SHould the Gov restore or repair Churches with tax money?

[Peikko 1,575]

Actually the Chinese and Japanese will end up paying for this folly once the USA eventually defaults on its loans or debauches the currency to the point of worthlessness with this runaway foolishness.

No...the American taxpayer shouldn't be funding this idiocy. It's just another nail in the fiscal coffin. A few million here...and a few million there...and then we're talking about some serious money. More buying sh*t we don't need with money we don't have.

29 projects @ $30,000 each (average if you click on them) doesn't even add up to $1,000,000. The good will generated in countries that have suffered abuse as well as the historic value of these projects likely more than makes up for the very low cost.

[Peikko 1,575]

The fund was established in 2001 - from the preamble from the report of that year:

"Congress established the Ambassador's fund for Cultural Preservation in fiscal year 2001 to enable the U.S. to demonstrate its respect for other cultures. the conference report on the Departments of Commerce, Justice and State, the Judiciary and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2001 instructed the Department of State to set aside $1,000,000 for this fund. The Senate Report on this bill noted that 'too often, the U.S assistance to underdeveloped nations is either invisible to all but a handful of bureaucrats or appears to benefit us at the expense of the recipient country. Cultural preservation offers an opportunity to show a different American face to other countries, one that is non-commercial, no-political, and non military. By taking a leading role in efforts to preserve cultural heritage, we show our respect for other cultures by protecting their traditions."

[Danno 1,228]

29 projects @ $30,000 each (average if you click on them) doesn't even add up to $1,000,000. The good will generated in countries that have suffered abuse as well as the historic value of these projects likely more than makes up for the very low cost.

And as the Logic goes (as history teaches)

if 1 Mil will buy us good-will this year... 2 mill will by us even more next year.

And so these programs and budgets have ballooned until we are borrowing money from China to pay for rebuilding a Mosque (or church) in Armenia

And exactly who is investing in "our" good will.... or is this a one way deal?

[Atencio 43]

29 projects @ $30,000 each (average if you click on them) doesn't even add up to $1,000,000. The good will generated in countries that have suffered abuse as well as the historic value of these projects likely more than makes up for the very low cost.

Fair enough. Take a walk in one of the skid rows in our own cities and imagine the good will it could do.

[Peikko 1,575]

And as the Logic goes (as history teaches)

if 1 Mil will buy us good-will this year... 2 mill will by us even more next year.

And so these programs and budgets have ballooned until we are borrowing money from China to pay for rebuilding a Mosque (or church) in Armenia

And exactly who is investing in "our" good will.... or is this a one way deal?

Read the stuff you posted, it's all there. I am sorry for you if you do not understand the value of promoting a good image abroad.

Fair enough. Take a walk in one of the skid rows in our own cities and imagine the good will it could do.

The American public in favour of looking after their own citizens? Get real

[Danno 1,228]

Read the stuff you posted, it's all there. I am sorry for you if you do not understand the value of promoting a good image abroad.

Why don't you explain exactly what this GOODWILL means...in a practical way.

Are these countries going to join us in a military conflict... are they going to send money to Katrina Victims is this Good-will going to encourage them to vote with us at the U.N.?

You are all for forcing the American tax payer to go into debt to finance "good will".

Can you think of any examples of where this investment has been

repaid in someway?

[Peikko 1,575]

Why don't you explain exactly what this GOODWILL means...in a practical way.

Are these countries going to join us in a military conflict... are they going to send money to Katrina Victims is this Good-will going to encourage them to vote with us at the U.N.?

You are all for forcing the American tax payer to go into debt to finance "good will".

Can you think of any examples of where this investment has been

repaid in someway?

Yes, third world countries are going to send money to aid the poor in the US, yay!

[Danno 1,228]

Can you think of any examples of where this investment has been

repaid in someway?

[Peikko 1,575]

Can you think of any examples of where this investment has been

repaid in someway?

Yes.

[Dan J 277]

Why don't you explain exactly what this GOODWILL means...in a practical way.

Are these countries going to join us in a military conflict... are they going to send money to Katrina Victims is this Good-will going to encourage them to vote with us at the U.N.?

You are all for forcing the American tax payer to go into debt to finance "good will".

Can you think of any examples of where this investment has been

repaid in someway?

Apparently you have never heard of public diplomacy.

[Danno 1,228]

Apparently you have never heard of public diplomacy.

But that is not the same as "good will" or even close really.

[Peikko 1,575]

But that is not the same as "good will" or even close really.

Do you know how much a papal visit costs Danno? The pope is off to the UK next week and it is costing the UK tax payer approximately $18,000,000. What do you think the average UK citizen is going to get out of the papal visit in concrete terms? Or do you think a papal visit is a waste of tax payers money?

[Danno 1,228]

Do you know how much a papal visit costs Danno? The pope is off to the UK next week and it is costing the UK tax payer approximately $18,000,000. What do you think the average UK citizen is going to get out of the papal visit in concrete terms? Or do you think a papal visit is a waste of tax payers money?

Wow it's really going to the far-side now.

Rather than answer my questions you equate -Hosting Foreign leaders to doing repair work in their country.

[Peikko 1,575]

Wow it's really going to the far-side now.

Rather than answer my questions you equate -Hosting Foreign leaders to doing repair work in their country.

Is it? The pope is a religious figure, not a 'foreign leader', particularly not of the UK church which has the Queen at its helm. The repair of cultural heritage in foreign lands is to show respect for the ancient culture, customs and traditions of other countries (which you would know if you had bothered to read the preamble to the rationale for the funding), the papal visit is equally to show respect for religions other than the C of E, amongst other things. While the two are not analogous (papal visits being a sight more expensive for less overall benefit) they do have enough in common to make a point - all be it one that seems to be lost on you Danno

[Danno 1,228]

Is it? The pope is a religious figure, not a 'foreign leader', particularly not of the UK church which has the Queen at its helm. The repair of cultural heritage in foreign lands is to show respect for the ancient culture, customs and traditions of other countries (which you would know if you had bothered to read the preamble to the rationale for the funding), the papal visit is equally to show respect for religions other than the C of E, amongst other things. While the two are not analogous (papal visits being a sight more expensive for less overall benefit) they do have enough in common to make a point - all be it one that seems to be lost on you Danno

Sorry MC, you are woefully wrong again.

Vatican City /ˈvætɪkən ˈsɪti/ (help·info) or Vatican City State,[11] officially Stato della Città del Vaticano (pronounced [ˈsta(ː)to delːa tʃiˈtːa del vatiˈka(ː)no]),[12] which translates literally as "State of the City of the Vatican", is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome, the capital city of Italy. It has an area of approximately 44 hectares (110 acres), and a population of just over 800.[5][13]

Vatican City was established in 1929. It is distinct from the Holy See, which dates back to early Christianity and is the main episcopal see of 1.166 billion Latin and Eastern Catholic adherents around the globe. Ordinances of Vatican City are published in Italian; official documents of the Holy See are issued mainly in Latin. The two entities even have distinct passports: the Holy See, not being a country, only issues diplomatic and service passports; Vatican City State issues normal passports. Very few passports are issued by either authority.

And furthermore, foreign leaders are often religious and otherwise.