Posted on 07/02/2005 9:46:50 AM PDT by wagglebee
On the eve of the G-8 Summit, ex-president Bill Clinton is telling European audiences that the U.S. is stingy with its foreign aid dollars - and that Americans think they contribute more than they actually do.
"In America, for example, we have always been hampered in getting adequate budgets for international assistance by the fact that the American people believe we give much more than we do," he told BBC Radio 4 on Thursday. "They think we give about 3 percent of GDP," the ex-president continued. "They think we give 10-15 percent of the budget. They think we ought to give about 5 percent."
But Clinton claimed: "We don't give anywhere near that. We don't give anywhere near 3 percent but they think we do."
Clinton blamed the GOP Congress and the Bush administration, which pledged $15 billion in aid to Africa in 2003, for being shortsighted when it came to foreign assistance.
"President Bush and the Republicans, when I was president, 100 members of the new Republican Congress after the 94 election did not have passports," he recalled. "They thought all foreign aid was wasted. They did not believe in anything."
He took credit for fostering a different attitude towards foreign aid while he was president.
"By the time I left, we had dramatic consensus across parties for the massive debt relief we did for the Millennium in 2000," he told the BBC.
Clinton said that if the U.S. contributed its fair share, "we can have a whole new paradigm for development assistance from the rich to the poor."
Yes. Once upon a time, "Not Yours to Give" was a very popular article to post on this forum.
Sadly, you hardly ever see it anymore.
He sure did. And it was deserved.
The rest of the world loved him, especially North Korea, when he became the GIVER-AWAY of hard-earned American tax dollars to every commie, socialist, despot and free-loader in the world.
Aid? Butthump. It was a GIVE-AWAY, buying good will at our expense. Worthless piece of shit = Clinton.
This is his patented pablum for foreign audiences, warming up to be king of the world.
And besides, bj is the last person to understand how much "in kind" giving the US Military does - with transport, protection, facilitation etc. All of this was explained, documented the last time we were accused of being stingy by a professional bureaucrat who ostensibly earns his living at the UN by distributing donations to the needy.
I say "ostensibly" because we know those funds go directly into the pockets of the local tyrants so they can buy more arms and personnel to keep themselves in power.
But we're promoting Live 8 on this website anyway, aren't we?
****
Put some ice on it, Bill, ..... you amoral pig.
Does anyone know what was given in dollars and percentage under Climton vs. Bush in foreign assistance?
If the idiots in the press and the dimwad party believe that clinton is a moderate, the above statement proves their idiocy: clinton is no moderate, he is a Socialist.
"That lyin', perjurin', adulteratin', rapin', cheatin', justice-obstructin', waggin'-the-dog, scandal-creatin', commander-in-briefs, dress-stainin', cigar-stuffin' fat-assed, bulbous-nosed piece of shit has NOTHING to say that means ANYTHING to ANYBODY on the planet."
I hate that fat traitorous b**t**d.
He manages to insult BOTH Bush Presidents...and this after going fishing and boating with Bush 41....
BTW, he is using the lack of internation travel by Congress as an indication of "lack of interest"...how about the fact that the money saved, by not having congresscritters racking up frequent flier miles, saves money that could be used....
Does anyone know the amount of charity donations by the Clintons during their eight years, as compared to the Presdient Bush? THAT would be interesting to know...
I just cannot fathom how he not only gets away with saying these things, when even BONO compliments Pres. Bush for doing more than the US ever has, while being buddy-buddy with the elder Bushs...
Clintons=low class!
Saving more than I spend is a beeeatch, but you know what, I have no debt.
I didn't get a college degree in order to give more away to the "have-nots"... my taxes do enough of that.
So Billy... mind your own business - I'll mind mine.
Trajan88
The G-8 summit will be discussing an International Tax for the Poor!! This has been proposed by French President Chirac and UN Sec Gen Kofi Annan.
With the EU Constitution in the dumpster, this is "Plan B" to save France and the rest of Europe from their own downfall of Socialism. Now they want us to Keep THEM!!
Standby Boys and Girls, according to the US Constitution this is ILLEGAL!!! For US Citizens to be TAXED by a Foreign Government, the UN, is against US Constitutional Law!
Just when I think I couldn't possibly hate him any more.
His Slickness is at it again.
How many millions of his own money has he offered up? What? None?
Oh, that's right. He only wants to give away OTHER peoples money. Sheesh! Don't even think about touching his stash [what a swell guy (s)]!
BillyJeff is just sooooooooo yesterday.
Soooooooooo20th century.
Do you mean bastard?
Lol.
There is nothing preventing scumbag Clinton from giving any or all of his ill-gotten gains to any charity.
The Constitution does not permit foreign aid. We should stop all of it. And then stop all of the domestic give-away programs.
Charity is a personal virtue but a government vice.
There are just certain times that only the "real" word is sufficient, right?
#1. How would he know whether Congressmen had passports or not?
#2.Why would we believe this statement?
#3. What difference does it make, except in the minds of internationalists like the Impeached Former president.
"Not Yours to Give" is one of the greatest speeches EVER given in Congress.
I recall the photo of the Indonesian teenager wearing his Osama bin Laden T-shirt showing up to receive US aid after the tsunami. I swear, these countries must think we are a bunch of chumps. No wonder they have so little respect for us. If only we had leaders with the balls to say "Not one thin dime will go to these incompetent, corrupt Third World cesspools! Let them all get malaria and die so we can exploit their abundant natural resources!"
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