The government is spending too much on aid to farmers. The money goes mostly to wealthy farmers who bid up the price of land thus driving beginning farmers out. High commodity prices (i.e., corn and soybeans) also drives out those who wish to compete with non-row crops. Be careful for what you wish!
Last Monday after the Potluck I called the World Food Prize, only could leave a message. Then I called ISU Foundation and asked who I could talk to regarding how much ISU receives from USAID. Foundation staff listened said they would get back to me. Have had no response from World Food nor ISU. I did call Minnesota Amy Klobuchar's office as suggested by John Dinges. Iowa Senator offices hard to get a response. All we can do is keep trying, the administration is trying to overwhelm us so rest, refocus, resist and repeat.
Read just the first paragraph and be sure to hold onto your stomach.....
Nearly 70% of humanitarian funding for the Democratic Republic of Congo comes from the USA.
"Prior to the aid freeze, USAID-funded programs supported emergency obstetric care, reproductive health services for sexual violence survivors, and disease prevention initiatives....in displacement camps."
Yet we have a VP (Vance) who really doesn't care about this stuff: Ukraine, Sudan, Congo are all just far off places that the USA can ignore. And he has many younger supporters who think likewise.
I really appreciate your focus on this attack on US AID. We are in the midst of a coup, for certain, and far worse than the J6, 2021 attack. In many ways, I expect a mass march on Washington to coalesce. But that will only be the beginning.
The Courts are going to be overwhelmed, as MAGA forces want to test the limits of every law possible. Our system has clearly elected a gangster, but many voters wanted one. Will they still, once the damage becomes more evident?
This speech (see link below) by Professor Timothy Snyder from 2014, “Ukraine: From Propaganda to Reality” really ties many threads together. If you take the time to listen to the entire lecture, you can almost see what was coming. He even mentions closing your eyes and foreseeing the oligarchy coming to the USA. All pretty chilling.....
Sorry to have missed the program. This attack on foreign assistance was predictable, since both extremes of our political spectrum have found fault with US AID for years. And the Right in particular loves to attack “foreigners”. Trump and Vance seem keen on helping Putin in any way they can….especially by weakening Ukraine and undoing the entire Transatlantic alliance. How better to undermine our standing in the world than to yank food and medicine from the most helpless. Wow!
Thanks I especially appreciate the tip to mention how food aid is a tool to mitigate migration. Migration is a trigger for all our Iowa congress persons
The government is spending too much on aid to farmers. The money goes mostly to wealthy farmers who bid up the price of land thus driving beginning farmers out. High commodity prices (i.e., corn and soybeans) also drives out those who wish to compete with non-row crops. Be careful for what you wish!
Last Monday after the Potluck I called the World Food Prize, only could leave a message. Then I called ISU Foundation and asked who I could talk to regarding how much ISU receives from USAID. Foundation staff listened said they would get back to me. Have had no response from World Food nor ISU. I did call Minnesota Amy Klobuchar's office as suggested by John Dinges. Iowa Senator offices hard to get a response. All we can do is keep trying, the administration is trying to overwhelm us so rest, refocus, resist and repeat.
Good for you! Keep us posted!
The pain and deaths resulting from the freeze of US AID is tough to imagine. A minor example is shown here:
https://www.justsecurity.org/107753/goma-drc-usaid-crucial/.
Read just the first paragraph and be sure to hold onto your stomach.....
Nearly 70% of humanitarian funding for the Democratic Republic of Congo comes from the USA.
"Prior to the aid freeze, USAID-funded programs supported emergency obstetric care, reproductive health services for sexual violence survivors, and disease prevention initiatives....in displacement camps."
Yet we have a VP (Vance) who really doesn't care about this stuff: Ukraine, Sudan, Congo are all just far off places that the USA can ignore. And he has many younger supporters who think likewise.
Memories are so short.....
I didn’t listen to the live call but listen this morning. A very eye opening discussion!! Thanks to you and all who participated!!!
Inflation is up,
the markets are down,
don’t act surprised,
you elected a clown.
Julie:
I really appreciate your focus on this attack on US AID. We are in the midst of a coup, for certain, and far worse than the J6, 2021 attack. In many ways, I expect a mass march on Washington to coalesce. But that will only be the beginning.
The Courts are going to be overwhelmed, as MAGA forces want to test the limits of every law possible. Our system has clearly elected a gangster, but many voters wanted one. Will they still, once the damage becomes more evident?
This speech (see link below) by Professor Timothy Snyder from 2014, “Ukraine: From Propaganda to Reality” really ties many threads together. If you take the time to listen to the entire lecture, you can almost see what was coming. He even mentions closing your eyes and foreseeing the oligarchy coming to the USA. All pretty chilling.....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKFObB6_naw
Sorry to have missed the program. This attack on foreign assistance was predictable, since both extremes of our political spectrum have found fault with US AID for years. And the Right in particular loves to attack “foreigners”. Trump and Vance seem keen on helping Putin in any way they can….especially by weakening Ukraine and undoing the entire Transatlantic alliance. How better to undermine our standing in the world than to yank food and medicine from the most helpless. Wow!
Thanks I especially appreciate the tip to mention how food aid is a tool to mitigate migration. Migration is a trigger for all our Iowa congress persons