While the media is focused on the conflict in Ukraine. Congress has been occupied debating the massive $1.5 trillion omnibus spending bill.
This is perhaps the last of attempts by the Democrats to push
their agenda before the GOP takes over early next year.
The Bill was divided into two sections.
$730 billion was dedicated to the non-defense section, it was passed with 260 votes for and 171 against the measure.
$782 billion was dedicated to the defense funding section, this was
passed with 361 votes for and 69 votes against the
provision.
The GOP was able to retain $2 billion of the
previously-allocated border wall construction funds.
The bill dedicates an additional $370 million to “enhanced border security”.
Did the GOP compel the Democrats to spend more on the border?
Before you leap with joy to celebrate, the borders being
fortified are that of Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Egypt, Tunisia, Oman, Nepal, and
Pakistan.
Under the ‘Economic Support Fund’ section dedicates over
$40,000,000 for ‘democracy programs for Venezuela’
The bill provides around $10 million for improving television
and radio broadcasting capabilities for countries such as Cuba.
The bill includes a
provision that expands diversity, equality, and inclusion at the Office of the
Director of National Intelligence.
The bill also dedicates $6 million to Russians "engaging
in free-market development, humanitarian activities, and civic engagement"
but will "not be used for Russian government officials”
The bill also dedicates $66 million for the “Racial and Ethnic
Approaches to Community Health.
The bill dedicates over $100 billion to Green New Deal
initiatives, and advance “racial justice” through Department of Agriculture
programs.
The bill dedicates $78.3 million for the Department of
Agriculture to study the impacts of climate change and research on clean energy
technologies and greenhouse gas reductions.
NASA receives $7.6 billion for scientific research on topics
such as changing climate.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) gets $100 million
for environmental justice activities.
$75 million has been allotted to low-emission vehicles.
$26 billion have been dedicated for food stamp funding.
The legislation contains $575 million in funds programs that
combat abuse and sexual assault against women.
The spending bill provides a 2.7% salary hike for all
active-duty troops.
The package delivers $14 billion in emergency funding for the humanitarian
crisis in Ukraine.
$3.5 billion for sending new military equipment and $3 billion
for deploying U.S. troops to Ukraine.
This goes against Biden’s promise to not put boots on the
ground in Ukraine.
The bill could have been released in an easy-to-understand
Excel Sheet with items and their corresponding amounts.
But no, the bill is over 2,700 pages and was released at midnight on Tuesday
by the Democrats, just 12 hours before the vote.
If a regular citizen attempts to read the contents of this
bill deep slumber or boredom certainly will occur.
Washington purposefully makes it wordy, complex, and tiresome.
The goal is to prevent you from clearly understanding where your money is
gratuitously spent.
The aim is to make wear you off with boredom.
Hence you either rely on biased news organizations for a
pre-digested version. Even reading an article may feel tiresome because it is about figures. So people opt for escapism and binge the
latest horror show on Netflix. For Washington this is mission accomplished.
This is nothing short of outrageous because all of this is
your money.
What is worse is most of the foreign aid and other cosmetic
spendings could be legalized forms of corruption.
A group of lawmakers can dedicate billions to a cause. Some of
this money ends up boosting companies that promote the cause. The company donates to the lawmaker’s campaign. If
the lawmaker decides to give up politics or is voted out, one of these companies offers then handsomely
paid employment
We have a specific instance.
The bill dedicates $3.5 billion for sending new military equipment to Ukraine. This military equipment will be bought from a private defence contractors. These defence contractors donate to political campaigns, perhaps employ relatives or friends of the law maker. Perhaps find innovative ways to circulate the fund around in such a fashion that it is almost untraceable. Perhaps a book deal or a speaking assignment is given to the lawmaker after retirement.
It also has to be remembered that money
dedicated to an item is not necessarily money spent.
Money spent is not necessarily money spent in the right
places.
The two billion dedicated to the wall doesn’t mean the border
wall will be built with ease. There will be impediments and local issues.
A defence bill may not be about fortifying the army.
In all this chaos the concern for the citizen is often the last
priority. Over the past year, the regular citizen has suffered dues to inflation,
lawlessness, a breakdown of law and order, vaccine mandates, and an uncontrolled
influx of unvetted refugees.
But the self-serving, self-promoting and self-preserving cabal in Washington cares very little about the people beyond Capitol Hill
This is what President Trump rightly called a swamp.
They indulge in empty symbolism and sloganeering to deceive the people.
They march for BLM but do nothing about the lawlessness that affects
black people.
They claim to care about the environment but travel solo by
private jet.
They talk about income inequality while they
host private fundraisers with billionaires where shady deals are struck. The result is items added to spending bills.
They claim to care for the little guy but order you to make ‘sacrifices’
by paying more for petrol for the sake of democracy in Ukraine. They call you a bigot for challenging them.
What will it take to drain the swamp?
We first bring about term limits for all lawmakers and for the
administrative services.
Washington has to be desegregated and spread all over the country,
especially those places they pejoratively call ‘fly over country’
Do not expect Washington to sign their own death warrant.
For that to happen, the voters will have to elect a group of
brave, honest, and upright freedom-loving conservatives to Washington.
Washington will vilify these lawmakers, they will be called
racist, sexist, and white supremacists merely to stop them from making any changes.
Sadly, most succumb to pressure and are gobbled into the Washington machine. The voters will have to vote them out and elect better people.
The cycle will continue.
It will hence take decades of commitment by voters to elect
the right sort of people who will eventually begin dismantling the unholy
Washington establishment.
As for the omnibus bill, it now heads to the Senate, where
lawmakers will continue negotiating and deal-making, it finally ends at Joe
Biden’s desk.
This also appears on American Thinker
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