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USA is the world's ATM
Dimitri Vassilaros is a Tribune-Review editorial page editor. He can be reached at dvassilaros@tribweb.com or 412-380-5637. He also blogs at KDKA
President George W. Bush, being the compulsive spender he is, seems powerless to say no whenever others rattle their tin cups for alms for the poor and not-so-poor.
Prepare to give Israel $2.2 billion to finance the relocation of Jewish settlers and to double the $4 billion you are sending to Africa -- money that will not see the light of day when the tyrants lording over those miserable countries deposit it into their Swiss bank accounts.
America is the world's ATM. It has money for withdrawals and funds to transfer for foreign countries stepping up to the screen and pushing our buttons, especially the one for "yes" when asked if they would like to make another transaction.
Ambassador Arye Mekel, consul general of Israel in New York, tried to help me understand.
"It is part of the diplomatic efforts in the Middle East," Mr. Mekel said. "Anything that can advance peace between the two (Israelis and Palestinians) is a step in the right direction to reach stability."
The request for the $2.2 billion is unofficial, he said.
But news reports suggest the White House seems very willing to contribute. "I think there is some interest to assist all sides in the process," Mekel said. "This is a very heavy load costing at least $2 billion to disengage from Gaza."
This should not be confused with the $2.3 billion Israel gets annually from America -- or the billions of your dollars given to Arab and other nations. This nation's gravy train has no terminus.
Mr. Bush has promised to increase the annual handout to the leaders of African nations to $8 billion by 2010 -- even though our republic is $8 trillion in debt. Is Bush hoping to make good on his pledge by writing hot checks?
"Our national debt goes up over $500 billion a year," said Rep. Ron Paul, a libertarian Republican from Houston. Dr. Paul originally was from the South Hills.
"There is a bit of arrogance around the world to come to us whenever they want something and expect us to cough up," Paul said.
Paul strongly disapproves of the president making the assumption that the taxpayers' money is his to promise whenever a nation, a summit, a concert or Bono moves him. "And Congress, like zombies, appropriates the money," he said.
But why should any more money be appropriated to dictators whose countries always seem on the verge of bankruptcy? "Why not just write off the debt? If they default, just write it off the books and leave," Paul said.
However, the new handouts will go to the same international financial institutions whose lending policies caused the fiscal fiascoes in the first place. "They want to recycle the money and repeat the process," Paul said.
The good doctor thinks about 120 representatives will oppose the additional $2.2 billion for Israel. "It's politically risky to vote against any funding for Israel," said Paul, who opposes all foreign welfare, er, um, "aid" since the U.S. Constitution does not authorize the politicians to do it.
"Foreign aid should be opposed because it is taking from the poor in this country and putting it in the pockets of rich dictators in poor countries," he said.
