One of the myths about the war in Europe is that the U.S. can’t afford to keep sending weapons and money to Ukraine. However, the fact is that foreign aid is not simply America tax dollars being sent overseas.
In reality, a significant portion of American foreign aid is “tied aid,” meaning it must be spent on American-made goods or services. This practice aims to benefit the U.S. economy while providing assistance abroad. Some 75%` of American foreign aid consists mostly, as in the case of virtually all military aid, American made or assembled goods. And all of it done by American workers in American factories.
The remaining 25% of American foreign aid, loosely categorized as “Humanitarian Assistance,” includes emergency relief for natural disasters, conflict zones, and refugee crises. The majority of this is channeled through U.S.-based agencies which then work with a mix of primarily local non-nonprofit organizations (NPO’s) to implement specific projects abroad.
True, there are cash disbursements associated with America foreign aid. This occurs when a direct cash transfer is the most efficient manner of furthering our country’s foreign policy. Such disbursements are not the norm and are scrutinized and monitored closely.
The bottom line is that T****’s isolationist, “America First” policies and his plan to significant reduce America foreign aid would have a negative impact on the American economy and working class. Also, It’s important to note that foreign aid spending accounts for only about 1% of the U.S. Federal budget, significantly less than many Americans believe.
The fact is that America First isolationism is a reality-defying fraud. No country, not even North Korea, exists in isolation. America is the richest, most powerful and influential country in the world. The global interconnectedness of economic and political systems makes homeland isolationism impractical and is stupid and shortsighted.
Donald T****s plans to greatly reduce foreign aid and claims that such assistance is merely wasted taxpayer dollars fail to acknowledge the reality of its strategic and economic benefits for the U.S. as well as our standing as a world humanitarian leader.
Because they are being lied to by Donald T****, his followers either remain unaware of the facts or choose to dismiss them, Not willing to stray from their narrow, right-wing world view, the MAGAs don’t hear or know the truth.
Or perhaps they just don’t care to know.
#OnePathForward
#Progressive-commentary
Leave a Reply