Posted on 09/21/2004 11:06:36 AM PDT by dead
More than 100 countries have endorsed a campaign to raise an additional $US50 billion ($71 billion) a year in development aid to combat global hunger, but the United States has poured cold water on the project.
"The greatest scandal is not that hunger exists but that it persists, even when we have the means to eliminate it. It is time to take action," read a declaration signed by 110 nations and adopted at the close of a summit on hunger on Monday.
It urged governments to consider a report for the conference, setting out a series of options for raising the extra money.
These included a global tax on financial transactions, a tax on the sale of heavy arms, an international borrowing facility and a credit cards scheme that would direct a small percentage of transaction charges to the cause.
President Jacques Chirac of France said the report set out technically realistic and economically rational solutions.
However, the leader of the US delegation, the Agriculture Secretary, Ann Veneman, dismissed it. "Economic growth is the long-term solution to hunger and poverty," she told the meeting.
"The report should give more attention to practical steps to sustained growth. There is too much emphasis on schemes such as global taxes to raise external resources. Global taxes are inherently undemocratic. Implementation is impossible."
The US President, George Bush, did not attend the summit although he is due to address the General Assembly today.
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil, who organised the summit, said after the meeting that Washington had made it clear earlier that it would not participate.
Mr Chirac predicted the US position could change after the November 2 presidential elections. "Let's see when things settle down what their position will be," he said. "However strong the Americans may be, you cannot in the long run emerge victorious by opposing an idea that is backed by 100 countries and which will probably be approved by 150, creating a new political situation."
More than a billion people around the world live in extreme poverty, surviving on less than $US1 a day. They include 300 million in sub-Saharan Africa.
At a summit four years ago, United Nations members pledged to halve the number of people in deep poverty by 2015.
"Right now, however, we are falling short," said the UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan.
Reuters
And in what currency will this "tax" be assesed?
Euros? France would be happy with that. It would mean every citizen out have to buy euros to pay the global tax.
The UN is seeking a source of money. They have lost money from the oil for food program now they seek to "help the poor".
They should call this what it really is: "Tax america into submission to the UN plan."
Kofi Babba and the 100 thieves.
Please pick up the White Absence of Color Courtesy Phone. Money making opportunity for him...
You know Kofi could give back all of the money the UN stole from the Oil for Food program and this would more than cover what this tax would bring in.
Actually a direct yes or no answer from Kerry on this tax would be useful information.
Kofi's son stole millions from the OfF program.
The UN wastes money worse than any governmental agency and the Elites steal the rest.
That picture on the poster looks creepy, in an Orwellian way.
That's the kind of graphic the lefties and euro-socialists would plaster everywhere to calm down the children as they herd us into the camps.
It will probably be on their armbands.
If 100 million people say a stupid thing, it still is a stupid thing. Seems to fit here....
This will certainly turn into a "food for oil" debacle.
Chirac predicts Kerry will be President and vulnerable to any demand.
Chirac, you wanna place a bet an whether we can indefinitely oppose you? LOL!! So long as we elect leaders like G.W. you won't get a dime. Take your hats and appeal to your own citizens for the cash.
I can't even imagine the rage from 85% of this country if they find out Kerry supports this outrageous bit of wealth redistribution for the corrupt nations of the world and the UN bagmen that would manage it.
And I'd love to further dispirit the other 15% of the country if Kerry rejects it.
Of course, he'll probably do both.
We already provide handouts to most every country in the world much in the way of financial aid. We give food to so many because we are compassionate. Paid with the tax dollars of our hard working citizens. We give many of them military aid so they can protect themselves and/or wage war. We also provide military protection if they are attacked, and just by our present in this world, many enjoy deterrents from tyranny and terrorists. When disasters do occur, hurricanes, earthquakes, flooding, etc., we give them millions in aid, expecting nothing in return. We send our men and women overseas to fight and die so they can live free from tyranny and what do we get in return? Many more of our sons and daughters are put into harms ways with no appreciation nor support from them. Billions are being spent each year through our government to help these countries, many more billions are given through private charities that do the same, but it is never enough. They always look to us as some rich uncle, expecting, no rather demanding we give to them the fruits our labor, our ingenuity, our success, even demanding we give them the lives of our sons and daughters so that they may live in peace and prosperity. This is in addition to everything else we have given them. They stand there always with their hand out, crying unto us to give more, give more. And when we give more, it is never enough. And then they stab us in the back in the UN, in our fight against tyranny, in our pursuit of peace in this world. We must put some common sense back into what we are doing. Our friends have become our enemies.
Yes. Get him on record.
I'd like to e-mail this question to people holding the presidential debates. I'll have to find out who to contact. Any ideas?
You must mean Willie Sutton.
The mark of the beast is invalid due to the lack of one signature? Thank God!
Another reason to vote for Bush.
They ain't our friends, they ain't our kin, we don' owe 'em money, and I wouldn't want 'em for neighbors. We have no moral obligations to feed them. They have moral obligations to TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES!
How many backed Kyoto?
LOL! Oh stop it! You're killin' me!
Actually this is a tax on self defence.
IOW the poor will have to rely on the government for protection since the tax will make self defense weapons unafordable.
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