Foreign "Aid"

There are some Americans born and educated in this country, whose parents, grandparents, an teachers are from this country, who still know very little about how heir tax money is used in foreign aid.

If you are among the numerous purposely ignorant persons, you may continue reading to learn one popular way your money is used.If you are not among their number you may still find the following reminder interesting.
The tax money is taken from you by powerful functionaries, who give it to a few special persons in a selected country. "Given" may not be the best word, for usually a more or less modest interest must be paid on it. That interest is usually collected from vulnerable people in the selected country. Most often the money is not actually delivered: the 'aid' is more an extension of credit.

The credit extended is seldom of a general sort, but rather of  special sort. It is often credit with two or three designated companies or dealers. The agreement often is that the credit must be used with, say, his grain dealer and that arms dealer.

If you were to watch the money, you would see it leave the pockets of the many tax payers here, make a fast pass through the hands of a very few 'helpful' persons in the foreign country, and then be deposited in the pockets of a few favored men here. Often the process is even more efficient. The money goes directly from the pockets of  the many here to the pockets of a very few here and some grain or guns arrive in the selected country.

There are lots of interesting little wrinkles. For example, the arms may be used to kill or threaten people of that foreign country so as to keep that country 'stable' for US trade.


For the curious, I favor tax and foreign trade when I know that you, my fellow citizen, are practicing your informed civic duties.