Given The Current Deficit Crisis, Should Foreign Aid Be Cut?
The debate over cutting the U.S. deficit has focused on a new target: foreign aid. Congressional lawmakers have proposed reducing the State Department’s budget in general and federal foreign aid specifically. Such cuts would affect funding for African food aid, international disaster relief, and the Peace Corps, among other programs. Those in favor of cutting foreign aid argue that, with budgets tight, the government must prioritize national security and domestic issues over foreign humanitarian aid. Opponents of the cuts argue that foreign aid makes up only 1 percent of the overall federal budget, but is important complement to military efforts to protect American interests abroad. Here is the Debate Club’s take on foreign aid.
The Arguments
Yes — American taxpayers should not pay for the defense of other countries
JUSTIN LOGAN, Director of foreign policy studies at the Cato Institute Comment (2)
Yes — Cutting foreign aid is inevitable but needs to be done selectively
JOHN NORRIS, Executive Director of the Sustainable Security and Peacebuilding Initiative at the Center for American Progress Comment
Yes — Overseas assistance more effective in hands of U.S. businesses and philanthropists
JAMES JAY CARAFANO, Director of the Douglas and Sarah Allison Center for Foreign Policy Studies at the Heritage Foundation Comment
No — Foreign aid is one of the United States' most cost-effective and life-saving humanitarian efforts
BOB ZACHRITZ, Advocate for World Vision Comment (1)
No — Cutting foreign aid will not make a dent in the federal budget deficit
ANDREW NATSIOS, Professor at Georgetown University Comment (4)
