On Wednesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken was in Kyiv and announced $700 million in fresh aid for Ukraine, including funds for repairing the country’s battered energy infrastructure.
Blinken made the announcement alongside his British counterpart, David Lammy, who also pledged the UK would be providing $782 million in humanitarian assistance and loan guarantees through the World Bank.
According to the State Department, $325 million of the new US aid will go toward supporting “Ukraine’s energy infrastructure efforts in the midst of ongoing Russian attacks.” Russian strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure recently escalated in response to the Ukrainian invasion of Russia’s Kursk Oblast.
The State Department said $290 million will go toward “humanitarian assistance,” and $102 million will be spent on demining. The US has played a major role in leaving behind unexploded ordnances in Ukraine by providing the Ukrainian military with cluster bombs, which are banned by over 100 countries due to their indiscriminate nature.
Last week, the Pentagon announced a new $250 million weapons package for Ukraine, which brought the total amount of military equipment the US has committed to Ukraine since the Russian invasion to $59.9 billion. Once the $61 billion President Biden authorized to spend on Ukraine in April, the US will have spent about $186 billion on the proxy war.
Where does the Executive Branch get authority to spend this money. I though spending had to be approved by Congress. The President seems to have unlimited money to forgive student loans and give the Ukraine billions of dollars. How is that spending funded? Lots of questions but no answers from this 'most transparent administration ever'.
The DC Swamp Uniparty led by Chuck U Schumer and Schmuck Johnson collaborated on a 120 Billion $$$ War Bill in April. They always have plenty of money for Wars.
"Discretionary spending". Money loosely earmarked for "whatever emergency the President might need to address".
Like that $100 in cash in the coffee can in the kitchen for just-in-case. But a billion times bigger.
“Discretionary spending” is money that Congress appropriates at its discretion (as opposed to “mandatory spending,” which is set in law and must be done unless a new law is passed making it non-mandatory).
“Defense” spending, for example, is “discretionary,” while Social Security spending is “mandatory.”
Earmarks, aka “pork,” are the exact opposite of “discretionary” spending. An “earmark” happens when, for example, Congress appropriates $1 trillion for defense, and a member of the House inserts an “earmark” requiring that $10 million of that $1 trillion be spent on repairs to an Army Corps of Engineers dam in his or her district. Earmarks have to be specific, not just “hand it to ol’ Joe and suggest that he spend it at a casino if he wants.”
Interestingly, one of the most porkers in Congress back in the day was a guy named Ron Paul. He’d stuff every appropriations bill full of “nurse anesthesiologist at Houston Community College” and “training program for local shrimp boat operators in maritime safety” and so forth. Then he’d vote against the overall bill with the pork in it,, knowing it would pass anyway. That way he could brag to his constituents/voters about how much bacon he brought home to the district, while simultaneously bragging to libertarian and conservative donors that he had voted against wasteful government spending.
Lol TK!
Mmm, very good to know the distinctions, thanks !
Seems like the money should be ‘earmarked’ for something more specific that ‘whatever the President wants to spend it on’. That’s a ‘slush’ fund. Forgiving student loans is not what Congress intended for any of this money.
SLUSH FUND – that’s the expression I couldn’t remember. Thanks !!
The Biden-Harris regime are hoping World War lll breaks out before the election. People won't be able to vote because we'll all be hiding in makeshift bunkers.
The war started in 2014 with the Maidan coup.
I'm waiting on our Resident Revisionists to tell you, barely a full day after Nuland admitted it, that US funds have NEVER OF COURSE EVER interfered in the Ukrainian political process.
In his farewell speech in Ireland Joey Biden said in conclusion "Let's Lick the World".
This shows an evil divisive instigator of wars and conflicts including an extinction level nuclear war.
FJB and the nefarious NEOCON warmongers in America.
There is a problem…! US does not have any bunkers to accommodate mass of people…! The existing ones are meant only for the moron military officials and the idiot politicians…!
Your basement will have to do for you plebians, if you’re lucky enough to have one.
No basement in Midwest and west coast unfortunately…!
That's fine, nobody can have elections during Martial Law, and thankfully it's the people in power who decide when Martial Law ends.
I mean, the USA could have an election if India (the world's most populous democracy) would pay for it. No ? Then no election yet.
$700M is a tiny fraction of the burial costs for the Ukrainian victims of the American duopoly.
Don't worry, the Ukrianians will have to take up that bill. Ordinary Ukrianians that is. Not the enriched elite, not the "anti-corruption" czar we pay to keep them in check. Haven't we not been assured by the flubby Rambo from South Carolina that the money goes to America's MIC, but might just be taking a short detour via Ukraine? I'm sure the anti-corruption czar with the hilariously satirical shirt in the picture above will see to that. (Promoting the theft of other people's money is the funniest thing for an anti-corruption activist after all.) Well, that is if he survives the cooperation of the Ukrainian regime.
I do love American irony.
USA can't stand anything Russian, while appointing Czars in its own government.
Our "Border Czar" Kamala Harris was a complete flop.
Well, under her watch, the US borders didn’t shrink.
America about to go bankrupt and default on its debt payments and idiot Blinker giving money away like a drunken sailor! Disgusting!
Is it any wonder that China and Japan are offloading treasuries as fast as possible?
“Spill the wine! Dig that girl!” Lol
;-}
Now I want to attend a '70s pool party at Burt Reynold's house.
Lol https://media0.giphy.com/media/fUQ4rhUZJYiQsas6WD/giphy-downsized-small.mp4
I will gladly pay you two shares of Stutz Motor Car Company next Tuesday for a ribeye dinner today.
Diplomacy. Blinken style
The article fails to mention that Blinken once again declared that Ukraine would "join NATO" – which is probably the most oblivious statement he's ever made. Chas Freeman has declared Blinken to be "the worst Secretary of State in US history."
Blinken lies to motivate the Zelboy to continue sacrifying the Ukrainian citizens to advance US agenda…!
Give Russia the incentive to erase Ukraine as a national security threat to the Russian people. Good thinking Antony.
The Pentagone seems to be spending beyond its means…!
https://arkrussia.substack.com/p/russia-beats-out-other-countries?r=rm34q&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&triedRedirect=true
Russia beats out other countries one could migrate to – my reasons.
Russia's human capital makes it a no-brainer (for me).
Charles Bausman
Sep 12, 2024