The papers have a story today on a UN report which says that if rich countries upped their foreign aid contributions from 0.25% of GDP to 0.5% of GDP, global poverty could be halved within the next 10 years. The report also says that only 30 cents out of each aid dollar actually go to help the poor. When you look at the massive overconsumption that defines American culture, it’s hard to accept that we can’t do more to help people who are dying in mass numbers due to preventable disease and malnutrition. (The US has further to go than some other countries, we only allocate 0.15% of our GDP to foreign aid.)