Why does U.S. have duty to world's poor?

I am writing in regard to the letter by Kinjal Dave published on March 5. His letter complains that our federal government spends too little on eliminating poverty in the world.

He states that only 1 percent of the total federal budget "contributes to helping impoverished areas worldwide" although "most citizens believe about 20 percent of the total federal budget goes to foreign aid." Furthermore, he suggests that we should call our "congressional representatives and request that they raise the international affairs budget."

I would respectfully ask two questions of Mr. Dave.

First, where does our constitution say that it is government's job to eliminate poverty worldwide? (Just how well did LBJ's "war on poverty" in the midst of the Vietnam War help improve the lives of the impoverished here? Also, how did his policies improve the family structure in America?)

Secondly, I would ask the writer how much of his own funds go to help those less fortunate in "impoverished areas?"

Finally, with the federal government spending more money than came in from 2001 to the present (Office of Management and Budget), and with accumulated federal debt of more than $17.7 trillion at the end of 2014 (OMB), how long will it take for the United States to be classified as an impoverished area?

Charles E. Glomski

Elk Grove Village