What percentage of the UN does the USA make up?

[GUNWOUNDS]

Decided to post this to educate the grossly ignorant who dont quite understand how the USA is such a large part of the UN that it might as well BE the UN.

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/rls/24236.htm

U.S. Financial Contributions to the UN

The United States is the largest financial contributor to the UN and has been every year since its creation in 1945. We provided more than $3 billion in contributions, both cash and in-kind, to the UN system in 2002. (In-kind contributions include items such as food donations for the World Food Program). The United States funded 22 percent of the UN regular budget, as well as more than 27 percent of the peacekeeping budget. Additionally, the United States provides a significant amount in voluntary contributions to the UN and UN-affiliated organizations and activities, mostly for humanitarian and development programs.

U.S. Engagement in the UN

The UN provides the United States with an international forum where we can protect our national security, advance our foreign policy objectives, and promote American values. The United States, together with other like-minded nations, seeks to uphold the UN

[GUNWOUNDS]

this is why the doomsayers and USA critics look like such fools... cause they dont even know the immense good that the US does for the world.

This is why we will continue to be a hyperpower..... we can never fall... if we did who would feed and support everyone else?

[Marcel71]

Do you know who has the most DEBT with UN??

USA, CAUSE THEY NEVER PAY THEIR BILLS !!!!

[Andrew]

Good call. ;)

But realistically, you should be doing those on a percentage basis of the countries GDP or something.

Just because the USA is the largest "country" in the world, obviously they will be giving large percents of what is given. But what if another country is giving a larger percent of their GDP to the UN? The US doesn't look so big then.

[Marcel71]

hehe, maybe i got a bit over exicited ;)

But i get so irritated by some "americans" who think the world evolves around them...

I mean that a lot of them voted for bush is ok, they can"t help it they are empty headed....

That they don"t allow guys to get married, well..... that suck really bad. Thanks God that not ALL states are like that....

That they want to drive their big wheels which are sucking gasoline with the gallon, and then start complaining Saoudi Arabia is getting so rich from oil, ahh... well. that suck too....

But i have been to USA and i met a lot of USA persons here in Europe. And although the majority (obviously if you see elections) are empty headed. There are also a lot smart and intelligent people....

I hope that in the future this smartness will spread like a disease so everybody in US will see the TRUE LIGHT !!!!

[nemafakei]

"Humanitarian/Human Rights - 39%

Environment - 2%

Development - 8%

Weapons of Mass Destruction - 3%

UN Regular Budget - 9%

UN Peacekeeping - 31%

Open Markets - 4%

Health - 4% "

ibid, for completeness

A few points.

By capita of total population, the US' contribution ought to be about 4-5% of total UN funding. (They would be behind on environment and WMD at least, but I don't have enough data to see how significant this is).

Take into account that the majority of the world's population is also too poor to afford to pay much... though I'll resist the urge to detail why they're still all so poor.

What percentage of the world's money is in US hands? That should perhaps tell you more of how much you'd expect each country to pay.

"In-kind contributions include items such as food donations for the World Food Program"

Oh, and that would also account for using armies (who would otherwise be doing nothing) in the 31% figure above.

Personally if someone extolled the virtues of rich people by saying they pay more towards the country's health and education service, I'd not be impressed.

(Oh, and "encouraging non-proliferation (so no-one but us have nukes), nuclear safeguards (so no-one can use theirs against us), arms control (controlling everyone else's weapons is good), and disarmament (of anyone we might potentially dislike); promoting (our) economic growth through (others') market economies; adopting (our standards as) international standards to facilitate international trade, telecommunications (so we can keep track of everyone), transportation (so we can outsource production and exploit cheap labour), environmental protection (or lack thereof), and scientific exchange (aka third world countries exchange exorbitant fees for using lifesaving drugs whose patents we've got.)" Not entirely serious, in case you're wondering)

[Marcel71]

And don"t forget to say that because US is shitting around everywhere in the world, there should be UN everywere.....

Colombia, Iraq, Bosnia etc.... Always america was involved till over their heads....

Darn, i sound kinda anti america ;)

Ah well, did not get sex lately  :-[ then i get always fast irritated...

[Shiroko]

The last time I checked Nema Fakei, all 1st world countries can be blamed for exploiting 3rd world countries.

You're more than welcome to sell your TV and PC and donate it to Africans, but I honestly believe someone having money doesn't make him the bad guy.

The US does donate a lot of money, as most rich people tend to donate money and the US is more than entitled to use its power against countries who may pose a threat to it. You can easily blame the US for starting wars and say it's all about the oil, and economy. But the truth is that Saddam, Miloshevich and some other places the US interfered were right, the problem is that the goals weren't accomplished so easily.

I'll take the US approach of "lets fix what bad, even with a price" on the pre WWII approach of Europe towards Germany (Give him what he wants, it'll pacify him).

-Shiroko

[GUNWOUNDS]

I'll take the US approach of "lets fix what's bad, even with a price"  over the pre WWII approach of Europe towards Germany (Give him what he wants, it'll pacify him).

-Shiroko

My sentiment exactly

[Dante]

Europe had just suffered a crippling war. The USA has never been in such a position. Can you really blame us for attempting to avert another one?

The last time I checked Nema Fakei, all 1st world countries can be blamed for exploiting 3rd world countries.

You're more than welcome to sell your TV and PC and donate it to Africans, but I honestly believe someone having money doesn't make him the bad guy.

Depends how you look at it. From a strictly black and white perspective, anyone who has more and refuses to give it to those with less (because it wouldn't be that hard) isn't exactly a beacon of light and hope.

Now I have a TV, a PC, in fact taking into account the rest of my family we have two PCs. We have surplus. Why on earth aren't we giving it to those with less? Because it would cost us, simply. Anyone else might try to hide behind false justifications but I acknowledge that I'm not sharing my relative wealth because I choose not to. I'm selfish. This is probably the same position of the American government, once you strip away the circumlocution. It doesn't make either of us bad, it makes us selfish. But normal.

The 'bad guy' image comes from much more than that. It comes from lying to the the country's citizens, it comes from massive budget deficits, it comes from a disastrous enviromental record and an attitude to civil liberties that can at best be described as 'abysmal.' Not to mention the fact that the country can't even sort out its own problems before heading off in an attempt to solve other's. Capital punishment, for example. Or gun crime.

School Safety

    * Between 1994 and 1999, there were 220 school associated violent events resulting in 253 deaths - - 74.5% of these involved firearms. Handguns caused almost 60% of these deaths. (Journal of American Medical Association, December 2001)

    * In 1998-99 academic year, 3,523 students were expelled for bringing a firearm to school. This is a decrease from the 5,724 students expelled in 1996-97 for bringing a firearm to school. (U.S. Department of Education, October 2000)

    * Nearly 8% of adolescents in urban junior and senior high schools miss at least one day of school each month because they are afraid to attend. (National Mental Health & Education Center for Children & Families, National Association of School Psychologists 1998)

    * The National School Boards Association estimates that more than 135,000 guns are brought into U.S. schools each day. (NSBA, 1993)

Children and Gun Violence

    * America is losing too many children to gun violence. Between 1979 and 2001, gunfire killed 90,000 children and teens in America. (Children's Defense Fund and National Center for Health Statistics)

    * In one year, more children and teens died from gunfire than from cancer, pneumonia, influenza, asthma, and HIV/AIDS combined. (Children's Defense Fund)

    * The rate of firearm deaths among kids under age 15 is almost 12 times higher in the United States than in 25 other industrialized countries combined. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

America and Gun Violence

    * Every day, more than 80 Americans die from gun violence. (Coalition to Stop Gun Violence)

    * The rate of firearm deaths among kids under age 15 is almost 12 times higher in the United States than in 25 other industrialized countries combined. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

    * American kids are 16 times more likely to be murdered with a gun, 11 times more likely to commit suicide with a gun, and nine times more likely to die from a firearm accident than children in 25 other industrialized countries combined. (Centers for Disease Control)

Guns in the Wrong Hands

    * Americans for Gun Safety produced a 2003 report that reveals that 20 of the nation

[DukeLeto]

I love how the United States calls itself a Champion of Democracy, Civil Liberties and Human Rights Around the Globe® while 14 states just pushed through a ban on gay marriagne, about 30 still won't let gay couples adopt, "suspected terrorists" can be thrown in prision without trial by a jury, medical insurance rates are through the roof, and our president of 4 years just now got around to actually winning an election.

[Dante]

That's the kind of thing I mean to say but keep forgetting.

[Andrew]

To add to what I said about the size of a country that donates, on the local news tonight a statistic was stated. On a per capita basis, PEI was in second place for donating money to charities this year (or whenever the study was). In first was Nunavut, which has a much smaller population than PEI. I can't remember how much we donated, I think it was so many million dollars, anyway on average I know they said each person would had donated between 200 and 300 dollars. (population of 140 000)

So yah, a little bit of useless facts that prove nothing. ;D

[nemafakei]

"The last time I checked Nema Fakei, all 1st world countries can be blamed for exploiting 3rd world countries"

Roughly correct. I'm just pointing out the biggest offender.

"You're more than welcome to sell your TV and PC and donate it to Africans, but I honestly believe someone having money doesn't make him the bad guy."

It's all a question of where resources are best used. I've not watched a television programme for about six weeks, now. Without a computer, much of what I do would be hampered.

Having money is not wrong, but having money you've not actually earnt (note this is not the same as 'get paid') when it would be much better used elsewhere is.

Personally, I take the view that the problems, not the symptoms, must be cured.

[Shiroko]

Europe had just suffered a crippling war. The USA has never been in such a position. Can you really blame us for attempting to avert another one?

I don't blame Europe, but obviously in retrospective we can see that this attitude isn't better (It isn't nessecerily worse either)

I love how the United States calls itself a Champion of Democracy, Civil Liberties and Human Rights Around the Globe® while 14 states just pushed through a ban on gay marriagne, about 30 still won't let gay couples adopt, "suspected terrorists" can be thrown in prision without trial by a jury, medical insurance rates are through the roof, and our president of 4 years just now got around to actually winning an election.

I get it Bush didn't get your vote.

Obviously the US isn't perfect, but it's still a rather good example for democracy.

As disgusting as I find the gay anti-rules in the US. You have to understand that the people living there are actually offended by such things, no matter how much you're sure you come from a more moral standpoint. (Which lefties seem to be sure about all the time)

I believe there are enough states where the gay community can live quietly, and that if you look outside your states, you'll find out the rest of the world is not ahead, but rather behind on the subject.

On the other hand, I find Singapore to be an excellent democracy example, while it seems totally opposite to the US, a democracy can really be judged on the quality of life it gives its people.

Rest assured, there's some quality living in the US.

-Shiroko

[DukeLeto]

See, I don't believe I come from a more moral standpoint; I look at it from an amoral standpoint.  Your "morals" should not interefere with people's basic human rights.

And IMO, to be offended by gays just becasue they're gay is no different than being offended by Jews just because they're Jewish or blacks just because they're black.  Bigotry is bigotry.  And since when is bigotry "moral"?

PS: Good to see you back, Shiroko.  We hadn't heard from you in a while. :)

[Shiroko]

Exactly, I as a Jew, know better than to try live where I'm unwanted. As much as I'd like to see all the people there get some sense. I'd be willing to give up on this pointless fight and let time run it's course on changing people's mind.

-Shiroko

[Dante]

On the other hand, living only where one is accepted might create a dangerous 'us and them' atmosphere.