I for one don't think it is in our best interest for our government to focus so much attention to third world countries. We should not be giving a single penny across seas when we already are in a multi-trillion dollar deficit. Although we had some issues with child hunger in the U.S., it is a manageable issue for us to deal with. Gay rights may not be as important as the economy right now, but is certainly the most important civil liberty issue. There is no reason why attention cannot be focused on both, especially since we are basically in a deadlock with any type of solution for the economy; might well focus some attention to LGBT rights. Also, marriage is an institution that is vital in the economy. Legalizing gay marriage would only improve the economy, although minimally.