A new report from our friends at Open the Books has uncovered a shocking level of "foreign aid" spending between 2013 and 2018.
American taxpayers sent over $300 billion to other countries during those years, which amounts to about $47 billion each year. Surprisingly, foreign aid spending remained at those same heightened levels during the first two years of President Trump's administration (the most recent data available).
What did the American people purchase with their hard-earned money? Supporters of foreign aid believe shipping piles of cash to other countries helps maintain good diplomatic relations, assist allies, and encourage pro-American sentiment abroad.
In some cases, this may be true. But as with all federal spending, foreign aid is riddled with corruption and abuse, and even some of the above-board expenditures would not be supported by the majority of Americans.
According to Open the Books, for example, Americans paid the "United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)" $1.7 billion in a single year (2019). We've sent $10.6 billion to UN peacekeepers over the last six years, and we've scheduled $150 million to go to Palestine via the UN this year.
That's not all. Taxpayer-funded foreign aid is also funding choir directors in Turkmenistan, filmmakers in Peru, aid for poultry farmers Tanzania, and sex education workshops for prostitutes in Ethiopia.
Here's an idea: our federal officials should get our own fiscal house in order before we try to prop up anyone else's.
With the country over $28 trillion in debt, we can't afford to send money to countries if it isn't advancing our national interest. Filmmakers in Peru may have great ideas, but their creative endeavors shouldn't come before our children and grandchildren.
If you're tired of the federal government wasting your money, there is a solution. An Article V Convention of States has the power to propose constitutional amendments that force Congress to spend our money responsibly. These amendments could begin with a balanced budget requirement, but they wouldn't have to end there. A Convention can also propose amendments that force the feds to cut spending (including foreign aid). Amendments can cap taxation to keep Congress from raising taxes to cover the deficit, and other amendments might restrict federal spending to only a narrow set of topics.
One thing is clear: we have to do something. Inflation is on the rise, our position as the world's currency is in jeopardy, and we're the hook for trillions in unfunded liabilities. Neither party is willing to get our fiscal house in order, which is why the people and the states must take control.
To join the movement, sign the petition below!
