Why are the Americans so stingy when it comes to giving foreign aid?

Question

http://www.godweb.org/stingy2.htm

As a proportion of its wealth, the US is one of the stingiest in the world (see table above).
If you add private donations they only rise to 13th of the countries mentioned in the table.

Should a millionaire give the same to charity as someone living under a bridge?

NB: That was the first link I could find that gave the figures in a user friendly format, but the statistics are from the OECD and can be found on their website.

Are all Americans as ignorant as Scubadog:
Heritage Foundation:
"The Heritage Foundation is a research and educational institute - a think tank - whose mission is to formulate and promote conservative public policies "

From their OWN website:
http://www.heritage.org/about/

Answer 1

Ooh some of them are very good at funding terrorism in other countries - look at all the money those Americans with one Irish great great great grandparent gave to the IRA.

Its funny because America and its policies is fairly well disliked in Ireland.

They stopped when they got a taste of terrorism for themselves though. Then they declared "war on terror" and started blowing up the middle east.

Instead of giving foreign aid maybe they should help their own people hit by Hurricane Katrina. I've read some callous nonsense on here about how those in New Orleans should just go without because they "should have had insurance" or some other stupid right wing garbarge. It horrifies me to read the way some of them rant and rave about how they disagree with Welfare to help the poor and those who've fallen on hard times and don't beleive the poor are entitled to healthcare. It is quite shocking that a "civillised" people could be so callous.

Answer 2

Our government provides ridiculous amounts of military backup for countries everywhere, yet most of those countries are not willing to ever return the favors.....even in other forms? That's the biggest reason our government is so stingy about providing foreign aid.
Everybody expects us to give, give, give, while we get little to nothing in return. It's a backscatching game.
It sucks that it has to be like that, I know.
Plus, we have so much that could be helped in our own country.
Now......private donations is a whole nother story!

Answer 3

I have always believed, and rightly so, that Americans have always been the most generous people in the world. We can afford it. Even our poorest people are better off than the average person in many countries. Our problem is not the money and food etc that we give other countries it is when we butt into their internal affairs without being invited to do so.

When we give humanitarian aid it really makes us look good and the people in other countries greatly appreciate the aid. When we butt into thier governmental affairs they soon say Yankee go home! Can you blame them? Would you want another country butting into our affairs? I know that the people affected by hurricane Katrina much appreciated the aid offered by other nations to us.

Answer 4

Because they are hung up on Nationalism,fake patriotism and lies like the belief displayed here too that America gives the most.Propaganda over fact to support the big lie called America.
Why?Because they for their own happiness depend on the same lie which tells them they can make it if they want while the truth is America is everyone for him or herself and no compassion for the weak and or poor.

Answer 5

Actual dollar contributions reveal that the U.S. is the world’s largest donor. The OECD calculates U.S. development assistance (based on bilateral assistance, humanitarian assistance, and contributions to multilateral institutions like the International Development Association of the World Bank) in 2003 at $16.2 billion—more than double the amount given by France, Germany, or any other European nation.[2] Japan is second at $8.9 billion.

http://www.heritage.org/Research/TradeandForeignAid/wm630.cfm

This is a copy from the Heritage Foundation. Hardly a conservative outlet.

Answer 6

What is this? The USA has been the most generous nation in the world and they get slagged off for their pains.

Answer 7

Is that supposed to be a joke?

America gives more in aid every year than the rest of the world combined and the American citizen gives 10 times the amount of aid as our government gives. **** YOU.

Answer 8

We give more feed more people then the rest of the world. If you think we do not may I suggest that we stop giving money to other countries, then lets see what happens.

We should stop feeding the world and say tough sh*t.

After reading some of the post here about America I would like to say this. I can only hope our government stops giving money food and aid to the world.

You want to see stingy then so be it. I now refuse to give to any one asking for money out of this country, I could care less if all the Africans died of AIDS (we gave how much) I could care less of how many people die from the next storm (how many people did our military save and how much money was given) SCREW THE WORLD fend for your self's.


After reading more on this post.

We should build up our military and level any country that we deem as needed to be leveled.

Answer 9

Because Americans aren't stupid. Why is America rich? Because of Americans, countries should deal with their own problems rather than relying on foreign aid. Most of it is squandered anyway on palaces and stupid projects.

Answer 10

That is rubbish. I am not an American either. They still give more than virtually anybody else.

Get lost, you patronising moron - one of the left wing - generous with other people's money but not with your own
I don't doubt !