What American problems would you have addressed before sending $100 million to Haiti?

[chris m]

I keep seeing things on my Facebook and here on Yahoo, saying how that the foreign aid we supply should be used at home first. So my question is, before sending money to a country where 100,000+ people are dead and suffering, unaware of the locations of relatives, etc...what would you have spent the money on here at home first?

[relievedGenius467]

All of them. I see homeless people freezing in the snow here in Colorado. Much worse than being homeless on a tropical island.

[U.S.Veteran]

I would have shipped all Bush lovers to Baghdad, the place they claim he made a tax-less paradise out of.

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[hollowholiday994]

I would have addressed the deficit!

You do realize that that money wasn't sitting in a bank collecting dust don't you? No, it is a further debt TO AMERICAN CITIZENS. You probably don't mind that the rest of us have to pay more and more taxes while "some"(you?) continue to pop out more welfare babies.

[Ballerina]

The situation in Haiti is a human crisis, not a political issue.

Big business, the food industry, and healthcare are three of the biggest issues we need to address. And most of that change needs to start with the American people, but there is a huge lack of awareness on these issues for a lot of people.

But while I am fully aware of the fact that America has huge issues that we need to address, how can anyone justify not helping out a country that just lost close to everything (which wasn't much to begin with). To me, it's like trying to justify caring for a patient with a broken leg before caring for the patient who just had a massive heart attack.

We are lucky enough to live in a really great country with hot water available at the turn of a faucet, electricity at the flip of a switch, public education for our children, government assistance programs, etc. but those luxuries are often abused as well. I've noticed so many times people putting convenience before even a thought of the impact their actions will have. Everyone is guilty of it from time to time but when it comes to the fact that a lot of people just don't care...that's a problem. That's our biggest problem.

[Maura S]

All of the issues! $100 million??? Even if they're in bad shape, that is way too much to be giving a corrupt government! We could have sent less, even half of that would probably had made significant difference in Haiti.

People voted for change, and they sure got it! We're broker than ever!

[Dutch]

It was right to help out the people in Haiti. I don't understand the thinking of anyone who would ignore the victims of a disaster.

[Mary O]

What are you, PERSONALLY, doing to help your fellow Americans?

I am a Red Cross volunteer in New York City, and we go to as many as 7 local disasters a day--fires, floods, small explosions, and the occasional plane crash (remember 1549?), crane collapse, etc. I personally have gone to as many as 3 fires in one 8-hour shift, and given food, clothing, and financial assistance to those affected, and then driven them to a hotel also paid for by the Red Cross. Which is the same thing as saying, "Paid for by the American People who Donate." Do you donate?

This requires a minimum of 8 hours of basic training and a commitment of 16 hours a month to be an assistant, rising to 40 hours of training to be a full responder. Oh, that doesn't include the criminal background check, defensive driving, drug test, and recommended drills and exercises.

If you really care about helping Americans, go get trained and get active.