Comment by Grombobulous
18 hours ago
It definitely seems like it would have been better to reform USAID to do exactly as you say, make it more of a long term positive institution, versus shutting it down entirely.
Worth reminding us that regardless of our opinion on it, the shutdown was likely unconstitutional according to a federal judge. USAID was set up and funds appropriated by congress.
The problem here I think this is like saying the government just shouldn't let itself be influenced by private capital. In an ideal world that's obviously true. But in practical terms, it's impossible and no sort of law, regulation, or group is going to change that. Government foreign assistance exists in large part to create leverage over other countries. USAID was dropping $60billion+ at its peak in collaboration with the Department of State and Department of Defense. There were major expected returns from their actions, and not in the sense of impoverished people with AIDS thinking more highly of the US.
As for the legal battles around it - yeah some judge said it would be likely unconstitutional and ordered an injunction halting its shutdown. 10 days later that injunction was overturned when an appeals court found the government appeal likely to succeed on merit. The legal wrangling continues, but judicial activism is very much a thing and so one-off judgements mean basically nothing now a days, which is precisely another demonstration of why Machiavellianism is so stupid.