Who does the most good?

[LSU]

This is something I just thought about in regards to a convo I'm having with lifer on s-b in the university shooting thread...


Who does more good for the world, including both domestically and overseas...

The government? Or the people of the US, including philanthropists, clergy, etc?


It's somewhat of a wide question, but I'll leave it at that to get wide answers...

The main reason I was thinking about this was because lifer said something about the world wanting us to fall like the Romans, and my reply was a sarcastic "yeah because of all the good things we've done."


Then you throw in the wrench that supposedly the government is the people and...whoa.

['Lifer]

This is something I just thought about in regards to a convo I'm having with lifer on s-b in the university shooting thread...


Who does more good for the world, including both domestically and overseas...

The government? Or the people of the US, including philanthropists, clergy, etc?


It's somewhat of a wide question, but I'll leave it at that to get wide answers...

The main reason I was thinking about this was because lifer said something about the world wanting us to fall like the Romans, and my reply was a sarcastic "yeah because of all the good things we've done."


Then you throw in the wrench that supposedly the government is the people and...whoa.

Yes that is a rather wide question. I certainly don't have enough facts or researched info to support hard figures.....I can only speak from my gut and observations.

The "citizens" of our country appear generous to the world and we exhibit a warm heart, though perhaps very spoiled in our ways and expectations.

Our government comes across as hard-handed rulers that want everything on our terms. Our gov't seems to make us look cold hearted.

Just my humble opinion without some extreme deep thinking.

[LSU]

Yes that is a rather wide question. I certainly don't have enough facts or researched info to support hard figures.....I can only speak from my gut and observations.

The "citizens" of our country appear generous to the world and we exhibit a warm heart, though perhaps very spoiled in our ways and expectations.

Our government comes across as hard-handed rulers that want everything on our terms. Our gov't seems to make us look cold hearted.

Just my humble opinion without some extreme deep thinking.



This kinda leads into something I was just thinking about...does the government do things for "good"? Or is it more of a do things for "our good" perhaps at the expense of others' good?

I understand the gov't is there for us, and IMO, we should be the first thing "our" gov't thinks about...

[Jiddy78]

Who does more good for the world, including both domestically and overseas...

The government? Or the people of the US, including philanthropists, clergy, etc?

Every person is unique. Every instance situational. I will not generalize the concept of "doing good"...It throws away the bad in doing so.

[LSU]

Every person is unique. Every instance situational. I will not generalize the concept of "doing good"...It throws away the bad in doing so.



party pooper.

[Jiddy78]

party pooper.


With the current state of the union, I refuse back pats. We're way beyond that stage...and having a nice house and a nice car hardly is excuse for it.

['Lifer]

This kinda leads into something I was just thinking about...does the government do things for "good"? Or is it more of a do things for "our good" perhaps at the expense of others' good?

I understand the gov't is there for us, and IMO, we should be the first thing "our" gov't thinks about...

That's the way I see it......kinda like you protecting your wife and precious little one against your violent neighbor.

Plus we should keep in mind that we don't have all the info that the gov't has. Sometimes we may not understand or agree with their actions and think they are going overboard with the hard fist.....but there could be dangerous facts/concerns we are not completely privlidged to.

[pnkpanther]

on a per capita basis America gives the least in foreign aid of any industralized country. Also as $ of GDP we give the least too

and until recently we didnt even give the most total.

[IBC]

Yes that is a rather wide question. I certainly don't have enough facts or researched info to support hard figures.....I can only speak from my gut and observations.

The "citizens" of our country appear generous to the world and we exhibit a warm heart, though perhaps very spoiled in our ways and expectations.

Our government comes across as hard-handed rulers that want everything on our terms. Our gov't seems to make us look cold hearted.

Just my humble opinion without some extreme deep thinking.

I have seen the statistics and they bear that argument out. The American people are among the most generous in the world, the American government is among the most stingy.

[IBC]

on a per capita basis America gives the least in foreign aid of any industralized country. Also as $ of GDP we give the least too

and until recently we didnt even give the most total.

Is that right? I thought our personal giving was much higher. I know we are the lowest in the world for governments.

[pnkpanther]

Is that right? I thought our personal giving was much higher. I know we are the lowest in the world for governments.


i was referring to our governemnt i dotn know where we rank in private donations.

[IBC]

i was referring to our governemnt i dotn know where we rank in private donations.

I thought it was in the middle at least.

['Lifer]

I thought it was in the middle at least.

I can't help but see this................middle east

[pnkpanther]

I thought it was in the middle at least.

we're first in overall giving, (althought we werent for longest time)
and dead last in per capita/% of GDP, i believe sweden is 1st in terms of %

Japan is up there as well...japan outgave us in total for longest time

but also realize US government counts weapons they donate to say Israel in their totals of foreign aid.

['Lifer]

we're first in overall giving, (althought we werent for longest time)
and dead last in per capita/% of GDP, i believe sweden is 1st in terms of %

Japan is up there as well...japan outgave us in total for longest time

but also realize US government counts weapons they donate to say Israel in their totals of foreign aid.

I'm cool with that....to some extent.

[IBC]

I'm cool with that....to some extent.

We are the largest arms trader in the world, and I believe the largest arms trader to rogue nations even. Who armed Saddam? Who armed Iran? Who armed Noreiga?