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."
Do you think Clinton, who considers himself a "major celebrity", will show up at the London Live8 performance, and try to get on stage, like he did at the Billy Graham speech..???
How do the Clintons do this, show up everywhere, spreading negativity about their own country, but getting treated like rock stars????
What part of half trillion dollar deficits do these people not understand? What part of lowest rate of savings do these people not understand? I don't get it. Why is it that the GOVERNMENT gives the money away, and then a-holes like Clinton call the PEOPLE stingy. How insulting. Why does this sinkmeister get airtime. He should be shunned.
Can anyone please show me precisely were in the UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION were it says that the govt. of this country has the right to take money from the citizens of this country at gun point(why else is the IRS in existence) and give it to foriegn governments corrupt dictators/warlords/assorted trash????
Not just the government gave major bucks to the Tsunami victims, but millions was given by just plain folks...
In fact, I heard a couple weeks ago that Arlington, Texas, where I live had the distinction of its schools collecting the most $$$$$$ for tsunami victims of any school district in the country....which is a huge deal in this city..the kids worked really hard....
Only to have Clinton ON FOREIGN SOIL bad mouth their efforts and their country for not doing enough...
BTW, wasn't Clinton and Daddy Bush PUT IN CHARGE of raising personal donations for the tsunami victims? Seems like I remember that as true, and if true, why is he going to rock concerts complaining about the USA not doing enough, when he himself is not doing ANYTHING that he is supposed to do re: the tsunami charity?
Bill gave aid to canada when he was gov........ Oh wait he gave AIDS .
There must be a few words left to describe this poor excuse for a man. I'm still trying to figure out how he was able to claim an exemption for his old underwear.
2. We don't owe anyone anything and Americans don't think we give 5%, we think we give too damn much no matter what.
Bill must have seen Bono on Meet the Press praising Bush and got really jealous.
3. Bill Clinton flailing for a legacy again. He did so many important things that he has to remind the world how great he was. Nothing like our traitor ex-presidents Carter and Clinton bad mouthing Americans and republicans over seas.
"Hey you socialists in Europe get it, but those dumb asses in our country keep voting for Republicans.
He also fostered a different attitude towards Whitehouse Interns while he was president.
Hey Bill, if you are going to call us names, we wont vote for your wife.
" How do the Clintons do this, show up everywhere, spreading negativity about their own country, but getting treated like rock stars???? "
Because the Clintons are not human. I think Bill died during his heart operation and what walked out of the hospital was a lizard from outer space...LOL! The Clintons are extraterrestail reptiles in human disguises. They have look a likes...lol, who can appear at multiple events simultaneously. How else can you explain the weirdness that is so Clinto-nesque. Gawd, save us from those to space pods.
Anyone recall the amount the Clamptons' Africa trip cost all of us when they dragged along all their syncophants and numerous military aircraft? I was thinking 40 million or more--but maybe I have that mixed up with another.
Clintons = the plague
Great point! I'd never really looked at it that way.
You are my kind of guy/girl. Put myself through college working full time in a restaurant (so I could get a shift meal too) and made car payments on a new car. Still can't believe I did all that on ~$3500 a year, but I did and skinny/hungry too. No worse from the wear, but I do not give handouts except to the needy and loved ones. So sue me.
Yes Bill, Americans are stingy. If you were to google the term "stingy politician" the first result is an article about Al Gore's 1997 income tax return in which he claimed $353.00 in charitable contributions while making in excess of $200K in gross income.
Americans give their aid via the private sector and not the government forcing its citizens to do so. Thats the key difference between us and Europe.
Bush proposes increasing aid to Africa far above anything Clinton proposed during his Presidency. Bill, why were you so stingy? You also did a great job in Rwanda.
Clinton's got millions. Why doesn't he chip in his own money? I'm tired of paying for liberals who want to buy votes and affection.
Lol. Certainly with the news media and us common folks. But, I really do think that was an anomaly.
Other spend-all, feel-good presidents may try to buy good will, but Clinton's disgusting, immoral and low-class behavior are singular, I think, to a very few men in the position of POTUS.
Another one who comes to mind is Ted "Hic!" Kennedy.
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