I believe it is sad that the US government is not providing more aid to Africa for 2 reasons - 1. We have the chance and the ability to end human suffering. It's the chance we haven't taken in Darfur, and the chance we certainly haven't taken in Guantanamo Bay. 2. Because we are the most powerful nation in the world and we have more pride than to let Frenchmen and Germans outdo us on the world scale. We already look like a bunch of redneck shitheads for what we do to our "detainees," and we don't need to be colored as more heartless...at least I don't think that's a good image.
As to Pres. Bush, he's not exactly doing much to eliminate our deficit either.
As to the type of aid being proposed, I won't bother to defend it, but I would hope that everyone who voted no would inform themselves of the situation.
www.one.org