US to free up a billion dollars for natural disaster rebuilding.
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I’m sure none of the money will be used by corrupt actors.
I could see the US investing in Africa to set up <whatever> and then taking a profit, a good ROI. It improves their economy and uses our money wisely. For example, Nigeria will be the 3rd most populous country in a few decades, it will need a robust economic model…
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Set the annual budget as a % of GDP. Make deficit spending illegal without a declared state of emergency approved by both houses of Congress. Debt servicing, SS, and Medicare have to be taken care of first. All other spending falls into the discretionary category. The President and Congress will set those amounts based on the priorities of those particular administrations and legislative priorities. Any funding like this needs to be balanced with a corresponding cut somewhere else. Do away with the concept of punishing departments by reducing their budgets if they don’t spend their allocation. Find ways to reward this instead.
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I dont think it is as simple as the tweeter tries to make it.
It is not "zero sum". Pay USD$1B to Africa for disaster relief, take away USD$1B from US disaster relief. That is a very simple and incorrect way of looking at it.
My guess is that the money is from the overall MOFA budget, with some (a lot?) will be tied to various trade or services in kind.
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@taiwan_girl said in US to free up a billion dollars for natural disaster rebuilding.:
It is not "zero sum". Pay USD$1B to Africa for disaster relief, take away USD$1B from US disaster relief. That is a very simple and incorrect way of looking at it.
My guess is that the money is from the overall MOFA budget, with some (a lot?) will be tied to various trade or services in kind.
Yes. Your assessment it probably correct.
But the simple fact stands that the US government gave $1B to Africa and a few months ago, there was not enough money to fund FEMA. When it comes to the amount of money to spend, it is, actually, a zero-sum game. Take it out of the Africa bucket and put it into the North Carolina bucket.
It's complicated, to be sure, as you say. But in the interest of US citizens, it should be a priority.
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But I dont think that the US is giving USD$1B in money to Africa. I am thinking it may be tied to various trade issues (you buy X$ of certain categories of goods, we will give $Y of disaster relief), or maybe a requirement that the African governments buy disaster relief equipment from US companies, etc. And it may be spread out over a number of years.
For sure, there is some direct money involved, and as Jon said, most of it will probably end up in some dictators pocket.
At the surface, it does not look good, but I dont think it is as bad as the surface looks.
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@taiwan_girl said in US to free up a billion dollars for natural disaster rebuilding.:
But I dont think that the US is giving USD$1B in money to Africa.
Today, President Joseph R. Biden announced that the United States is providing more than $1 billion in additional humanitarian assistance to address food insecurity and other urgent needs of refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and affected communities in 31 African countries. This funding, announced during President Biden’s visit to Angola, includes nearly $823 million through USAID – of which more than $202 million is from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Commodity Credit Corporation – and nearly $186 million through the U.S. Department of State.
At the U.S.-Africa Leaders’ Summit in 2022, President Biden reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to our African partners to accelerate progress toward achieving food security, including addressing the immediate and acute food insecurity crisis through humanitarian assistance. Africa is the region with the largest percentage of the population facing hunger. According to the UN, one in five Africans – almost 300 million people – faced hunger in 2023, and the number of people facing acute food insecurity and malnutrition continues to rise. Armed conflict, extreme weather events, natural disasters, and other emergencies are driving humanitarian needs across the continent and requiring humanitarian assistance to save lives and alleviate suffering among the most vulnerable. Today’s announcement, yet again, demonstrates our firm commitment to stand alongside our African partners and people across the continent in addressing the challenge of food insecurity.
With this additional assistance, including funding from the bipartisan National Security Supplemental, U.S. humanitarian partners are providing life-saving assistance and vital programs for people at risk of exploitation and abuse, including refugees, IDPs, and affected communities. Additionally, implementing partners are providing emergency health care and water, sanitation, and hygiene services to help prevent the transmission of infectious diseases among the most vulnerable people affected by acute food insecurity and malnutrition. This funding will also assist affected populations to meet other essential needs, such as protection, mental health, education, and shelter. With the Commodity Credit Corporation funding, USAID is purchasing, shipping, and distributing U.S. agricultural commodities from American farmers to provide life-saving food assistance for food-insecure populations in East and Central Africa.
The United States has long supported communities in need of food aid and other lifesaving humanitarian assistance across Africa and intends to continue this support and continues to urge other donors to step up in this time of historic need. In Fiscal Year 2024, the United States provided nearly $6.6 billion in humanitarian assistance across sub-Saharan Africa, but much more must be done by the entire international donor community to address critical and increasing needs.
"Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08
The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.
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@George-K I stand corrected.
(But to my defense, the US Agency for International Development is an independent government organization with its own budget etc. Big government moves at the speed of a glacier. LOL, so trying to "take money" from one side to give to another would be a year(s) long process. Not even sure how much legal it would be since the budget has already been approved and monies "allocated".
And, I am still not sure that the aid is strictly money. US AID does include trade and services.)
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@taiwan_girl said in US to free up a billion dollars for natural disaster rebuilding.:
Big government moves at the speed of a glacier. LOL
True - when you want it to.
Took President Biden one day to effectively open the southern border.
Sorry, but when the government wants to be efficient, it can. When there's an agenda, it can't.
Not even sure how much legal it would be
Executive orders (see above) seem to have escaped the nicety of being legal.
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@LuFins-Dad said in US to free up a billion dollars for natural disaster rebuilding.:
Set the annual budget as a % of GDP. Make deficit spending illegal without a declared state of emergency approved by both houses of Congress. Debt servicing, SS, and Medicare have to be taken care of first. All other spending falls into the discretionary category. The President and Congress will set those amounts based on the priorities of those particular administrations and legislative priorities. Any funding like this needs to be balanced with a corresponding cut somewhere else. Do away with the concept of punishing departments by reducing their budgets if they don’t spend their allocation. Find ways to reward this instead.
Huzzah! Great post. Common sense (cents), too.
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So, if the deal wasn’t finalized until December 3rd, can Hunter be busted for the kickbacks the and the family will receive for this deal?
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I thought it was through December 1st.
Me/rry/Christmas
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@LuFins-Dad said in US to free up a billion dollars for natural disaster rebuilding.:
I thought it was through December 1st.
