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Bring the Foreign Assistance Act into the 21st Century
Target: 2008 Presidential Candidates
Sponsored by: Global Development Matters
The world is becoming increasingly interconnected as opportunities and challenges here in the U.S. and abroad tie us to the rest of the world in ways we are only beginning to understand.
American foreign assistance programs have proved to be an influential aspect of our engagement with the world in the past, but our foreign assistance policy was written in 1961. A lot has changed since then.
We need a new foreign assistance policy for the 21st century. The 2008 presidential elections are our chance to make that happen. Please take a moment read and sign the petition to call on the next president to make modernizing foreign assistance a priority in the next administration.
Sponsored by: Global Development Matters
American foreign assistance programs have proved to be an influential aspect of our engagement with the world in the past, but our foreign assistance policy was written in 1961. A lot has changed since then.
We need a new foreign assistance policy for the 21st century. The 2008 presidential elections are our chance to make that happen. Please take a moment read and sign the petition to call on the next president to make modernizing foreign assistance a priority in the next administration.
Send Your Letter see who signed this
We took action on “Bring the Foreign Assistance Act into the 21st Century”!
# 4,412:
12:55 pm PDT, Aug 29,
Paul Smith, Uzbekistan
# 4,411:
9:56 am PDT, Aug 27,
Kelly Kemp, California
# 4,410:
10:55 pm PDT, Aug 17,
Caroline Pierce, California
# 4,409:
4:19 pm PDT, Aug 17,
Valentine Doyle, Connecticut
# 4,408:
8:19 am PDT, Aug 17,
Mollie Morrissette, California
# 4,407:
11:39 am PDT, Aug 15,
David Lentol, Florida
# 4,406:
8:52 pm PDT, Aug 8,
Donna Benjamin, Oregon
# 4,405:
4:54 pm PDT, Aug 8,
Cheryl Erb, California
# 4,404:
11:34 pm PDT, Aug 4,
Timea Melinda Kovacs, Romania
# 4,403:
9:23 pm PDT, Aug 3,
Seth Stern, New Jersey
# 4,402:
5:17 pm PDT, Jul 31,
Thomas Kristan, Canada
# 4,401:
8:12 am PDT, Jul 29,
Ryan Lovett, Illinois
# 4,400:
11:35 pm PDT, Jul 27,
Maura O'Connor, Delaware
# 4,399:
12:18 pm PDT, Jul 26,
Regina Knapp, California
# 4,398:
11:14 am PDT, Jul 26,
Nick McGuire, Ohio
# 4,397:
8:09 am PDT, Jul 26,
Robert Levitt, Missouri
# 4,396:
7:28 pm PDT, Jul 24,
Name not displayed, Canada
# 4,395:
2:12 pm PDT, Jul 23,
Sean Noyes, Finland
# 4,394:
11:30 am PDT, Jul 22,
Linda Bonura, Louisiana
# 4,393:
7:37 am PDT, Jul 20,
Name not displayed, Florida
# 4,392:
12:53 am PDT, Jul 20,
Name not displayed, Connecticut
# 4,391:
11:07 am PDT, Jul 19,
Paul Diamond, Alabama
Our foreign policy has always been a matter of reaction to events. Or promotion of corporate interests. The world has always looked to us for leadership and justice. Often to be disapointed. To that end I suggest that we look to President Roosevelt, Teddy that is. He said, "Speak softly ,but carry a big stick." We already have the 'big stick.'We are the only remaining 'superpower.'We have the largest, best equipped, best trained and most dedicated military force the world has ever seen. We must declare to the world that we are willing to go anywhere and sit down with anyone, unconditionally, with respect and equanimity to peacefully resolve any differences. To come to an equitable solution to whatever problems may seperate us. Where ever possible we should look to the United Nations(UN) as the forum for disscussion and resolution of differences. As a member of the UN we can use whatever resources we can bring to bear, economic, political or military, to support the work of the UN. However, we must declare that where ever and when ever negotiation and all other peaceful means have been exhausted. When we have no other choice, no other option, but to resort to force. When circumstances force us to put American lives in harms way. When we have from the Senate of the United States a Declaration of War as required by the Constitution. We must declare to the world that there will be no quarter. There will be no limit. Short of the use of nuclear weapons, there will be no limit. Civilians will be warned to get out of the way. From then on any one in the combat zone is an enemy. Any leaders of any group that forces us to use military force must surrender or be captured or killed. Anyone wearing the uniform of a declared enemy must surrender or be captured or killed. Anyone who raises a weapon against the forces of United States will surrender or be captured or killed. Anyone who conspires to do harm to the people and the forces of United States will surrender or be captured or killed. Anyone who brandishes a stick or throws a rock at a member of the armed forces of the United States will surrender or be captured or killed. At the conclusion of hostitlities as we rebuild our former enemies we must hire contractors through open bids who are capable of getting the job done in a timely manner. Contractors who will use as many of the local work force as they can. If there are are not enough local workers with the skills to get the work done then every skilled worker that is brought in from outside to do the work should be given at least one local citizen for assistance and training. This, in my opinion, is how we deter hostilities. Make friends out of enemies and make for lasting peace. Since I have brought up the issue of nuclear weapons, I propose that we, publicly, begin the dismantling of our nuclear arsenal. We currently have enough nuclear weapons to destroy the entire world many times over. If we begin with oldest and most obsolete weapons and, over time, reduce our nuclear arsenal by half. We would still have enough weapons to meet any threats with this unthinkable option. The advantages would be to say, sincerely, to the rest of the world that we are serious about nonproliferation of nuclear weapons. We can approach our former enemies to assist them in dismantling their nukes without them fearing us. We will save billions of dollars that we now spend maintaining our Nukes. We will free thousands of service men and women for redeployment to more essential service. Also, we will have large quantities of fissionable material for peaceful uses.
Our foreign policy has always been a matter of reaction to events. Or promotion of corporate interests. The world has always looked to us for leadership and justice. Often to be disapointed. To that end I suggest that we look to President Roosevelt, Teddy that is. He said, "Speak softly ,but carry a big stick." We already have the 'big stick.'We are the only remaining 'superpower.'We have the largest, best equipped, best trained and most dedicated military force the world has ever seen. We must declare to the world that we are willing to go anywhere and sit down with anyone, unconditionally, with respect and equanimity to peacefully resolve any differences. To come to an equitable solution to whatever problems may seperate us. Where ever possible we should look to the United Nations(UN) as the forum for disscussion and resolution of differences. As a member of the UN we can use whatever resources we can bring to bear, economic, political or military, to support the work of the UN. However, we must declare that where ever and when ever negotiation and all other peaceful means have been exhausted. When we have no other choice, no other option, but to resort to force. When circumstances force us to put American lives in harms way. When we have from the Senate of the United States a Declaration of War as required by the Constitution. We must declare to the world that there will be no quarter. There will be no limit. Short of the use of nuclear weapons, there will be no limit. Civilians will be warned to get out of the way. From then on any one in the combat zone is an enemy. Any leaders of any group that forces us to use military force must surrender or be captured or killed. Anyone wearing the uniform of a declared enemy must surrender or be captured or killed. Anyone who raises a weapon against the forces of United States will surrender or be captured or killed. Anyone who conspires to do harm to the people and the forces of United States will surrender or be captured or killed. Anyone who brandishes a stick or throws a rock at a member of the armed forces of the United States will surrender or be captured or killed. At the conclusion of hostitlities as we rebuild our former enemies we must hire contractors through open bids who are capable of getting the job done in a timely manner. Contractors who will use as many of the local work force as they can. If there are are not enough local workers with the skills to get the work done then every skilled worker that is brought in from outside to do the work should be given at least one local citizen for assistance and training. This, in my opinion, is how we deter hostilities. Make friends out of enemies and make for lasting peace. Since I have brought up the issue of nuclear weapons, I propose that we, publicly, begin the dismantling of our nuclear arsenal. We currently have enough nuclear weapons to destroy the entire world many times over. If we begin with oldest and most obsolete weapons and, over time, reduce our nuclear arsenal by half. We would still have enough weapons to meet any threats with this unthinkable option. The advantages would be to say, sincerely, to the rest of the world that we are serious about nonproliferation of nuclear weapons. We can approach our former enemies to assist them in dismantling their nukes without them fearing us. We will save billions of dollars that we now spend maintaining our Nukes. We will free thousands of service men and women for redeployment to more essential service. Also, we will have large quantities of fissionable material for peaceful uses.
# 4,390:
9:43 am PDT, Jul 18,
Name not displayed, Maryland
# 4,389:
9:21 am PDT, Jul 18,
Marilyn Mayers, New York
# 4,388:
12:34 pm PDT, Jul 17,
Greta Malkotzoglou, Greece
# 4,387:
12:31 pm PDT, Jul 17,
Zo Chrighton, New York
# 4,386:
5:43 pm PDT, Jul 14,
Christofer Nicodemus, California
# 4,385:
1:11 pm PDT, Jul 13,
Octavian Paul Draja, Romania
# 4,384:
9:28 pm PDT, Jul 12,
Linda Russell, California
# 4,383:
12:26 pm PDT, Jul 12,
Andrew Bell, California
# 4,382:
11:19 am PDT, Jul 12,
RM Merrill, Connecticut
# 4,381:
1:07 pm PDT, Jul 11,
Ann Turk, Florida
# 4,380:
1:16 pm PDT, Jul 9,
Anne Salzer, New Hampshire
# 4,379:
10:54 am PDT, Jul 7,
Theresa Workman, Ohio
# 4,378:
5:36 pm PDT, Jul 6,
Amy Brown, Florida
# 4,377:
9:39 pm PDT, Jul 5,
Dorothy O'Brien, California
Many 3rd World countries vote against us in the UN. Go along to get along, Vote our way or survive on your own. We Owe, We Owe, So cut the costs we go! Take care of our own first! We are not the richest country, we are the most in debt country! It will take a lot to get the Federal Budget in line!
Many 3rd World countries vote against us in the UN. Go along to get along, Vote our way or survive on your own. We Owe, We Owe, So cut the costs we go! Take care of our own first! We are not the richest country, we are the most in debt country! It will take a lot to get the Federal Budget in line!
# 4,376:
4:05 pm PDT, Jul 5,
Marie Foxton, New York
# 4,375:
7:43 am PDT, Jul 5,
Nicholas Pomata, South Carolina
# 4,374:
9:12 pm PDT, Jul 4,
Name not displayed, California
this issue is self evident
this issue is self evident
# 4,373:
7:45 pm PDT, Jul 3,
Jamie Scott, Texas
# 4,372:
6:47 pm PDT, Jul 3,
JUANITA TURNER-JOHNSON, Illinois
# 4,371:
4:15 pm PDT, Jul 3,
Michael Richardson, Florida
# 4,370:
12:54 pm PDT, Jul 3,
Natasha G, California
We complain about gas prices, yet so many people in the world are without food or clean water. We need to lift these neoliberal policies that have only hurt 3rd world countries, exacerbating their poverty. We need to NOT punish nations that develop social programs by withholding funds, and instead reward them for taking steps towards eliminating poverty. We claim that we are such a generous nation, but it is often that we give assistance with strings attached that make countries suffer more. We need to stop this neocolonialism. Develop foreign assistance plans that TRULY help impoverished nations instead of just serving American business interests.
We complain about gas prices, yet so many people in the world are without food or clean water. We need to lift these neoliberal policies that have only hurt 3rd world countries, exacerbating their poverty. We need to NOT punish nations that develop social programs by withholding funds, and instead reward them for taking steps towards eliminating poverty. We claim that we are such a generous nation, but it is often that we give assistance with strings attached that make countries suffer more. We need to stop this neocolonialism. Develop foreign assistance plans that TRULY help impoverished nations instead of just serving American business interests.
# 4,369:
6:47 am PDT, Jul 3,
Kristi Knotts, California
# 4,368:
6:53 pm PDT, Jul 1,
Kerri Cawthon, Oregon
# 4,367:
9:33 am PDT, Jul 1,
Elizabeth Zwicky, Illinois
# 4,366:
6:16 am PDT, Jun 30,
Laura Falanga, Connecticut
# 4,365:
2:38 am PDT, Jun 30,
Steve Klein, Canada
# 4,364:
2:46 pm PDT, Jun 29,
Name not displayed, Romania
# 4,363:
12:51 pm PDT, Jun 29,
Tara O'Sullivan, New York
# 4,362:
8:48 am PDT, Jun 29,
Sharon Dickenson, Kentucky
# 4,361:
2:48 am PDT, Jun 29,
Eternal Optimist, Australia
# 4,360:
6:00 pm PDT, Jun 28,
Alissa Rosenholm, Rhode Island
# 4,359:
11:13 am PDT, Jun 28,
Robb Tucker, Minnesota
# 4,358:
8:07 am PDT, Jun 28,
Sarah White, New York
# 4,357:
6:24 am PDT, Jun 28,
Mick G, Australia
# 4,356:
9:07 pm PDT, Jun 26,
Mary Detrick, Florida
# 4,355:
2:53 pm PDT, Jun 25,
Bob Fischella, Arizona
# 4,354:
11:13 am PDT, Jun 25,
Name not displayed, California
# 4,353:
10:07 pm PDT, Jun 23,
Judith Riojas, Texas
# 4,352:
8:50 pm PDT, Jun 23,
Melissa Skluzacek, New York