Shouldn’t We Cut Foreign Aid When We Are Struggling To Make Debt Payments?
USAID is the program started in 1961 by President Kennedy that provides money for development and humanitarian efforts in other countries. Winning of hearts and minds.
But are we winning hearts and minds? The answer is no according to a recent Pew Research poll that finds despite Arab Spring, Middle Eastern attitudes toward both the United States and President Obama remain poor.
It’s not easy to determine exactly how much USAID spends because its budgeting seems to get tied with other budgets. Best I can tell, it spends $Billions per year. About 2.6% of America’s discretionary budget spending is on foreign aid.
Below is a list of areas USAID funded over the past 5 quarters. It appears to me that “Counter-Terrorism” should be higher than #24. Health seems to be in the appropriate spot at number 1. Are there other areas that seem out of place, or that are not important enough for us to be funding at all while se struggle to pay our own bills?
Obligations by Program Areas for FY 2010 & FY 2011 thru 3/31
| Program Area | FY 2010 | FY 2011 | |
| 1 | 3.1 - Health | 5,946,790,654 | 559,804,325 |
| 2 | 5.1 - Protection, Assistance and Solutions | 2,672,184,444 | 728,581,901 |
| 3 | 3.2 - Education | 1,133,254,664 | 56,487,744 |
| 4 | 4.4 - Infrastructure | 1,073,873,676 | 69,966,996 |
| 5 | 4.5 - Agriculture | 1,005,876,872 | 103,190,235 |
| 6 | 2.2 - Good Governance | 1,018,340,191 | 55,522,405 |
| 7 | 3.3 - Soc. & Econ Services & Protection for Vulnerable Populations | 698,371,132 | 169,742,214 |
| 8 | 4.3 - Financial Sector | 827,837,698 | |
| 9 | 6.2 - Administration and Oversight | 628,796,374 | 86,180,828 |
| 10 | 1.6 - Conflict Mitigation and Reconciliation | 495,207,296 | 76,673,672 |
| 11 | 4.6 - Private Sector Competitiveness | 549,655,107 | 20,985,729 |
| 12 | 1.4 - Counter-Narcotics | 425,882,443 | 8,158,999 |
| 13 | 4.8 - Environment | 370,673,295 | 56,849,951 |
| 14 | 2.4 - Civil Society | 383,573,060 | 26,055,747 |
| 15 | 2.1 - Rule of Law and Human Rights | 271,917,838 | 19,008,227 |
| 16 | 2.3 - Political Competition and Consensus-Building | 237,141,602 | 40,471,727 |
| 17 | 4.7 - Economic Opportunity | 247,971,929 | 28,990,115 |
| 18 | 4.1 - Macroeconomic Foundation for Growth | 248,917,156 | 22,486,147 |
| 19 | 6.1 - Program Design and Learning | 184,114,064 | 9,581,732 |
| 20 | 4.2 - Trade and Investment | 162,952,106 | 7,559,431 |
| 21 | 5.2 - Disaster Readiness | 62,298,134 | 16,059,107 |
| 22 | 4.3 - Financial Sector Capacity | 68,547,733 | |
| 23 | 1.3 - Stabilization Operations and Security Sector Reform | 50,557,717 | 6,028,527 |
| 24 | 1.1 - Counter-Terrorism | 35,474,845 | -7,068 |
| 25 | 4.3 - Financial Sector | 9,985,185 | 14,874,060 |
- Comment (17)
- · Quote
- · UnfollowFollow (1)
Comments :
May '10
Re: Shouldn’t We Cut Foreign Aid When We Are Struggling To Make Debt Payments?
Duplicate
Edited on Jul 23, 2011 at 11:23amMay '10
Re: Shouldn’t We Cut Foreign Aid When We Are Struggling To Make Debt Payments?
Because only government can really sponsor that activity.
Sweet J_sus, the bureaucracy springs eternal on any ground it is yielded.
Edited on Jul 23, 2011 at 11:24amSep '10
Re: Shouldn’t We Cut Foreign Aid When We Are Struggling To Make Debt Payments?
yes, but we should cut it just because we feel like it. we don't need a reason. looks like counter-narcotics and counter-terrorism have some use, but i'll bet "environment" is a horrible waste. looks like we are getting a sweet deal on "counter-terrorism" in comparison to "health".
which category does the pakistani sesame street fit into? "education"?
what a mind-boggling waste of our money.
May '10
Re: Shouldn’t We Cut Foreign Aid When We Are Struggling To Make Debt Payments?
It's a concern, and should be addressed, but cutting off foreign aid certainly won't close the budget gap for us. I'd say we focus on entitlements first, as hard as that fight is going to be. And that part is "mandatory" which is really where the meat of the problem lies.
Re: Shouldn’t We Cut Foreign Aid When We Are Struggling To Make Debt Payments?
I'm sure not liking the vagueness of "Protection, assistance and solutions." Anyone have any idea what that's even supposed to mean?
(Yes, I could look it up--but I just want to point out that before you assign that much money to any program, you should call it something that doesn't compass any imaginable use of funds. Or else you should call it what it is--"discretionary.")
Re: Shouldn’t We Cut Foreign Aid When We Are Struggling To Make Debt Payments?
I'm not sure why "counter-terrorism" is listed with a negative number for 2011. Did someone pay us back?
Mar '11
Re: Shouldn’t We Cut Foreign Aid When We Are Struggling To Make Debt Payments?
There are several amendments to the Constitution I've long wanted to be voted on. One of them is an amendment stating that no monetary gift or loan could be made to a foreign government or NGO or UN agency in a fiscal year where the budget is in deficit. Considering that through most of our history we've run a deficit, that would pretty much take care of that problem.
The money involved, in the great scheme of things, is nothing compared to entitlements or defense spending. But I think the principle is important.
Dec '10
Re: Shouldn’t We Cut Foreign Aid When We Are Struggling To Make Debt Payments?
Short answer, yes. Long answer, yes, of course. The world needs to stop having a kegger on our credit card.
Edited on Jul 23, 2011 at 1:38pmAug '10
Re: Shouldn’t We Cut Foreign Aid When We Are Struggling To Make Debt Payments?
This was never about cutting expenses. All he wants is higher taxes, the noise is just cover.
Jul '10
Re: Shouldn’t We Cut Foreign Aid When We Are Struggling To Make Debt Payments?
All of these obligations should be reviewed in light of the budget issues, the level of obligation, and the specific relationships affected. Zeroing the rows without review will lead to some ugly unforced errors.
Jun '11
Re: Shouldn’t We Cut Foreign Aid When We Are Struggling To Make Debt Payments?
Just cut them. If we don't, the paper market will.
Jun '10
Re: Shouldn’t We Cut Foreign Aid When We Are Struggling To Make Debt Payments?
CUT!! Why? When? What for? What about the children...and grandma! You guys are crazy. Heck even the credit agencies are telling us to borrow more. Can't you people read?
Jul '10
Re: Shouldn’t We Cut Foreign Aid When We Are Struggling To Make Debt Payments?
All these, um, obligations should be reviewed in light of The Constitution.
Jun '11
Re: Shouldn’t We Cut Foreign Aid When We Are Struggling To Make Debt Payments?
Just cut them. If we don't, the paper market will.
Mar '11
Re: Shouldn’t We Cut Foreign Aid When We Are Struggling To Make Debt Payments?
I've come to the reluctant, sad conclusion that the Constitution is irrelevant, and has been for quite some time. It is with great sadness that I've realized that we'd have an easier time scrapping it and writing a new one than we would getting people to abide by the old one.
Jul '10
Re: Shouldn’t We Cut Foreign Aid When We Are Struggling To Make Debt Payments?
Douglas
It is with great sadness that I've realized that we'd have an easier time scrapping it and writing a new one than we would getting people to abide by the old one. · Jul 23 at 9:07pm
What would the "new one" state?
Mar '11
Re: Shouldn’t We Cut Foreign Aid When We Are Struggling To Make Debt Payments?
Jimmy Carter
What would the "new one" state? · Jul 23 at 9:31pm
Well, it would almost certainly have a right to entitlements in it.