Foreign aid: Proposed cuts harm national image

Ending foreign development assistance is not only mean-spirited but also very short-sighted.

Imagine if the billions spent on a wall were used instead toward alleviating poverty in the countries from which people are fleeing for their lives. A man struggling to feed his family could possibly get a job or some training.

Pulling the plug on aid shows that we do not care about the reasons they are fleeing.

The U.S. has a long, proud history of giving to countries in need, contributing to building their economies and making us loved and respected world players. That is no longer true.

Do we want neighbors who appreciate and thank us or who learn to loathe us because we have denigrated and shunned them?