End global poverty
Most Americans think around 20 percent of our national budget goes to foreign assistance. But in reality, it’s less than 1 percent. This budget is what supports the world’s poorest populations and their access to basic human rights such as clean water and education.
An increase in the United States’ international-affairs budget would make countries with at-risk youth safer, protecting them from turning to terrorist organizations as a means of support and survival.
This would mean less of a threat to national security. With about 1 in 5 American jobs being export-based, developing new consumer markets would benefit American trade immensely.
It’s crucial that Americans call their representatives in Congress and urge them to support an increase in the international-affairs budget. For the first time in history, developed nations have the resources to end global poverty; everyone should do their part to accomplish this monumental goal.
Alexandra Christou, Coral Gables
This story was originally published August 3, 2015 at 8:10 PM with the headline "End global poverty."