Foreign Aid/Disaster Relief

I wonder how much tax money our leaders have given away over the years in the form of foreign disaster relief. You can bet that it's been in the billions of dollars. The thinking that America needs to rush to help every nation that needs money must be changed. Whether it's a hurricane or a flood or a tsunami - or whatever the problem, the U.S. does not have the financial resources to save the world. And quite frankly, I think the American Taxpayers are tired of seeing their hard earned tax money used in such a manner. Let me make it clear that it is not the responsibility of the American Taxpayers to pay for all of the world's problems - natural disasters or not.

All of the current thinking about global this and global that has convinced many in our country, and in our nation's leadership, that the nations of the world are just one big (unhappy) family. And that the wealthier nations should share with the poorer nations. Isn't that what we call one world socialism? Our founding fathers had a different philosophy about problems that other nations have - mind our own business. They understood that when you get wrapped up in the problems of other nations, their problems become yours. And you're sure to say goodbye to a lot of tax money.

If you elect me as president in 2008 the foreign disaster relief policy is going to change. First of all, our nation is in big time debt. That means that we need to use American Taxpayer tax money to pay off the national debt, not to try to save the world. That is my priority. If we get the national debt paid down to zero, then we can think about giving money away. Until then we will need to inform the rest of the world that we are not as rich as they think we are and that our new cheapskate president is closing down the feeding trough.

Does this mean that we, as a people, will not be willing to help any other nation when they have a natural disaster or some sort of problem? Not at all. What it means is that no tax money will be used for this purpose. This does not mean that individual Americans cannot give money and/or time to help those in need here or abroad. Each person's financial situation is different. Some have money to give and some don't. Some have time to give and some don't. Americans are free to help anyone that they want in any way that they want. The federal government will not stand in the way. In fact, I will encourage it.

The tax money that the U.S. government collects from the American Taxpayers is going to be used properly when I become your next president. This is very important. And paying off the national debt as fast as possible is much more important to me than giving the tax money away to other governments to squander. If we can't use our tax money properly when it comes to America's natural disasters (think Hurricane Katrina; think FEMA), what makes us think that foreign governments will use it more efficiently?

So you're probably wondering how we are going to keep in good graces with the rest of the world when we close down the feeding trough. Personally I am not concerned with that. As U.S. president I have no responsibility to the rest of the world. The presidential oath says nothing about being responsible for other nations. But I do have a lot of responsibility to the American Taxpayers. That means that I need to make sure that I use the hard earned tax money of the American Taxpayers properly. And I promise that I will do that.

Despite my refusal to part with tax dollars we will still have a foreign disaster relief policy during my administration. The money to be given away will be voluntary though, instead of federal government mandated. Remember when that big tsunami hit Indonesia a couple of years ago? Our federal government generously offered hundreds of millions of (tax) dollars in foreign disaster relief. Remember that? And then they asked the American Taxpayers to give out of their pockets. Remember that? Well, my foreign disaster relief policy will be just like that - without the first part.

What gall our leaders had asking the American Taxpayers for more money after they had just promised to give away so much tax money. Apparently it didn't occur to our leaders that all of that tax money that they were giving away belonged to the taxpayers. Their attitude was that "we" have given, now "you" should give. Our founding fathers would get a real laugh out of that one.

So my policy will be to ask the American Taxpayers for a donation to help those nations who come to us for help. If people want to give, that's great. If they don't want to give, that's great too. But I will not be sending massive amounts of tax money overseas and then asking the American Taxpayers to give (again) out of their pockets. All of the foreign disaster relief aid will be done voluntarily through the Red Cross and other organizations of good will that you choose to financially support. The federal government will not get involved in paying for the woes of other nations until the national debt is completely paid off.

Of course there will be many who will be accusing America of being stingy. I can hear it now, about how wealthy this nation is and we won't even help little Backwardistan over there. But what do we care of how others think? America has bailed so many nations out of so many problems that it's ridiculous. And how much American blood has been spilled trying to keep the nations of the world free? We don't need to prove anything to anybody. Our actions have proven that we are willing to give. And our actions will prove it again - as soon as we pay off our national debt. Let me just say to the accusers ahead of time, "Sorry, we've got to pay off our national debt first. Go ahead and start without us."

Obviously I take a pretty hard line on this (because it's been my hard earned tax money that I've seen wasted in the past). The only way that my mind will be changed is if the American Taxpayers themselves ask me to adopt the same foreign disaster relief policy that previous presidents have had. If they want their tax money used for that, then I will change my policy - reluctantly. I have pledged to the American Taxpayers that I will not act like a king who has all of the answers for everything. So if they want the old style of foreign policy, then that's what they will get.

As for regular foreign aid that we give away to so many nations on a daily basis, I'm not sure how much of that I can stop. Our leaders have gotten us so entangled with the internal affairs of so many nations that it will take a lot of man power to figure out how much is given to who and who should be cut off. Nevertheless, my administration will try. Surely there are some nations that we can cut off. Every tax dollar is important.

There are certain countries that we would want to continue to help, like Israel (if they actually need it). But I bet that we could save a lot of tax money if we were to put a non-government committee on the job of finding out who else besides Israel really needs our help. An all volunteer committee of American Taxpayers would be more likely to get to the bottom of who really needs our help and who doesn't. And no tax money would be used to pay government employees since it would be citizen volunteers.

Therefore that is what I will do. I will call for citizen volunteers who have the time to look into this. I expect this committee to be made up of retired people, which is what I would prefer. The committee's purpose will be to find out which countries are getting foreign aid and why. They will also need to find out how much these countries are receiving and for how long they've been feeding at the trough. The committee members will decide who they think we should continue to support and who we should cut off. There will be no government interference in the decision making.

When the committee is finished with their study they will inform the American Taxpayers of their findings. This will be done using the "Meet and Vote" process so that the proceedings are televised. The entire nation can get informed about all of this and then get the opportunity to vote on it, since it is their tax money that is being given away. [To better understand how the "Meet and Vote" program works, see Index 1 and click on the button that says "Meet and Vote" program. It is designed to force the will of the people on Washington, returning power to the people.]

Did you notice how I cut the federal government out of the decision making process concerning foreign aid? That's because the federal government is why we give so much money away. They are the problem. Turning this matter over to a government committee is like asking the wolf to guard the chicken house. The solution to this problem is to get the taxpayers involved and let the will of the people take the lead. Otherwise nothing will be accomplished.

INDEX 1 - AGENDA

INDEX 2 - ISSUES