[Thommas]

Practically, morally, and very sadly, Mr. Bush's giveaway is indeed a waste. One, two and three years hence, not one life will have been saved by this largesse.

[Mr_Peter]

One more proof that a libertarian is really a conservative in need of prosac. This Randy is over the top.

[meyer]

I guess the offer should be rescinded. It shouldn't have been offered in the first place.

[uncbob]

If individual Americans voluntarily want to give their money to fight AIDS, they can do so privately. But when $15 billion is forcefully expropriated from taxpayers for Mr. Bush's appeasing altruistic gesture it is outrageous and immoral."

Let the American liberals take up the collection among the Hollyweird types and black professional athletes ( they could give up some of their jewelery)
Way back in the 60s conservatives predicted Africa would slide into chaos-famine and disease. But the liberals kept pushing the colonial powers to give them their independence
Well they got it . Now let the liberals worry about them

[jshermn]

I guess you are right $15 Billion of our tax dollars is not enough. Never mind!!!!! we'll use it for our own people.

[cynicom]

"If the $15 billion African AIDS package Mr. Bush proposed in his State of The Union speech was intended to appease the critics of his impending attack on Iraq, it won't work, says Yaron Brook, executive director of the Ayn Rand Institute"

In my estimation, the author is against this giveaway all for the wrong reason. I viewed this shameful act to be nothing other than a vote buying scheme that Bush let someone foist upon him. To me, giving away money we do not have should have been the prime interest, not vote buying or trying to look good in the eyes of the world.

[chatham]

Has anyone thought to see if Mandela might be suffering from Mad Cow Disease or some STD.
He is not right in the head.

[yoe]

I think Yaron Brook, of the Ayn Rand Institute is being unfair to call this bold initiative for a ten-year aid plan to Africa an “appeasement” even before the terms of the plan is laid out.

If anyone understands Altruism, I am sure President Bush does. It isn’t virtue the President seeks, it is a cure. Americans are well aware of the hostility from those who have received American generosity over the years for one reason or the other, the hostility doesn’t stem from the people, it comes from their governments who loath us because they need us.

But when $15 billion is forcefully expropriated from taxpayers for Mr. Bush's appeasing altruistic gesture it is outrageous and immoral." If Mr. Brook thinks the amount to be given is immoral, then perhaps these “forward thinkers” of the ARI and others of us who feel the same, should come down hard on those who continue to spread the AIDs virus via pleasure and the women who continue to give HIV to their unborn children. AIDs is indeed a preventable ‘affliction’ and no child should be born with it. I could go a step further and speak my mind about those that carry the virus and what to do about them, but I would get flamed.

[Lewite]

We cannot buy lovers in Afrika, they will always hate us no matter what!!!! Our leader is mistaken on this point!

[Godfollow]

Much ado about nothing... it was a bone... and as we all know any bones that are thrown out to the libs are thrown back with a note attached stating something to the effect, "this bone aint big enough..." So we're left with gridlock on the idea... let it lay..