Cheep-cheep, said the birdie

For any readers who took issue with my comments about the sanctimonious largesse of the Bush administration's response to the tsunami disaster, I would ask you to read this short comparison of how the US stacks up against other countries in aid money pledged. I was particularly amused by one anonymous (funny how they always seem to be "anonymous") dissenter's open question about how many of my readers have donated to the relief effort - inferring, naturally, that my readers have not done their fair share - since it was just this type of pissing match that embarrassed the Bush administration into increasing their original pledge from $35 million to $350 million. Private contributions are vital to the relief effort, and let's remember that citizens in countries that are outspending us in per-capita contributions are also making significant private contributions to supplement government aid money. I stand by my opinion that the US CAN do more, we SHOULD do more and it continues to be an embarrassment that we have not taken the lead in relief efforts in this region of the world. If you disagree, I guess you'll be able to sit back and enjoy the $40 million-plus spectacle show that we will be putting on for the world come Inauguration Day. I will have no stomach for it.