Food Without Borders
Bush administration policy contributes to decline in aid to struggling nations
The World Food Program, which ships food to areas hit by disasters, sent out an emergency call for donations this week because it is running out of food for such aid.
Rising global food prices and increases in transportation costs, along with inefficient management by some aid organizations, figure significantly in the shortfall, USA Today reported Monday.
But reductions in U.S. shipments of food also play a major role. U.S. food donations have dropped 43 percent since 2002, according to a 2007 report by the Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress.
And a major reason for that decline is the Bush administration’s changes to the rules that apply to food aid from the United States, the GAO says.
The Bush administration now requires that all U.S. donations to the World Food Program be in food, rather than money, and that the donated food must be grown in the United States.
This prevents the United States from buying some of the donated food from nations that are closer to the regions to which the aid is to be delivered. Harry Edwards, a spokesman for the U.S. Agency for International Development, told USA Today that buying even some of the food from other countries could save the United States 25 percent in shipping costs alone.
The Senate recently passed legislation that would allow some third-party purchases, but a House version of the measure does not include such a provision.
Granted, there are many factors contributing to the decline in aid over which the United States has little control. But the Bush administration’s policy has prevented U.S. officials from being able to purchase food in a way that would make more of it available to people who need it.
Congress should exhibit the economic wisdom that the Bush administration apparently is unable to muster and change the law to allow the United States to purchase some of this donated food from areas that are closer to the countries that so desperately need it.
© Las Vegas Sun, 2008
Wow, I am going to sound evil but I partly agree with Bush. First off, the government should not be giving money away at all to charity. It is not their money to give. The money taken from government income (taxes, tariffs, etc.) comes from US, the citizens. Money in the Treasury should be only used to conduct government business (and I do not mean unconstitutional wars, wars of aggression, or regime change and nation building wars).
The country is in debt and we need to focus on the US. Why doesn’t the Bush administration donate the money from their own pockets or buy the food themselves. If every elected official and government officer donated $50 or $100, they would not need to use government money.
Charity should be personal not government mandated. Be like Bill Gates and give what you can. Shoot, I’ll send $5.
The UN could start a program to solve all the global food needs by stimulating marijuana production as nutritious food, cloth, building materials, medicines and recreation.
The answer is right in front of their noses, but they choose to ignore it… or are intimidated into ignoring it by conservative suits.
wow, roachandroll, I believe you are evil.
For what the US spends in Iraq each day, the world food problem could be solved for a year.
Or perhaps that’s what they’re doing there — killing everyone so they don’t need food?
Wars are god’s way of teaching Americans geography.
Meanwhile on the home front, more working class and poor ‘Merkaans will go without food while we grow biofuel to sate the owning-investor classes.
What goes around comes around. Rich boy, beware…
A Great nation should be wealthy enough to extend a hand and help bring people up to a basic standard of living to match their own. Of course, that was in a ‘chicken in every pot’ era. This is a different America. A sick country. A reflection of its sick leaders. Conversely, like in the times of a good king - all the people prosper. I know it is disappointing for everyone that America is not the great, stable abundant land it once was. It could be again. We are sick and cant admit it. We need an outside intervention. Not one that would provoke war, but one that approaches the serious problem to the entire Global Community. Every living thing is feeling the effect of the treasonous traitors that mask themselves as our leaders. We are unable to do The Will Of The People and IMPEACH the war criminals, we seem to need a higher moral authority - and I am not talking about some religious event. The planet/people needs moral justice, a world court. Food For All!
Do NOT feed the people. TEACH them to feed themselves. If the capitalist tries to feed the people, burn his feed.
roachandroll - What you and most Libertarians miss is - the problem is always government mandated.
These people are almost always poor because of our government.
So we created the problem - now we owe them a solution.
When you create the problem, the solution is for you to beremoved. The US created the problem…remove the US from the program and that is the solution. When you have a corrupt government, more money and more government isn’t the solution.