A friend recently re-posted a rant against US foreign aid, saying funds should be used instead for domestic and military programs.

Tempting at first glance, but in fact, less than 1 percent of the $4 trillion federal budget goes to foreign aid. That's $40 billion. Interestingly, this is about the same amount of money that would be raised by raising the taxes on incomes over $250,000 to 39.5% (about a three percent raise).

Three percent of $250,001 is $7,500.03; would those wealthy taxpayers suffer more or less than the foreigners who did not get clean water or food for their malnourished children? What would they give up, another TV, another bauble? Wherein lies the greater greed or the greater good?

Foreign aid reduces the potential for conflict and makes Americans safer when they travel abroad. It costs each American about $130 per year or $11 per month. Sounds cheap to me.