We've talked a lot about USAID here at Twitchy over the past month, and with good reason. It is a network of Left-wing NGOs, media outlets, and hangers-on taking tons of our tax dollars and using it to fortify their agendas across the globe.
Yesterday, Bill Ackman pointed out that the government uses those NGOs to circumvent laws. As this writer noted back at the start of February, USAID was used to fortify a network of Lefties, giving them the resources to survive being out of power and to hit the ground running when elected to office.
It's important to keep that last part in mind as people accuse the Left of wanting a kleptocracy because that's not quite right. Yeah, a lot of them have made bank on this, but the actual purpose of USAID and massive government spending is less about personal enrichment and more about something nefarious.
With due respect to Elon, this represents a mistake everyone is making in the USAID conversation. The left does not seize power to make money. The left expropriates money and resources to recruit, indoctrinate, train and reward cadres. https://t.co/jAA7jtHRRK
— Kyle Shideler (@ShidelerK) February 10, 2025
Remember when Obama wanted his citizen force? That's this.
The $ is not what is important to the left. What is important is the people and organization that money helps buy. The left knows that people X organization= Power. Money can sometimes buy those things, but not always.
— Kyle Shideler (@ShidelerK) February 10, 2025
Correct. Power consists of more than money.
This incorrect analysis has everyone thinking that the tail is wagging the dog. The view that USAID is directing a hydra of non-profit fronts to wage color revolution on behalf of some clever plan of the USG has things completely reversed.
— Kyle Shideler (@ShidelerK) February 10, 2025
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This is a good point.
The truth is, if anything, USAID has been the puppet of the NGO archipelago, not the other way around. If they aren't funded by USAID, they'll be funded by corporate donors, non-profit foundations, other governments, (as they already are.)
— Kyle Shideler (@ShidelerK) February 10, 2025
And we can let those private donors do it. Taking away an almost limitless pool of taxpayer funds will still harm these NGOs.
By all means cut USAID funding. It's an important job to do. Elon and the DOGE boys are to be commended for it. But if you think that's the whole ball game, you're going to end up very sadly mistaken. Don't confuse the instrument with the conductor of the orchestra.
— Kyle Shideler (@ShidelerK) February 10, 2025
In other words, this is just the start. DOGE is only scratching the surface of dismantling the Left and their agenda, but we're confident they'll dig deeper.
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