The collection plate

The presidential candidates--19 so far--will collectively spend at least $1 billion for their campaigns. Here are some alternative uses for this amount of money:

• Treatment and prevention for more than 150 million cases of malaria in Africa


• Basic health insurance for 250,000 Americans


• More than 415 million school lunches for poor children in the U.S.


• Nearly 6,700 new, fully armored Humvees for U.S. troops


• Hurricane relief (foreign nations offered nearly this amount in aid after Hurricane Katrina)

--Parade (July 1)