Asymmetrical Information

Maybe the gov't should transfer some of the budget allocated to UN support to tsuami relief. The UN would never complain about that, would they? That would make them look mean-spirited and stingy.

Most of the american donations are private anyway, and I bet these will be the most significant ones in this tragedy as well when compared to any other country. These UN guys should just shut up.

Agreed, Edward.
I hit the Aus Red Cross because it allows one to donate specifically for the Earthquake/Tsunami rather than just 'disaster relief'.
So Australia will probably get the credit for my donation. I don't really care who gets credit as long as the money gets where it needs to go.

up to damn near $1.6 million right now

From my blog:

I used the Amazon Honor System to make a donation for tsunami disaster relief.

There are two things that are noteworthy about this

1. It was fall-off-roof-hit-ground easy
2. I trusted that Amazon made the best selection of which charity to donate to (American Red Cross).

Essentially, Amazon was my agent for a charitable gift. Bet that's not in their business plan.

It's about to break $2 million.

Call me callous, but I just don't feel compelled to donate to this relief. I do feel horrible for what has happened, but at the end of the day there are just too many people in the US who need help, including all our wounded soldiers and the families of those who have not come home. If I have any extra money it will go to help my family of Americans.

Furthermore, it is not like I think that we as Americans want credit for helping other countries, all I ask for is that the world recognize us as the benevolent people who we really are. But the truth is that no matter how much we help we still get spit on by the rest of the world, headed up by the UN. So you know what, let them take care of their own problems by themselves while we take care of our own family here at home.

The US is spending hundreds of billions of dollars fighting terrorism which countries such as France and Germany are contributing peanuts to. Now people would like us to help rebuild Europe's vacation oasis?

Before you click the contribute button at Amazon take a look at the Wounded Warrior project and see which one you really would rather give your money to.

I feel the same way Peter.

Au contraire, Americans are stingy when it comes to giving aid to poorer countries: 13 cents/person/day in government aid. Adding in private giving--5 cents/day--doesn't close the gap with most countries. Norway gives $1.02/person/day in public aid and 24c/day in private aid. See http://www.foreignpolicy.com/story/cms.php?story_id=2540&page=7.

I agree people are misguided if they only give for this disaster and go on their merry way otherwise. AIDS, malaria, diarrheal diseases, etc. each kill as many people every week or so. There is a strong element of irrationality in our reaction to such tragedies as this.

Roodman's accounting is selective.

For example, it ignores "aid" like relatively piracy-free sea lanes. That doesn't happen by accident and it provides huge benefits to poorer countries. Guess who pays for the bulk of that? (We could easily provide protection only for ships involved in US trade.)

Peter,

I agree with you that no matter how much Americans given there will always be idiots like David Roodman who tell us that it is not enough or that we are somehow “stingy.” However if you do decide to donate to a charity (foreign, domestic, whatever), you ought to do so because it is either a cause you believe in or because you find the recipients worthy, not because it matters one jot what someone else thinks of your donation or how much (if any) you choose to give.

Peter would be correct if this wasn't an emergency and the money wasn't desperately needed NOW. If you believe in giving money domestically for our soldiers or for our poor, fine. Do it from next week's paycheck. But from this week's paycheck, take your butt over to Amazon and click the button. Do it now.

Can we say "both/and"?

Does anyone know if this figure ($4,383,107.12 as of about 11am EST 12/30) is just the sum collected through Amazon, or also the donations made directly to the Red Cross through their own redcross.org site?

I have one question: How many of these countries hit by this did any one of the following:

1. Sent a single unit of their currencies to help the victims of a single natural dissaster in the US last year?

2. Spent their time and energy building an early warning system for Sunami's in their region?

That is what this is about. It is time for the rest of this world to take care of themselves. They run their countries the way they want to, and they should pay the price. End of story.

Now, from a political stand point, the reality is that you are judged (as a country) on the last thing you did. We have a duty to the American people to do the nation building, relationship building things that will counter the growing anti-American movements. With that said it is not the private sector donations that matter, it is the one our Government sends.

As a private citizen I am not spending one cent of my money to help any of those people. Their governments should take care of that...do the R&D, build the systems, and bring their countries into the 1st world. But as a citizen of a country that the majority of the world dispises...I feel our government...and our President should do more. He should have cancelled his vacation and went to the area struck. He should have offered more than 15 mil, 35 mil...etc. He should have offered as much as we can afford. And as much help as we can scrounge up.

That's all I have to say about that.

CL

What a bunch of whiny, snivelling babies the Republicans have become.

A massive, massive, massive natural disaster strikes and all they can do is act victimized and petulent. Oh yeah, and engage in childish swipes at the UN.

Is the U.S. "stingy"? No. Is George Bush a piece of human garbage for "clearing brush" for four days afterwards and giving the world the impression that the U.S. is full of stingy assholes? Yes. Is George Bush an idiot for missing an opportunity to show America at its best? Yes.

At the end of the day, the U.S. will give and give well. We will give as individuals and we will give through our government. That isn't the point. George Bush is an embarassment to America and the Republicans are too stupid, provincial, and busy with their petty UN food fights to get it.

That is what this is about. It is time for the rest of this world to take care of themselves. They run their countries the way they want to, and they should pay the price. End of story.

As a private citizen I am not spending one cent of my money to help any of those people.

Merry Christmas!!

I am glad to see such expressions of Christian charity toward the less fortunate. See you in church!

Based on the nature of the comments seen here and elsewhere, I think many of our conservative friends would have happily written a blank check BEFORE the earthquake to help finance the Tsunami's further destruction of Muslims.

114,000 human beings -- that includes women and children -- are dead and counting. And all our Republican amis can think about is how to stick it to the Europeans and the UN.

When are y'all going to cut to the chase and just say, "anyone who doesn't believe as we do deserves to die"?

But let's not be unreasonable to our president. If he couldn't be bothered to stop clearing brush long enough to stop the worst attack on the US in history, why should he be bothered to stop clearing brush long enough to tend to the worst natural disaster of our lifetime? I mean, be reasonable. Sheesh.

And amen, brother C Paris. See ya in church.

One more thing:

WWJD?

good god ... the people whining about how some mean called them "stingy" just kills me ... they're the same people who probably got their undies in a bunch because someone wished them a "happy holiday," too.

you want to put the "christ" back in christmas, then act like the christian you profess yourself to be and give 'til it hurts. there's no one saying that you can't give to help the victims of the tsunami *and* the wounded soldiers.

Christ said that we are to *feed the hungry* and *clothe the naked* and *house the homeless* - NOT feed the people who like us, clothe the people who look like us and house the people who have helped us when we've needed help.

frickin hypocrites.

Any "Christian" who has allowed the words "I'm not giving" to pass his or her lips has shown him or herself to be exposed as a hypocrite.

How does it feel to have wasted your life on a religion you don't believe in?

Thanks to everyone who saved me by the end of the comments. What complete asses.

Personal donations have no connection to governmental disaster aid, you complete asses.

You complete asses. That's fun to say.

I'm giving today to Doctors Without Borders.

Okay, I apologize for calling you complete asses. That's not nice, and I'm sure it's not true. Fun to say tho.

Whoa...

I have one question: How many of these countries hit by this did any one of the following:

1. Sent a single unit of their currencies to help the victims of a single natural dissaster in the US last year?

2. Spent their time and energy building an early warning system for Sunami's in their region?

I don't know... maybe becuase most of them are, comparatively, dirt poor? You talk about thes countries "bringing themselves into the first world" as though it was a matter of them turning off the TV, getting off the couch, and cleaning up the house. You make it sound as though they'd passed over buying a Tsunami Early Warning System in favor of blowing their cash on a really cool disco floor and a dry ice machine. Here's an idea, why don't you donate your Tsunami Early Warning System, the one that's out in your garage?

They run their countries the way they want to. Yeah, that's right... they want to be poor and backwards. They want their populations to suffer. I just don't understand why that lazy-ass third world can't show some gumption and pull itself up by its bootstraps...

Amd while I should add that I am gratified that you can rightfully take the President to task for failing to show any hint of statesmanship, the selfishness and lack of perspective on display here is really pretty breathtaking.

To those who contributed,
May you be blessed.

To those who responded to a massive cataclysm and massive human tragedy with pettiness, shallowness and crass selfishness:

You are not even worth hating anymore, pity, is all you get. The stench of your rotten morals makes me projectile vomit.

Amen, ch2. Wow. There's nothing like seeing those Christian principles in action.

As for this guy:

I have one question: How many of these countries hit by this did any one of the following:

1. Sent a single unit of their currencies to help the victims of a single natural dissaster in the US last year?

2. Spent their time and energy building an early warning system for Sunami's in their region?

First of all, that's two questions. Second of all, are you really expecting, say, Thailand, where the majority of people live in a level of poverty that would blow your MIND (I've been there twice, I've seen it), and who live on for a year what you make in a week or less, are you LITERALLY expecting them to kick in for our hurricane relief? And when you pass a starving person on the street, do you not throw 'im a buck because he didn't bother to help you out that time you stubbed your toe?

Great googly-moogly. I didn't think this level of hatefulness existed in our famously "Christian" nation. Jesus must be so very proud of you. Over 100,000 dead, probably only 50% of what's to come once the post-tsunami diseases take hold, families destroyed, towns obliterated, and you're pissed that they didn't buy someone a new flamingo for their front yard?

Now, c'mon, guys, don't you think you're being a little nasty? I mean, all some of these people are saying is that the greatest natural disaster in modern times is nothing but a wake-up call for those shiftless third-worlders.

Christ woulda told them to get off their butts and find jobs, right? I mean, this was a rising tide, and if it didn't lift their boats, that's because they weren't properly prepared.

And if they don't recognize how good and generous we are (see: shipping lanes), then screw 'em, we'll be bad and stingy.

One last comment about those selfish, tight-fisted third worlders who didn't send one thin dime for Florida's hurricane relief: the death toll for the season stood at about 70, according to this National Geographic story. Elsewhere, the death toll is reported in the "dozens." (Although the same page notes that Jeanne alone killed 700 in Haiti...but I suppose that doesn't count, right?)

The known death toll from the tsunami is now over 115,000. Yes, I know every life is precious, and the families of those 70 Floridians are every bit as heart-broken as the families of those 114,000 Asians. But, seriously, now...are these really comparable disasters?

The UN didn't say a thing. Just letting you know.

If you chintzy tightwads aren't letting the moths out of your wallets for this one, you're in a whole other classification on the species chart.

Anytime the U.S. government gives monetary aid to another country, there's an ulterior motive. It's not out of any goodness of our hearts. Most of the foreign aid that we give is for their military, to keep governments that we like in power. Not the democratic choice of the people. It's to keep the regime in power that will get us the best price on their goods and labor. The regime that will keep their people down.

This is why they hate us. This is why they want to destroy us.

Don't bother getting defensive and trying to argue the truth of this. Just wake up and smell the coffee before it's somebody that you know and love that gets killed by terrorism.

Giving without restraint would have gone a long way to making America safe and admired again.

Really, I just don't like the idea of this money going to brown people.

Oops, did I say that out loud?

I know you're kidding, Jack?

I don't like being forced to defend Republicans or Christians, as I am one and not the other, but what is with you people taking one commenters babbling and applying it to huge, indeterminite numbers of people?

Great googly-moogly. I didn't think this level of hatefulness existed in our famously "Christian" nation. Jesus must be so very proud of you. Over 100,000 dead, probably only 50% of what's to come once the post-tsunami diseases take hold, families destroyed, towns obliterated, and you're pissed that they didn't buy someone a new flamingo for their front yard?

Where the heck does THAT come from? You're angry at a previous poster, but it's the fault of all the bible bangers that make up the United States? That's just silly, lazy hatred. Why is it if someone believes in Christ you automatically think they're selfish? How many believers do you think are working in those sad, devastated areas right now? Are they all atheists and Pagans?

I'm completely unsurprised that some people would refuse to even offer sympathy. Those people have always, and will always, exist. I'm responsible for my own actions, and I gave. And frankly, I have no time to waste on either the name-callers or the guilt mongers.

Yikes, who passed out buttplugs and Fiber-One to the majority of this thread's respondants? And why did said majority of respondants feel obligated to use both simultaneously, before posting?

Perhaps someone can edit Wikipedia's entry for "crotchety" with a link to this thread...

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