Posted on 12/28/2004 4:11:38 PM PST by Howlin
Earlier today, responding to these remarks by the UN's Jan Egeland
But U.N. Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Jan Egeland suggested that the United States and other Western nations were being "stingy" with relief funds, saying there would be more available if taxes were raised.
"It is beyond me why are we so stingy, really," the Norwegian-born U.N. official told reporters. "Christmastime should remind many Western countries at least, [of] how rich we have become."
"There are several donors who are less generous than before in a growing world economy," he said, adding that politicians in the United States and Europe "believe that they are really burdening the taxpayers too much, and the taxpayers want to give less. It's not true. They want to give more."
I sent this email to Jan Egeland
You seem to be under the impression that the ONLY way that individuals can donate money to charities and disasters is if the government TAKES the money from them in the form of taxes and gives it to YOU.
Leaving aside the fact that the UN is the last place I want MY government to give money (see Oil for Food scandal), we don't need to be taxed into giving. The United States is a generous country and we WILL give a lot of money to this cause; we're just not going to give it to YOU to spend as you see fit.
The people who really need and deserve the money will get it, without you having the opportunity to cut your slice off of it.
Howlin @ FR
Raleigh, NC
P.S. Forget about a UN and/or world tax; it's not going to happen.
We already give more than any other country to the UN now; where's that money?
I hate these people that talk like our charity is their entitlement. We are the most generous nation but we do not like getting badgered for more and more, especially when they don't spend it wisely.
I am kind of sketchy on Volker, too.
"Mr. Speaker--I have as much respect for the memory of the deceased, and as much sympathy for the suffering of the living, if there be, as any man in this House, but we must not permit our respect for the dead or our sympathy for part of the living to lead us into an act of injustice to the balance of the living. I will not go into an argument to prove that Congress has not the power to appropriate this money as an act of charity. Every member on this floor knows it.
We have the right as individuals, to give away as much of our own money as we please in charity; but as members of Congress we have no right to appropriate a dollar of the public money. Some eloquent appeals have been made to us upon the ground that it is a debt due the deceased. Mr. Speaker, the deceased lived long after the close of the war; he was in office to the day of his death, and I ever heard that the government was in arrears to him.
Is just as true today as it was then. There are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of private charities collecting monies and supplies for this tragedy. Materials that will get there a lot quicker than anything going through government channels. Instead of calling for the national government to spend taxpayer dollars, donate to these charities instead. And yes for the record, I already have. Would you believe it? There's even one right here in our own state....
You rock...Howln, a keyboard, and an ISP are an awesome combination..why don't you try and destabilize Iran in your spare time...FYI..John GIbson on the O'Reilly factor will be covering this very topic.in a few minutes..and we KNOW he DON'T like the UN
"I still can't find one."
________________
http://www.c-span.org/VideoArchives.asp?z1=&PopupMenu_Name=International&CatCodePairs=Issue,I;
U.N. Briefing on Relief for Victims of Earthquakes & Floods
Jan Egeland, U.N. Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, briefs the press on United Nation relief efforts for victims of the earthquakes and floods.
12/27/2004: WASHINGTON, DC: 50 min.
_____________
Start at about the 41 minute mark.
Oh, let me clarify.
I was talking about the INTERNATIONAL Red Cross. The American Red Cross is, of course, a decent organization (for the most part--they have their own problems with corruption, but that isn't the topic). They are totally separate entities. The guy on Fox made the distinction several times.
Damn Good Question. You incorporated a lot of my concerns. Thanks.
www.samaritanspurse.org
Juan Williams said that you have to go through extreme machinations to even come close to claiming the US is stingy when, by far, we send more public and private money for disaster relief than any country or combination of countries you could name. He further said Bill Gates is personally giving more money for aid in Africa than several European countries combined.
Ceci: Well, we can't rely on a few rich individuals to make up for what the government ought to be doing. When you look at this in terms of GDP, we clearly could do more and should do more. She continues giving full service to the UN trying to prove the stingy opinion is justified.
Juan and Charles Krauthammer are just both looking at her like they want to slap the stupid out of her while she's carrying on.
I was so shocked that Juan was making sense that I thought Brit Hume had beamed in through the Matrix and taken him over.
Keep after 'em, Pajama Patrol!
OMG Howlin, I LOVE it! The second letter is the best.
Caught that, too, and had the same reaction. Always ready to give away somebody else's money.
My message to the Norwegian: sorry, we're busy fighting your war in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere. Get stuffed!
"It is beyond me why are we so stingy, really," the Norwegian-born U.N. official told reporters. "Christmastime should remind many Western countries at least, [of] how rich we have become."
"There are several donors who are less generous than before in a growing world economy," he said, adding that politicians in the United States and Europe "believe that they are really burdening the taxpayers too much, and the taxpayers want to give less. It's not true. They want to give more."
Yes; apparently he's completely ignorning what he said yesterday since the White House didn't blast him.
Ceci has put on weight. Maybe she's pregnant? Anyway, yest I heard her say this as well. Krauthammer slapped her down like the lib insect she is.
Howlin, good email. Not one thin dime, not one penny to the UN or the Red Cross from me. Not one I tell ya.
Prairie
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