ptown_trojans_1;1397803 wrote:And, on side note, as someone who visited Syria in 2005, knows the area, and has not spoken with good friends I made there in over 2 years, we need to do something, Morally, something. $60M is nothing in the grand scheme of things.

LOL, then donate your own damn money.

Agreed donate your own money Ptown! Write a check! Plus, once again, no criticism to your dear leader Obama, he's not doing anything about it and you voted for him. How does that feel?

like_that;1409718 wrote:LOL, then donate your own damn money.

Reps - student loan debt alone is 1tril, yet we send money over seas.

sleeper;1409720 wrote:Agreed donate your own money Ptown! Write a check! Plus, once again, no criticism to your dear leader Obama, he's not doing anything about it and you voted for him. How does that feel?

Pretty sure Obama isn't doing anything about everything.

Raw Dawgin' it;1409729 wrote:Pretty sure Obama isn't doing anything about everything.

Hard to do anything when you spend your days blaming the Republicans for not doing anything. The guy is a joke. :thumbdown:

like_that;1409718 wrote:LOL, then donate your own damn money.

Absolutely. Nothing is stopping you from helping out.

Stealing my money by force to give it to another country is complete bullshit. If you disagree, you're wrong. Simply put.

justincredible;1409750 wrote:Absolutely. Nothing is stopping you from helping out.

Stealing my money by force to give it to another country is complete bullshit. If you disagree, you're wrong. Simply put.

Here's the thing. I'm not even against doing it myself. I was serious about saying I'd contribute to such a cause. My contention is that I should be able to make the choice whether to do so or to refrain from doing so based on my own conscience and my own evaluation of the needs there versus the needs elsewhere versus the needs in my own home.

If I have $1000 to spare, and I wish to spare it charitably, I should be able to determine which causes of charity I think need it the most. Having that decided for me is NOT acceptable. If a man came to my door, asked me for the $1000 after telling me that he represents an organization that doles out money to charitable organizations as they see fit, I might give him pause. I'd ask him if there was any way for me to determine where my money goes. If he'd say no, I'd tell him to get off my porch.

Those in Syria might need money. I'm betting many in Greece and Cyprus do as well. Why should a person's experience in Syria ... the substantiation used for the claim that they need aid (which is not our immediate responsibility, politically) ... supersede the needs in other countries (or our own!), which may not be known simply because he hasn't visited those places as well? Does the fact that one person has seen the need in Syria carry more gravitas than the fact that those to whom I speak in Belfast, Paris, or Lome say they need it as well?

I can think of people I know in other countries that could use any aid I have to offer. I give them some occasionally. Should I attempt to enable the Federal government to give them everyone's money just because I know they need it? Certainly not.

I do believe charity is a moral obligation, but given everyone's experiences and circumstances being so different, I think it's an obligation that we are responsible to our consciences for ... not our government. Giving charity and aid is something we OUGHT to do out of what we do not need. Giving charity and aid is NOT something we should be COMPELLED to do out of what we OURSELVES need.

The one thing that is terribly obvious is that most people are furious that politicians talk about the 'pain of sequestration', and make cuts to services etc.....and then the government turns around and throws money away overseas.

Manhattan Buckeye;1409652 wrote:ROTFLMAO!

It is amazing when your guy is in the WH, we become the world police! The hypocrisy is astounding.

I'm not saying we should be the world police. I don't think we can impose our will on sovereign nations by the sheer use of force. We cannot afford to do any more experiments in nation-building. That didn't work out so well in Iraq, did it?

justincredible;1409750 wrote:Absolutely. Nothing is stopping you from helping out.

Stealing my money by force to give it to another country is complete bull****. If you disagree, you're wrong. Simply put.

Truth be told.

"Pennsylvania and Utah stand alone as the only states that control the wholesale and retail arms of the liquor business. Both would be sold under the Republican plan, which faces opposition from Democrats and union critics, who say it could cost 5,000 jobs."

If that statement doesn't tell you everything you need to know about gubmit and unions I don't know what does.