less than that up until yeasterday, that's your call.

You aren't comparing apples to apples. So yes I call that tasteless.

 

[cardosino]

You aren't comparing apples to apples. So yes I call that tasteless.

I see you didn't actually answer with any facts, just silly insults.

I was going to use the old cliche about denial not just being a river in Egypt, but I see from your info that you're already there.

 

[NotAnEasyThing]

I am very proud to say Australia has topped them all. And this is a small country of only 20 million people. 1.8 billion in total so far (just to Indonesia) and even in US dollars this is still around 1.3 - 1.4b. I don't mind the friendly competition when it's to see who can outgive each other - that's a worthwhile competition!

The Australian Government will contribute $1 billion over five years to the partnership. These funds will be additional to the Australia's existing development cooperation programme and will bring Australia’s commitment to Indonesia to a total of $1.8 billion over five years. While there will naturally be a clear focus on the areas devastated by the Tsunami, all areas of Indonesia will be eligible for assistance under the partnership.

See the full media release at
http://www.pm.gov.au/news/media_releases/media_Release1195.html

 

[BVS]

I see you didn't actually answer with any facts, just silly insults.

I was going to use the old cliche about denial not just being a river in Egypt, but I see from your info that you're already there.

I don't need to look up numbers to find out how much wealthier the US is to Germany, and really I could care less because I don't feel the need to compare. That's my point, I'm sorry you don't get that, and I'm really sorry that you find you have to insult me to make your point.

 

[strannix]

I have no numbers to say Germany is or is not "wealthier" than the US, currently running record budget deficits. Do you ?

Seriously? You seriously have no idea if the US is a wealthier country? I can't believe that.

But here goes:

Estimated 2004 GDP (source: CIA.gov):

US = $10.99 trillion, or $37,800 per capita
Germany = $2.271 trillion, or $27,600 per capita

That's a giant, big ol' difference.

And good point about the deficits. I wouldn't have expected a conservative to imply that we can't give more because Bush has squandered all our money with tax breaks to the rich. I have to give you credit for opening that potentially uncomfortable line of reasoning.

Still, if you think it was OK to criticize the US for initially offering $35M but not OK to criticize Germany for offering 25% less than that up until yeasterday, that's your call.

I never said it wasn't OK to criticize Germany. Neither did anyone else. Hell, I'm not even defending Germany. I'm just pointing out that criticism of the US is well founded, even compared to Germany.

 

[verte76]

Re: Re: US Aid update

Am I the only one who thinks it's pathetic that this is being turned into a competition?

No, you're not.

 

[cardosino]

I don't need to look up numbers to find out how much wealthier the US is to Germany,

Oh, OK. I guess we don't need facts any more in here.

and really I could care less because I don't feel the need to compare. That's my point, I'm sorry you don't get that,

Comparing amounts is NOT what I was doing.

Contrasting reactions of the posters is what I was doing, others got that, I guess you didn't.

and I'm really sorry that you find you have to insult me to make your point.

Pot Kettle Black

 

[cardosino]

Seriously? You seriously have no idea if the US is a wealthier country? I can't believe that.

I didn't say that I didn't believe, I said I didn't have the numbers to prove it one way or another.

But here goes:

Estimated 2004 GDP (source: CIA.gov):

US = $10.99 trillion, or $37,800 per capita
Germany = $2.271 trillion, or $27,600 per capita

That's a giant, big ol' difference.

And good point about the deficits. I wouldn't have expected a conservative to imply that we can't give more because Bush has squandered all our money with tax breaks to the rich. I have to give you credit for opening that potentially uncomfortable line of reasoning.

Labels labels labels. I voted for Kerry, does that make me conservative ?

My point was that Germany is one of the wealthiest countries in the world, not EXACTLY as wealthy as the US, but were not roundly lamabasted as the US was in this forum for giving a LOT less than originally pledged by the US

 

[BVS]

Oh, OK. I guess we don't need facts any more in here.

You started the thread comparing the two, so really the burden of bringing in facts was yours.

Comparing amounts is NOT what I was doing.

Contrasting reactions of the posters is what I was doing, others got that, I guess you didn't.

Maybe you should look through the thread again. Not comparing? And by the way I wasn't the only one who thought it was tastless what you were doing, yet I was the one you picked on.

Pot Kettle Black

I called your thread tasteless some called it pathetic, others agreed, but you actually personally insulted me. So really there's no need for that label.

 

[cardosino]

You started the thread comparing the two, so really the burden of bringing in facts was yours.

I did. I brought in the fact that many of the posters in here lambasted the US for only originally pledging $35M but were quiet when Germany only pledged $27M. Others (including)piped in with the excuse that Germany wasn't quite AS wealthy as the US, the implication being it was OK for them to be one of the lowest donators up until yesterday.

rif.org

 

[Do Miss America]

From BBC

"USA
$350m in government donations, plus military assistance involving 12,600 personnel, 21 ships, 14 cargo planes and more than 90 helicopters."

I noticed Germany just in the last day or so raised their donation from $27M. Didn't notice any outrage towards them on these forums, and they are among the richest nations in the World.

Oh look my country's dick is bigger than yours.

Nearly 150,000 people are dead that we know of and you're whining about this?