Alternatives to Spending for Israel
What America could do with 17.6 billion dollars
For some months the Republican party has tied funding for Israel and Ukraine to a border bill which may reduce the level of immigration into the country, though not substantially. That bill was released just two days ago and is already proving so unpopular that it may not pass, but the Republican party and the House of Representatives are not going to be hindered by the probable death of a bill in the Senate. Instead, the GOP is putting forward a standalone bill to provide some $17.6 billion for the state of Israel.
While President Biden has threatened to veto the bill it is unlikely this would work, as it will already require a 2/3rds majority to pass, therefore making it veto proof should the houses of Congress re-vote. It is, therefore, highly likely that the American taxpayer is about to send billions more to a state which is hostile to American geopolitical interests and which is one of the most hated states in the world at the moment. This move is not in the interests of the United States.
Alternatives abound to providing Israel with $17.6 billion in funding. Both state governments and federal agencies have priorities they would prefer be funded over foreign policy adventurism on behalf of the Israel lobby, and we are going to explore some of those alternatives today.
Immigration remains the foremost concern for the American public, coming out ahead of all economic issues such as inflation in a recent poll. As such the first priority with additional funding would be to secure the Southern border of the United States, and the most effective method to do this would be to complete and reinforce the border wall. This would be the most pragmatic use of the funds that would align with American’s immediate concerns, but it is far from the only use of such funds which would improve the lives and livelihoods of the American people.
The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) gives the infrastructure of the United States a C- grade in their most recent report, and highlights several serious infrastructure deficits which are affecting the quality of life for millions of Americans. One of the primary concerns is that of safe drinking water. By 2029 the United States will have a $434 billion dollar water infrastructure funding gap. The current administration has attempted to head this off by investing as much as $50 billion in the nation’s water infrastructure, but it is not enough to prevent the gap from widening. An additional $17.6 billion would be enough to close the infrastructure gap in entire states, such as in the Speak of the House’s home state of Louisiana.
Alongside critical infrastructure also comes that which would improve the quality of life for Americans. One major project is the funding requests being made by AmTrak to assist in expanding their services. The service recently requested some $8 billion in additional funding to improve the speed and quality of services, rebuild tunnels, and begin implementing their expansion plans.
One state with the most expansive set of plans is that of Ohio, a Midwestern state which is fielding Trump’s VP candidate in JD Vance. AmTrak expansions in very rural states, such as Ohio, create very high paying infrastructure jobs for men, local industries to maintain the rail services, and generally expand local economies around rail stations.
$17.6 billion would go a long way to expanding the American rail system and improving work and transportation opportunities for millions, but rail is not the only system which requires significant investment.
The ASCE highlights that 43% of American roads are in poor or mediocre condition, and that 17% of all trips on American roads are along these poor roadways and crumbling bridges. Instead of refilling Israel’s Iron Dome missiles or funding the construction of additional Israel tanks, the American state should be funding steel for bridges and concrete for roadways to improve the quality of American infrastructure.
72% of the nation’s freight and goods travel along its impressively vast network of roadways, and as these roadways crumble the economic output of the United States will begin to suffer. Policymakers have a duty to invest in America’s future by investing in its infrastructure.
Another fantastic idea would be to implement other policy recommendations which we have made ourselves, such as expanding industrial policy to begin rebuilding a productive economy in the United States.
There are numerous other issues which we have not touched on in this piece, but have in other commentary. Such as the 30% of rural hospitals at risk of closing, and the more than 100 which have already closed across the country. Depriving communities which are overwhelmingly homogeneous of the healthcare which their aging and isolated populations need. Another serious media concern are the closing pediatric care units. 20% of pediatric care units in the United States were lost between 2008 and 2018, and entire regions of the country are now without specialized care for children. The underlying reason for these closures is that adult critical care is far more profitable, but profit should not factor in when it comes to the health of the nation’s children.
An additional $17.6 billion could and would keep a great deal of rural hospitals and pediatric care units open for American children. Spending in this arena would benefit Americans substantially.
Whether the priorities are railways, highways, new energy projects, or securing the Southern border of the United States, there are numerous projects and priorities which the American state should be putting first above funding for the State of Israel.
Americans deserve an elite which spends on the public’s priorities, and not in foreign wars of choice. Change will not happen overnight, of course. The Zionist lobby holds a great deal of power over American policymaking, but when Americans know there are serious alternatives to the current slate of priorities in D.C. they can begin to push for change from their leaders.
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