Free Money

Well THAT got your attention, didn't it?

Let's talk about free money. The United States of America(land that I love) gives away $27Billion a year in foreign aid (UN Website). That doesn't include money that we loan out. This money is simply given away. Now, I understand that some of this money goes to feed hungry people and vaccinate children, and these are noble endeavors. My philosophy with regards to feeding people in foreign countries is much like my policy with street beggars. I'll buy them a burger anytime, but I'm not giving them money(the root of all crack purchases). I have yet to find any real source of accountability for foreign aid. Simply put, you give me money to feed my kids, all I have to say is "yes, I fed the kids with that", and then you give me more. What kind of program is this?

I have an idea. Let's spend all the money that we were going to give away in '07 on a wall between here and Mexico. What's that? You say a wall won't solve the problem with illegal immigration. Maybe not, but a wall with machine gun turrets and minefields would make a pretty little bump in the road, now wouldn't it?

I understand that we won't really do that, but it could be the back-up plan.

In reality we need to help our neighbors become more industrialized. So why not spend ALL of our foreign aid close to home. Let the UN feed Africa for a couple of years. Let's give $27Billion to Mexico, Honduras, and Ecuador on the condition that they spend all of the money on education and industrialization. I'm OK with a global economy, but for crying out loud, let's bring everyone else up to standard!

If our neighboring countries have a lifestyle comparable to ours, their citizens are less likely to want to come here and work for less. If we were to repeal NAFTA and CAFTA and put serious pressure on Central America to develop a working public education system, we would all benifit. Who knows, in ten years, we might all be driving Honduran cars that run on alternative fuels.

We have to take corporate interests out of the equation for the time being, and really strive to globalize the American Dream. Giving away money with no expected return is simply poor economic policy. With the global political climate what it is today, we need to develop some close ties with the people of Central America, not the corporate interests. If we can help our neighbors become more educated, more industrialized, and more independant, then we should. Its not just good foreign policy, its the right way to do business.