John Stossel came out with a new book this past week (Myth's, Lies, and Downright Stupidity) and dedicated last night's "20/20" show to the top ten myths the public buys into. The number one myth was that more foreign aid to Africa will help pull them out of poverty. He interviewed Jeffrey Sachs, considered the foremost expert on the third world economies and what needs to be done to improve them (and whose book I've read and commented on much in the past year). Stossel noted that we've spent half a trillion dollars in the past thirty years on aid to Africa and as a whole, they've gotten poorer. Sachs said that is ludicrous, we need to give more.

My take: Both men are right and both men are wrong. Stossel is right in that most of the aid we have given has gone into the hands of the corrupt government officials and immediately made its way to foreign banks (mostly European). He is wrong in that more aid is needed, and if done right, will not be wasted.

Sachs (along with Bono) is wrong in his being adamant that the West needs to give more aid to soothe our conscience and that we continue to go through the corrupt government systems. He is right that more aid can and will make a major difference in the developing world.

I've stated my solution many times, here is another summary: More aid is needed to pull the poorest of the poor up to the first rung of the economic ladder. The developing world governments also play a role, they need to open up the markets and rid themselves of corruption (which the cynic in me says will never happen). Grass-roots (mostly faith-based) organizations need to continue to get involved and help the people they can help. If it is a village here, a community there, a slum here, whatever, every little bit helps, all we can give us what we've been given, we are only required to be faithful with that.