Trump Wants to Cut Aid to Central America

[homersapien 11,447]

This seems totally counterproductive.  A shooting yourself in the foot sort of move.

Democrats fume as Trump cuts Central American aid

...... Several House Democrats were visiting El Salvador when they heard the news. The group, which included Reps. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) and Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), chairmen of the House Foreign Affairs and Judiciary committees, respectively, ripped Trump’s approach in a joint written statement as “entirely counterproductive." ....

..... critics point out that the aid the president will cut is aimed squarely at reducing illegal immigration and illicit trafficking by addressing the dire conditions in the three Northern Triangle region that are driving the northern migration. .....

...... Central American officials publicly grappled with Trump’s decision, which came mere days after DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen traveled to Honduras to sign a security agreement with the three Northern Triangle nations to crack down on human trafficking, among other goals. ....... (Another example of one part of the administration not knowing what the other part is doing.)

....... Adriana Beltrán, a director with the Washington Office on Latin America, a non-governmental organization that tracks the funding, argued that the cut will worsen conditions in the countries — and potentially cause more people to trek to the U.S. .....

Read the full piece at: https://www.politico.com/story/2019/03/31/trump-central-america-democrats-1308680

[jj3jordan 2,061]

Wish Mexico too.

[alexava 6,973]

3 Mexican countries- per Fox News. 

 He said they never do anything for us.  I think that’s the case with almost every country we give aid to. 

[homersapien 11,447]

12 hours ago, alexava said:

3 Mexican countries- per Fox News. 

 He said they never do anything for us.  I think that’s the case with almost every country we give aid to. 

They haven't even figured out the Puerto Rico is part of the US and Puerto Ricons are citizens.

White House spokesperson calls Puerto Rico 'that country' twice. It's not a country.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/04/02/hogan-gidley-defends-trump-calls-puerto-rico-that-country-twice/3345062002/

[homersapien 11,447]

13 hours ago, jj3jordan said:

Wish Mexico too.

It's no wonder you folks think a wall is a good idea.

[AuburnNTexas 7,171]

The wall is a good idea in addition to other immigration issues we must address like the kids who came here when they were young but has nothing to do with the subject of cutting off aid to these countries..Cutting aid to these countries is not a good idea. My wife is originally from El Salvador with family in Honduras also. I have been to both countries and they need the help. The problem is that a lot of the aid we send to these countries ends up in the hands of a corrupt few and makes little difference. I disagree with Trump on cutting aid to these countries but we must have more oversight of the money we send so it actually does what it was intended to do.

Sad but true when you look at the amount of money some year back for Haiti after the terrible earthquake. You would think that huge difference would have been made in Haiti. because the amount money raised was very large. But sadly because of many UN shell companies and Private charities a very small percent of the total money raised actually made it to Haiti and was utilized in the way it was designed to be used. You can't help countries if most of the money is skimmed off before it actually gets to where it was designed to go.

The problem is nobody know how to fix the corruption in many UN agencies, private charities and 3rd world countries governments and until we can address those issues we should require oversight on the ground in every one of these countries. I believe the new President of El Salvador Nayib Bukele is a good man but by himself he can't change the corruption at so many levels of government in El Salvador. 

We should not cut aid but we should control our aid, American management of the money using local labor so that people in the countries get paid while helping to rebuild their country. If the government won't accept our control so we can assure that the money is used to actually do what it was designed to do then you don't give them any money. The money should be for infrastructure improvements not military buildup or drug interdiction. Clean water in every household, schools, teachers, cell phone towers, etc. Things that will improve their standard of living so they won't want to leave home.

[alexava 6,973]

20 hours ago, AuburnNTexas said:

The wall is a good idea in addition to other immigration issues we must address like the kids who came here when they were young but has nothing to do with the subject of cutting off aid to these countries..Cutting aid to these countries is not a good idea. My wife is originally from El Salvador with family in Honduras also. I have been to both countries and they need the help. The problem is that a lot of the aid we send to these countries ends up in the hands of a corrupt few and makes little difference. I disagree with Trump on cutting aid to these countries but we must have more oversight of the money we send so it actually does what it was intended to do.

Sad but true when you look at the amount of money some year back for Haiti after the terrible earthquake. You would think that huge difference would have been made in Haiti. because the amount money raised was very large. But sadly because of many UN shell companies and Private charities a very small percent of the total money raised actually made it to Haiti and was utilized in the way it was designed to be used. You can't help countries if most of the money is skimmed off before it actually gets to where it was designed to go.

The problem is nobody know how to fix the corruption in many UN agencies, private charities and 3rd world countries governments and until we can address those issues we should require oversight on the ground in every one of these countries. I believe the new President of El Salvador Nayib Bukele is a good man but by himself he can't change the corruption at so many levels of government in El Salvador. 

We should not cut aid but we should control our aid, American management of the money using local labor so that people in the countries get paid while helping to rebuild their country. If the government won't accept our control so we can assure that the money is used to actually do what it was designed to do then you don't give them any money. The money should be for infrastructure improvements not military buildup or drug interdiction. Clean water in every household, schools, teachers, cell phone towers, etc. Things that will improve their standard of living so they won't want to leave home.

We don’t even spend our money on what we are supposed to here. 

[homersapien 11,447]

Interesting segment about how climate change is one of the factors forcing migration.  I found it difficult not to empathize with this farmer.

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/climate-change-is-killing-crops-in-honduras-and-driving-farmers-north