Posted on 04/15/2005 3:35:15 PM PDT by Tern
Carter: rich states "don't give a damn" about poor
ATLANTA, April 14 (Reuters) - Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter on Thursday harshly criticized his own country and other wealthy states for being stingy with foreign aid and said in rich countries "We really don't give a damn."
In a speech to a human rights conference in Atlanta, Carter said increasing financial assistance was critical to battling malaria, AIDS and other common diseases that disproportionately affect the poorest parts of the world.
"Unfortunately, in the rich countries like ours, we really don't give a damn," said Carter, who was president from 1977 to 1981 and who won a Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.
He especially criticized the United States for failing to follow other Western nations which are increasing spending.
Although America tops the foreign aid donor list in dollar terms, it falls behind the Netherlands, Canada and many other smaller, less affluent nations when contributions are measured on a per capita basis.
U.S. foreign aid is approximately 0.18 percent of gross national product, the lowest of any G-7 nation and far below a 0.7 percent United Nations target that 22 of the world's developed nations have agreed to meet by 2015.
A handful have met the goal, while others such as Germany and Great Britain insist they will achieve it.
"We have not budged so far," lamented Carter, who has spearheaded efforts through his non-profit Carter Center to eradicate diseases in the developing world, including Guinea worm and onchocerciasis, also known as river blindness.
(Writing by Paul Simao, Editing by David Storey)
OMG would someone please just stuff some peanuts in his mouth!
Go build them all houses Jimmah.
Jimmy missed his nap.
Carter is, and always will be, a f-ing idiot, a failed President, and a slobbering socialist and pacifist. Other than that, he is great guy, that ought to STFU and grow peanuts.
Or more precisely, rich people like Jimmy Carter don't give a damn about the average Joe in our country.
Frankly, Jimmy dear....I just don't GIVE A DAMN.
No, Jimmeh - we just don't give a damn about you. Now why don't you just dry up and blow away...
Arguably the worst president in the last century and he presumes to think anyone gives a flying f#@k what he has to say about anything
Jimmy helps the world's poor by "certifying" so-called elections blatantly stolen by thugs and criminals like Chavez and Mugabe.
No government should give money to another government and call it "compassion." Jimmy is right about one thing ... countries CAN'T "give a damn." Only people can, and the American people support many worthy organizations that actually help the poor, instead of giving money to stupid, corrupt governments and self-serving NGO's.
I haven't caught Bush's yet, but Cheney's charitable contributions were in the neighborhood of $330,000.. Any chance Carter's tax return is public??? I'd love to know how much he "cares"...
Reach into your own pocket, Jimmah. Don't worry about mine.
Nothing but a lefty, whiney, busybody. Worst president in my lifetime. (Yes, worse than Bubba)
Can anyone explain how this guy majored in Nuclear Engineering and was a Naval Officer? You would think psychology major and Peace Corps. What gives
Oh, shut up! Dunce or liar - who knows which?
Watch yo step, Jimmah.....or I'll sic that killer rabbit on you again!
I wish he would go off in a corner and "lust in the heart" and keep his opinions of world affairs to himself.
As Jo Dee Messina says "My give-a-damn's busted."
You have to content yourself with yelling "Shut up you traitorous moron!" like the rest of us.
A big honking dose of DDT would take care of the malaria problem in Africa, just as it took care of the malaria problem down in the Louisiana/Mississippi area decades ago. But Carter doesn't want an actual solution.....he just wants more money to those who would steal it, and he also wants a stick to keep beating America with. What a putz.
Typical lib. Only money that the government gives matters. What about the actual per capita giving, Jimbo? That would mean individual Americans choosing to give their own money for causes they personally deem worthy.
Or for many fewer dollars, we could just relegalize DDT, CFCs, and a few other cause celebre's of Carter's allies. To go further, we could outlaw socialist governments, which ensure poverty among their nation's masses and a tremendous Tragedy of the Commons, resulting in many diseases having a much freer reign.
What an effin' loser.
No Jimmy, the problem is the leaders of the poor nations don't give a damn about their own people. They take the foreign aid and build huge palaces for themselves.
Unfortunately, his term as President was no laughing matter- 23% interest rates, the Hostage crisis, Cuban proxies all over Africa and Central America, gasahol... and probably a host more of things I have mercifully put out of mind.
Oh, they did? Who'da thunk it?
Back in your box you drooling idiot peanut farmer!
The only good thing about Carter, is that because of him, we got Ronald Reagan.
Message to Mr. Carter: Shut up!
Hey, Jimmy.....do you know about FOOD FOR OIL? That's FOREIGN AID.....it goes through some tyrants bank accounts and he steals what he can, starves and murders his people, and calls people like you his "friends." Or, how about Castro, Jimmy.....huummmmmmm.......??????
Carter was as much a peanut farmer, as Algore was a tobacco farmer.
I read his "nuclear education" was courses taken by any naval officer posted to a boomer, in other words the "nuclear physicist" stuff was just pre-election hype for him.
Is Carter suffering from terminal Alzheimer's? Seriously, where does he come up with this crap?
Sure thing, freakazoid, that's why America is the country that feeds the world and gives more medical care and supplies than any other.
Shut up, you pompous boring body part.
Ooooh, Jimmah said a bad word
You certainly can see just how proud President Carter is of being an American. ;-(
"Fortunately, in the rich countries like ours, we really don't give a damn," said Carter, who as president from 1977 to 1981 saw our country humiliated and who won a Nobel Disgrace Prize in 2002. "Really, as a former president,
I don't have to worry about bloody ***k-all, health care? taken care of. Security? Taken care of. Money? I just have to ask and foolish democrats will line my pockets.
Has anybody seen my depends?"
Poor countries can't spend percentages...they can spend dollars.
How many dollars is .18% of GNP ?
Somebody stuff a sock in Jimmy's mouth.
Such maudlin sentimentality. Such rank stupidity. Liberals are so full of themselves.
Rich states like Saudi Arabia.
You guys on this thread are all greedy capitalists for not wanting to subsidize Edi Amin or Colonel Gadafi's lifestyles.
only one word for him: idiot.
Carter is just mad that he isn't getting all the government grants he wants for his own "non-profits".
I'd say the second worst. Clinton had two terms to mess things up.
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