Is Trump diminishing American influence with his policies?

[spidermike007]

I certainly think so, the whole purpose of USAID when it was first created, was to increase American influence and goodwill around the world. Now he is distorting the truth by making this into a sort of fake woke issue, an issue about support for transgenders, and a myriad of others issues, that represent a tiny minority of the aid the US provides around the world. 

 

And it seems to me that in the process he is giving a huge gift to China, by allowing them to step in, where the US left off, if they wisely choose to do so. So is he truly making America great again, or is he diminishing America by the day, and vastly reducing American influence around the world? 

 

USAID funds an array of humanitarian projects around the world, including those related to providing clean water, infrastructure, and health care. The State Department provides broad foreign policy goals to USAID, but the agency decides on the specific projects to achieve those goals. Generally, independent private contracting companies bid on the projects that USAID funds.

 

Congress appropriated $66.1 billion for foreign aid in fiscal year 2023. That works out to 1.2 percent of that year’s total federal expenditure, which was more than $6.1 trillion. USAID administers around 60 percent of foreign aid.

 

Why Does the United States provide assistance to other countries? There are many reasons countries provide foreign aid to other nations beyond simply helping people living in poverty or conflict.

 

Fostering positive relations with other countries. A country can leverage the foreign aid it gives, and that resulting relationship, to get preferential treatment later. For example, China has spent nearly $680 billion since 2013 on its Belt and Road Initiative, funding infrastructure projects in 150 different countries. The project is meant to increase Chinese trade and influence around the world.

Promote global stability.

 

This was the primary goal of the Marshall Plan, when the United States gave Europe $13.3 billion to rebuild after World War II. A stable Europe was economically beneficial to the United States, and there was fear that the Soviet Union could further expand its sphere of influence from Eastern Europe if Western Europe remained fragile.

The aid also helps to prevent the global spread of disease. Treating and preventing diseases from spreading is another way to promote global stability, as diseases such as COVID-19, smallpox, ebola, among others can be destabilizing. The United States funds several initiatives to curb infectious diseases; one of the most successful has been the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). The United States has invested over $100 billion in PEPFAR since 2003, providing developing countries facing HIV epidemics with medicine, medical care, and preventative resources.

 

https://www.closeup.org/usaid-and-cutting-international-aid/

 

[SunnyinBangrak]

14 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

And it seems to me that in the process he is giving a huge gift to China, by allowing them to step in, where the US left off, if they wisely choose to do so.

Do you have evidence, any at all, that China will start paying millions for transgender opera performances and pronoun lessons in Peru? Can you accept paying countless millions for woke rainbow projects in the far flung corners of the world was an overreach, and was bound to backfire once sanity returned to power? 

 

Never mind all the waste and fraud exposed. Remember when you guys were falsely and without evidence accusing DJT of fraud and it was a big no no. But now it's team dem caught in the MOA boondoggles and not a peep from those who claimed to be so worried about fraud.

Most peculiar.

[Jingthing]

Obviously yes, and probably permanently.

[frank83628]

[spidermike007]

13 minutes ago, SunnyinBangrak said:

Do you have evidence, any at all, that China will start paying millions for transgender opera performances and pronoun lessons in Peru? Can you accept paying countless millions for woke rainbow projects in the far flung corners of the world was an overreach, and was bound to backfire once sanity returned to power? 

 

Never mind all the waste and fraud exposed. Remember when you guys were falsely and without evidence accusing DJT of fraud and it was a big no no. But now it's team dem caught in the MOA boondoggles and not a peep from those who claimed to be so worried about fraud.

Most peculiar.

You are avoiding the point of my argument by quoting or should I say parroting Trump. The vast majority of USAID goes to alleviating poverty and fighting disease in the poorest countries of the world. If you are interested in engaging in an informed debate, prove to me otherwise. 

 

Granted, the public doesn't have that luxury since Musk dismantled their website which disseminated that information. I guess they subscribe to the philosophy that information can be a terrible thing. 

[spidermike007]

20 minutes ago, frank83628 said:

That which you consider obsession I consider to be pushback. I think for those of us with rational minds it is reasonable to expect that there will be more and more pushback against his extreme policies and poor decision making.

 

You consider him to be a good president. I consider him to be an extremely divisive, hateful, stingy, and dangerous one. 

[SunnyinBangrak]

4 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

That which you consider obsession I consider to be pushback. I think for those of us with rational minds it is reasonable to expect that there will be more and more pushback against his extreme policies and poor decision making.

 

You consider him to be a good president. I consider him to be an extremely divisive, hateful, stingy, and dangerous one. 

Ok but you guys have been pushing back for a decade now, swallowing all the hoaxes like fine people on both sides. Does there not come a time when you say OK Ive been on the wrong side of every hoax, and behaved very obnoxiously calling those on the factual side as a cult etc, maybe I need to rethink all things Trump?

[Yagoda]

No. 

 

Just another Trump derangement topic.

[candide]

48 minutes ago, SunnyinBangrak said:

Do you have evidence, any at all, that China will start paying millions for transgender opera performances and pronoun lessons in Peru? Can you accept paying countless millions for woke rainbow projects in the far flung corners of the world was an overreach, and was bound to backfire once sanity returned to power? 

 

Never mind all the waste and fraud exposed. Remember when you guys were falsely and without evidence accusing DJT of fraud and it was a big no no. But now it's team dem caught in the MOA boondoggles and not a peep from those who claimed to be so worried about fraud.

Most peculiar.

Ridiculous MAGA imaginary fraud accusations again! 

[gejohesch]

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

I certainly think so, the whole purpose of USAID when it was first created, was to increase American influence and goodwill around the world. Now he is distorting the truth by making this into a sort of fake woke issue, an issue about support for transgenders, and a myriad of others issues, that represent a tiny minority of the aid the US provides around the world. 

 

And it seems to me that in the process he is giving a huge gift to China, by allowing them to step in, where the US left off, if they wisely choose to do so. So is he truly making America great again, or is he diminishing America by the day, and vastly reducing American influence around the world? 

 

USAID funds an array of humanitarian projects around the world, including those related to providing clean water, infrastructure, and health care. The State Department provides broad foreign policy goals to USAID, but the agency decides on the specific projects to achieve those goals. Generally, independent private contracting companies bid on the projects that USAID funds.

 

Congress appropriated $66.1 billion for foreign aid in fiscal year 2023. That works out to 1.2 percent of that year’s total federal expenditure, which was more than $6.1 trillion. USAID administers around 60 percent of foreign aid.

 

Why Does the United States provide assistance to other countries? There are many reasons countries provide foreign aid to other nations beyond simply helping people living in poverty or conflict.

 

Fostering positive relations with other countries. A country can leverage the foreign aid it gives, and that resulting relationship, to get preferential treatment later. For example, China has spent nearly $680 billion since 2013 on its Belt and Road Initiative, funding infrastructure projects in 150 different countries. The project is meant to increase Chinese trade and influence around the world.

Promote global stability.

 

This was the primary goal of the Marshall Plan, when the United States gave Europe $13.3 billion to rebuild after World War II. A stable Europe was economically beneficial to the United States, and there was fear that the Soviet Union could further expand its sphere of influence from Eastern Europe if Western Europe remained fragile.

The aid also helps to prevent the global spread of disease. Treating and preventing diseases from spreading is another way to promote global stability, as diseases such as COVID-19, smallpox, ebola, among others can be destabilizing. The United States funds several initiatives to curb infectious diseases; one of the most successful has been the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). The United States has invested over $100 billion in PEPFAR since 2003, providing developing countries facing HIV epidemics with medicine, medical care, and preventative resources.

 

https://www.closeup.org/usaid-and-cutting-international-aid/

 

Good summary.

The prime beneficiary of Trump-MAGA policies will certainly be China, I'm 100% sure of that. Certainly not Russia (!), and I doubt the EU can compete with China, although it might do its best. Whatever, The USA will be a big loser.

[Eloquent pilgrim]

 

Nope, he's saving America's influence with his policies, and at the same time saving America from left wing woke virtue signallers like yourself 

 

You're welcome 

 

 

[Jingthing]

8 minutes ago, Eloquent pilgrim said:

 

Nope, he's saving America's influence with his policies, and at the same time saving America from left wing woke virtue signallers like yourself 

 

You're welcome 

 

 

Influence with who? Our previous enemies maybe.

[theblether]

American voters hate USAID - I hope the Left make it a central plank of the midterm campaign. 

 

"Vote for us so we can pay for transgender surgery in Peru." 

 

Great election slogan - go for it. 

[impulse]

Is Trump diminishing American influence with his policies?

 

He's sure pissing off a lot of the right people.  Addicts get testy when you withdraw their drug.  And too many around the world are addicted to American free money.

 

[Jingthing]

6 minutes ago, theblether said:

American voters hate USAID - I hope the Left make it a central plank of the midterm campaign. 

 

"Vote for us so we can pay for transgender surgery in Peru." 

 

Great election slogan - go for it. 

Are you stupid enough to think such programs if that one even existed are anything other than a tiny portion of what USAID did? OK, voters probably are. But by giving up USAID and US soft power, a priceless gift has been given to China.

[Eloquent pilgrim]

 

For God’s sake, how many more of these “cry baby-democracy didn’t give the right result” posts do we have to suffer on this forum … it has become really tiresome  \_(ツ)_/¯

 

 

 

 

[Jingthing]

3 minutes ago, Eloquent pilgrim said:

 

For God’s sake, how many more of these “cry baby-democracy didn’t give the right result” posts do we have to suffer on this forum … it has become really tiresome  \_(ツ)_/¯

 

 

 

 

We accept that he won.

But he won to be president.

But he didn't win to be God/Dictator/King.

Musk didn't win anything and now he's clearly more powerful than even Trump. 

[impulse]

3 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Are you stupid enough to think such programs are anything other of a tiny portion of what USAID did? OK, voters probably are. But by giving up USAID and US soft power, a priceless gift has been given to China.

 

For what? 

 

Maybe 2 or 3 (or even 6) months while they rejigger the programs and eliminate all the anti-American, anti-democracy and anti-common sense and delegate it to adults, staff it with non-woke adults and implement appropriate fiscal controls?  

 

[Jingthing]

1 minute ago, impulse said:

 

For what? 

 

Maybe 2 or 3 (or even 6) months while they rejigger the programs and eliminate all the anti-American, anti-democracy and anti-common sense and delegate it to adults, staff it with non-woke adults and implement appropriate fiscal controls?  

 

They've already gutted it. They've already murdered people with millions more to come. To suggest otherwise is gaslighting. 

[Eloquent pilgrim]

5 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

We accept that he won.

But he won to be president.

But he didn't win to be God/Dictator/King.

Musk didn't win anything and now he's clearly more powerful than even Trump. 

 

 

Sore looser nonsense; but that's all you lefties have got left in the tank now, isn't it 

 

 

[save the frogs]

Maybe need to wait and see what future moves Trump is planning to make to get a better grasp on what is taking place. 

The entire geopolitical landscape seems to be on the cusp of monumental changes. 

 

[Jingthing]

1 minute ago, Eloquent pilgrim said:

 

 

Sore looser nonsense; but that's all you lefties have got left in the tank now, isn't it 

 

 

The problem now with maga is sore WINNERS. 

[Jingthing]

1 minute ago, save the frogs said:

Maybe need to wait and see what future moves Trump is planning to make to get a better grasp on what is taking place. 

The entire geopolitical landscape seems to be on the cusp of monumental changes. 

 

So naive. 

[Harrisfan]

Trump is awesome. Every country needs one. 

[Harrisfan]

Just now, Jingthing said:

The problem now with maga is sore WINNERS. 

Happy winners. Nice food. Nice coffee. Nice big smiles. We are delighted.

 

You guys? Not so much......

[Harrisfan]

1 minute ago, Jingthing said:

So naive. 

So much hate. 

[Andre0720]

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

I certainly think so, the whole purpose of USAID when it was first created, was to increase American influence and goodwill around the world. Now he is distorting the truth by making this into a sort of fake woke issue, an issue about support for transgenders, and a myriad of others issues, that represent a tiny minority of the aid the US provides around the world. 

 

And it seems to me that in the process he is giving a huge gift to China, by allowing them to step in, where the US left off, if they wisely choose to do so. So is he truly making America great again, or is he diminishing America by the day, and vastly reducing American influence around the world? 

 

USAID funds an array of humanitarian projects around the world, including those related to providing clean water, infrastructure, and health care. The State Department provides broad foreign policy goals to USAID, but the agency decides on the specific projects to achieve those goals. Generally, independent private contracting companies bid on the projects that USAID funds.

 

Congress appropriated $66.1 billion for foreign aid in fiscal year 2023. That works out to 1.2 percent of that year’s total federal expenditure, which was more than $6.1 trillion. USAID administers around 60 percent of foreign aid.

 

Why Does the United States provide assistance to other countries? There are many reasons countries provide foreign aid to other nations beyond simply helping people living in poverty or conflict.

 

Fostering positive relations with other countries. A country can leverage the foreign aid it gives, and that resulting relationship, to get preferential treatment later. For example, China has spent nearly $680 billion since 2013 on its Belt and Road Initiative, funding infrastructure projects in 150 different countries. The project is meant to increase Chinese trade and influence around the world.

Promote global stability.

 

This was the primary goal of the Marshall Plan, when the United States gave Europe $13.3 billion to rebuild after World War II. A stable Europe was economically beneficial to the United States, and there was fear that the Soviet Union could further expand its sphere of influence from Eastern Europe if Western Europe remained fragile.

The aid also helps to prevent the global spread of disease. Treating and preventing diseases from spreading is another way to promote global stability, as diseases such as COVID-19, smallpox, ebola, among others can be destabilizing. The United States funds several initiatives to curb infectious diseases; one of the most successful has been the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). The United States has invested over $100 billion in PEPFAR since 2003, providing developing countries facing HIV epidemics with medicine, medical care, and preventative resources.

 

https://www.closeup.org/usaid-and-cutting-international-aid/

 

 

[Eloquent pilgrim]

2 minutes ago, Harrisfan said:

Trump is awesome. Every country needs one. 

 

Wish we had him in the UK instead of two tier, to kick all these left wing, woke, virtue signallers into the long grass

 

 

 

 

[pomchop]

14 minutes ago, Eloquent pilgrim said:

 

For God’s sake, how many more of these “cry baby-democracy didn’t give the right result” posts do we have to suffer on this forum … it has become really tiresome  \_(ツ)_/¯

 

 

 

 

almost as tiresome as claiming you won an election four years ago that you clearly lost.

[impulse]

1 minute ago, pomchop said:

almost as tiresome as claiming you won an election four years ago that you clearly lost.

 

You mean like HRC?  She's still claiming she was robbed.