Richard Brand: Almost Funny


It is almost funny. Not in a laughing, happy way, but in that strange weird way that we say something is funny.
 
Not long ago I was instructed by this site in the evils of Foreign Aid. I was tremendously surprised to discover that Foreign Aid was a vile Democratic activity. The fact that Foreign Aid has been used by every administration at least since World War II did not seem to bother “my instructor.”  Oliver North was in trouble because he was trying to help Reagan with Foreign Aid.  Foreign Aid may be an inappropriate activity but it is not just a Democratic activity.
 
There is a place and a new need to debate the benefits of Foreign Aid.  The “responder” and Bowles-Simpson both recognize the need to re-examine what we do with our money. “My adversary”  suggested that it was a waste of money because the countries we give all the aid to do not respond with gratitude and thanks. Those countries turn around a “bite the hand that feeds them.”  There is a great deal of truth in that observation. The point could have been made as well that the help does not reach those who need it most.  The “aid” goes into the hands of the leaders and makes them wealth.  Our Foreign Aid is just a bad investment.  We get no return on our dollars.  So the argument goes. 
 
The “almost funny” thing is that that is exactly the same reaction that the current Obama Administration is getting for the “National Aid” that was given to Michigan and the auto industry.  Almost 50 billion dollars in”bail out” to those companies that have now rallied and returned to profitability yet the state is now talking about how they “really did not need it,” “it was a waste of taxpayer’s money”. GM had a record setting profit for one quarter, 7.6 billion dollars in profit for the first quarter, and the Republicans in Michigan are refusing to show any gratitude or appreciation for the help.  The Republican Candidates for President are campaigning and urging Michigan to turn around and bite the hand that gave them help. Of course, if the stock of GM and the other auto industries continue to rise, the Obama administration will have actually made a profit for the government by investing those companies, but that is also ignored. 
 
It is a strange quality of human nature that we want Government to help us when we have a problem, the hurricanes, the tornadoes.  We get up set when Katrina hits and New Orleans is not put back together completely in a couple of months.  We want our bridges rebuilt by government when there is an earthquake.  We want our help, but when the help is given, there comes later the response from others that it was unnecessary, a waste of resources, and we complain about the lack of gratitude from those who received it.  It is almost funny, if it were not so sad.