Image via WikipediaI just had lunch with Brian A Gallagher, President and CEO of the United Way and I was surprised to find out that United Way gives away $4bn per year of which half of that money is given away outside of the United States. As you may know America as a country is extremely stingy when it gets to US Foreign Aid as a percentage of GDP. The European Union is a much larger international donor than USA. But what I wonder is how the figures would add up if you start including as US foreign aid US private donations. I certainly think that the efforts of United Way, or the Gates foundation should be added to the US foreign aid figures to make them more realistic.
Follow Martin Varsavsky on Twitter: twitter.com/martinvars
No Comments
José Luis on June 10, 2008 ·
Adding up both private and government contributions for both Europe an the US would make the US the largest contributor as a percentage of the GDP. For a complete scope of American foreign aid, please read: http://usinfo.state.gov/journals/itps/1107/ijpe/radelet.htm
José Luis on June 10, 2008 ·
And yes, Martin, add this comment to your blog in Spanish, to enlighten my fellow citizens. They are very generous with public money to show their generosity, but just a few, for example, would donate to their political party, their church or any other great cause they support. After all, our socialist government is supossed to take care of our “generosity”.
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Ricardo on June 10, 2008 ·
Yes Martin, you’re correct we should add the private sector donations. Once, you do that, then the USA is the single largest donor of foreign economic aid. The following link gives more specific information about it: “click here”
Unfortunately, is so much ignorance about the good of USA, that is brewing this hate, not only around the world but also within the country.
I do know history, I do know the bad, but I believe that a country can change towards the good and that is the greatness of America. It’s constantly changing, improving, otherwise how can we justify Obama. An African American running for the presidency.
I hope you post your post in your Spanish blog, it’s very important because the hate of the Spanish population towards the Unites States.