OPINION:
I am in support of closing down the U.S. Agency for International Development as an independent agency and rolling it into the State Department (“USAID is a massive pool of waste and corruption and should be shut,” Web, Feb. 3). Honestly, it should be a tool of foreign policy, anyway. I don’t like the thought of people losing their jobs, but if we are cutting the fat from the government budget, it makes sense for this agency to be among the first to go.
I completely understand the desire to help those less fortunate, even if they live overseas. The issue we as Americans face that should be getting more attention from the political left, however, is that the federal government is running a $1.5 trillion deficit. This means that every humanitarian project the U.S. government funds is being funded with borrowed money. This means that we as taxpayers are going deeper into debt to afford these projects. Remember, too, that we are borrowing money and the fact that $1 trillion of our deficit is interest on our $35 trillion debt should give us all pause.
Maybe one day America can go back to our humanitarian ways, but the federal deficit, federal debt and the needs of the American citizens must take precedence over foreign humanitarian missions. This is especially true since our debt has become so overwhelming.
CHARLES DIXON
Fairfax Station, Virginia
Please read our comment policy before commenting.