In response to another blog clamoring for us to eliminate the debt of third world nations, I repeated a longstanding challenge for the same individuals to focus on a privately funded charity to achieve those goals. My stipulations were that the privately based charity make aid conditional on human rights compliance and equitable distribution, as well as allocating no more than 10% of their resources to administration.

My contention was, and still is, that the position of the celebrities championing this cause is hypocritical, as multimillion dollar celebrities are trying to forcefully allocate the income of the working class to this cause while living the high life on the money they've made. And so, I got a few numers of interest from Forbes' "top 100 celebrities" list (Link ) for your information.

One of the driving forces behind this moevement is U2 lead singer Bono. As head of a band that has an estimated net worth of nearly $700 million, his group could make quite am impact if they didn't put their high rolling lifestyles ahead of the causes they claim to champion. They feel content with giving their name, and taking OUR tax dollars for their pet cause. This is especially appalling since not one of the members of this group are American citizens, and thus their opinion on US foreign aid policy should mean ZILCH.

Dave Matthews, another champion of such causes, fronts a band worth an estimated $50 million. Cameron Diaz, the "darling" of the "make poverty history" commercials, is worth a reputed $40 million. And, get this: former president Bill Clinton's net worth is figured at $25 million (which, considering the man never held a private sector job in his life prior to January 2001, I find horribly disturbing...but that's another topic). Each of these individuals, and the countless other celebrities on the bandwagon, could make a TREMENDOUS impact if they dedicated their PERSONAL fortunes to the eradication of poverty. The fact that they do not indicates that you should not take their positions seriously. They have no problem clamoring for your money while accumulating their own.