Dollar value is only relative to other world currencies. If the dollar plummets the Volkswagen becomes much more expensive, but the Ford 150 stays the same price. An advantage of living in a country that can grow its own food and make its own products.
The Red Cross has a habit of using natural disasters and conflicts as fund raising opportunities. In fact very little of the money raised will actually be used for the actual disaster. Check their charitable financial statements. High salaries, overhead expenses eat up most of the fund raising.
Sounds like a great title for a Clancy fiction novel... "The Painter".