Plan would help end poverty

As President-elect Obama generously takes on the overwhelming responsibilities that await him, there are a couple of fundamental changes in perspective that need to be kept in mind.

Our country needs to learn to act not merely for economic benefit but to encourage people’s natural inclination toward justice. We must reward the love, generosity, compassion, imagination, and wonder that would protect the beauty of the planet Earth and all life that abounds here.

We must also realize that terrorism is not stopped by wars, walls or interrogation under torture. Terrorism is stopped by education and by building relationships of trust that even out the playing field for everyone.

A way of demonstrating generosity is the proposed Global Marshall Plan, which would devote 1 to 2 percent of the gross product of each developed nation over 20 years to help 2 billion of the world’s people move out of poverty through aid and investments specifically directed toward them.

This proposal was introduced in the House of Representatives as H. Res. 1078, and more information is available from the Network of Spiritual Progressives.

The United States should take the lead in initiating the building of a just and compassionate world order.

Linda Ray
Prairie Village

Comments

[Mark Robertson]

Repete,
There are not words to describe how insane your idea is. It's so insane that it was probably written just to get attention.
I'm sorry that you are deprived of attention.
Thankyou.

Mark Robertson
Independence

[Sammy]

Linda, What do you think causes terrorism?

[Engineer]

repete
But then how can we have poverty in this country when we are told we do not have enough people to do the jobs that must be done?

[repete]

When you artificially sustain the unsustainable you will always have shortages. The #1 issue facing humans is overpopulation. I would give 1% of my paycheck to causes addressing this most serious of problems. A huge airlift of condoms is the only thing that will eradicate poverty in the world.

[Mark Robertson]

Yes, that's what we need, a worldwide Great Society program. It has worked so well here.
And education is great, but once a terrorist is a terrorist, it seems the only thing they understand is hardware aimed at them.
And that evil Bush, he is such a torturer.
The spread of capitalism and freedom is what will reduce terrorism in the long run. Thankyou.

Mark Robertson
Independence

[Marctnts]

"We must reward the love, generosity, compassion, imagination, and wonder that would protect the beauty of the planet Earth and all life that abounds here."

Sing it together. "We are the world, we are the children. We are the ones who make a brighter day..."

Where's Micheal Jackson when you need him?

[NoMoreMrNiceGuy]

You can never end poverty, it is impossible.
All that happens is the revenue goes to big government, factions, crooks etc.
Terrorism is and has been since the creation of man, in some form or another.
Living in this fantasy land that all of mankind will sit around and sing songs, holding hands like a bunch of stoned hippies is just that, fantasy.
The USA gives more in global aid than any other country. Teaching people to be self sustaining and self reliant is the key, not handouts of rice and candy bars.
Some nations are simply going to be poor, it is NOT our job to ploice the world.