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Yeah, I'd never take international analysis from Phyllis Schalfly. Look up her CV. And her article left me absolutely dumbfounded. Developed country leaders have been making commitments (and most of the time failing to meet them) about financing international development and poverty reduction since World War II. The 0.7% mark is a rallying call which many nations agreed to but very few are meeting. Obama is not a socialist proposing a 'sovereignty giveaway', he's demonstrating his commitment to internationalism. I don't remember the exact figure but the US's current contribution is something like 0.2 or 0.3%. I'm also speaking as someone who's worked on the receiving end of this budget, as I worked on a USAID-funded project in Kenya last year.
I can sympathize with people being startled that people would want to spend more money on development aid at a time when the economy is looking weak, but don't worry, most foreign aid dollars are tied to accomplishing domestic and foreign policy goals, and at a much cheaper price tag than any protracted military occupation!
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