Republicans plan cuts to US State Dept, UN contribution

Yahoo ^ | 2/11/11 | AFP

[NormsRevenge]

WASHINGTON (AFP) – A Republican budget plan would cut billions of dollars in spending on the State Department and foreign programs, including US contributions to the United Nations.

The proposed cuts, announced Friday, are part of an overall Republican effort in the House of Representatives to reduce spending by $100 billion over the next seven months. Leaders in the Democrat-controlled Senate say the proposals are unrealistic.

The planned cuts to State Department and foreign operations amount to $3.8 billion, or an eight percent reduction from last year.

"I will ensure that our foreign aid is not used as a stimulus bill for foreign countries," Republican congresswoman Kay Granger, who chairs a budget subcommittee, said in a statement.

The bill proposes "scaling back contributions to the United Nations and other international organizations, and eliminating wasteful, duplicative and ineffective programs."

However, the measure would maintain $1.3 billion in military aid to Egypt and up to $250 million in economic assistance.

[unixfox]

I say get us out of the U.N. PERIOD!

It's as corrupt as any mafia organization. Certainly as corrupt as the current regime in power.

[Army Air Corps]

Let’s just payments to the Useless Nations altogether; it is little more than a government-sponsored debating society that panders to third-world a-holes.

[taxtruth]

Move the UN/deadbeats/tin cup bums out of NY and defund them ASAP.

[Army Air Corps]

Let’s just STOP payments...

[Brilliant]

“the measure would maintain $1.3 billion in military aid to Egypt and up to $250 million in economic assistance.”

Let’s see what happens there first.

[Shannon]

It so rare to ever hear of the gov wanting to cut foreign “aid”. Yet our own country is going down the toilet financially. I say, end ALL foreign aid until things are back on track in the US.

[max americana]

Kick out the Useless Nations. A bunch of blue helmet rapists.

[max americana]

Just help kick out the UN. THEN there won’t be any need for “cuts”..

[ArchAngel1983]

Can someone please remind me again of how much Chinese Yean we have to borrow (at a nominal fee) to bankroll this absolutely corrupt, anti-American, should have been dissolved the day it was conceived organization?

[DustyMoment]

Here's the thing - when times are good, the political elites spend money like there's no limit. Since it isn't their money, they don't care, all they have to do is raise taxes.

But, when the political elites spend us into a black hole, it's not a big deal, they just raise taxes.

Either way, we lose and there is no penalty for them. We need to take control of spending - deeper cuts than a measly $100 Billion. We're $14 TRILLION in debt; $100 Billion is barely pocket change.

[Lancey Howard]

This is an excellent start.
If you can’t get rid of them, at least cut both of those America-hating, communist organizations off at the knees.

[parisa]

Sweeping cuts! Well as a famous motormouth recently put it: this is not the end of . . . err, spending cuts. It’s a beginning. We’re sure there will be difficult days ahead, and many questions remain unanswered — such as when congress will begin the defunding process of the ill-begotten obamacare. But a good start nonetheless!

[HeartlandOfAmerica]

Man-o-Man! These boneheads talk about $250 million and $1.5 billion like it's small change!

I guess it is when someone else has to work hard all day for it.

No wonder this govt is going broke. $250 million times 10k programs and you're starting to talk some real money.

Sheesh!

[ThunderSleeps]

It’s a start...onward to a 100% cut!

[matthew fuller]

We need to De-fund the UN, HHS, HUD, DOEnergy, DOEducation, Fed Reserve, IRS, DOJ, FDA, BATFE, TSA, FFA, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and EPA as a start. Those are the worthless organizations. Then go after the marginal organizations.

[Nickname]

The UN can continue to hate us just fine without any of our money.

[stars & stripes forever]

I say, end ALL foreign aid until things are back on track in the US. The government should privatize charity. Give Americans tax breaks to donate to the charity of their choice. The money will get to where it is supposed to go.

[Soul of the South]

The 2011 budget for the State Department is $52.8 billion. The 2000 budget for the same department was $8.4 billion up from $6.5 billion in 1999. The Republican budget cuts are a joke. They should be reducing State Department spending by 50% or more. We certainly do not need embassies and consulates in every third world hell hole. I suspect the growth of the bureaucracy at State over the last 10 years has been monumental.

Tiny cuts of a few millions here and there aren’t going to fix our financial problem. The Republicans are going to get as much bad press for cutting $100 billion as they will for cutting a trillion. They might as well take the heat for doing the job right.