AIDS Relief in Africa

"Senate agrees to triple anti-AIDS funding"

"The 80-16 vote committed the United States to spending up to $48 billion over the next five years for the most ambitious foreign public health program ever launched by the United States."

Is it right for the US to spend this much money to fight AIDS and other diseases in Africa?

At the time of this writing, the US is $9,540,161,111,017.02 in debt. In addition, USA Today recently estimated that “taxpayers are on the hook for a record $57.3 trillion in federal liabilities to cover the lifetime benefits of everyone eligible for Medicare, Social Security and other government programs.” When state and local liabilities are added, the figure becomes $61.7 trillion.

There are many problems in this world that I and my family could address if we had sufficient means. As it is, we do what we can while staying within our means. We are certainly not morally obligated to help more than we are able and beyond a certain point we would become morally culpable for spending money that we do not have, even if we spent it on a worthy cause.

Considering the size of the debt of the US government and its already existing financial obligations, I do not think it is moral for the US to provide this assistance. We are simply spending money that we do not have and we will go deeper into debt if we do it.

Yes, there is a need in Africa and individual Americans would do well to give money to relieve the suffering of those who are in need. It is not, however, something that the US government is presently in a position to do.