Editorial: Doing the right thing

Sunday, July 8, 2007 | 7:10 a.m.

The nonpartisan ONE campaign recently announced an ambitious and admirable political initiative to make combating AIDS and poverty in Africa an issue in the presidential race.

ONE Vote '08 is targeting states with early primaries and caucuses such as Nevada. It wants candidates to promise to direct 1 percent of the federal budget - roughly $30 billion - toward additional aid to bolster health, education and anti-poverty programs in Africa.

America should support this effort, and so far the group is making progress. ONE says it has worked with Congress to restore funding to international aid programs and recently saw the House pass a proposed budget bill with an increase of more than $2 billion for anti-poverty programs.

The group has attracted big names - rock star Bono of U2 was a founder and tennis great Andre Agassi is a Nevada Vote '08 honorary co-chair man - and political support from both Republicans and Democrats. Scores of churches and nonprofit groups engaged in the efforts in Africa have joined with ONE, along with millions of individuals, which should not be surprising considering what is happening in Africa.

Conditions in some of the African nations are nothing less than abysmal. Millions are dying of AIDS and malaria. Poverty is rampant. And, as a result, civil wars, unrest and human-rights violations have flourished.

Critics of foreign aid will dismiss this idea, but properly spent, the money would have a great effect and could go a long way toward restoring America's reputation in the world.

The bottom line, of course, is that helping African countries address basic human needs is simply the right thing to do.