Things USAID has funded [video] | Hacker News Reader

Things USAID has funded [video]

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18 points_uxvx13 comments

The speaker makes a common error in quoting absolute numbers without discussing how much of an overall pool they represent. The numbers quoted also aren’t given dates making it impossible to know if the spending happened under the outgoing administration or a previous one. They then go on to offer no alternative, just a bunch of undirected outrage. If you find yourself outraged at nothing specific, question if you are being manipulated.

There are claims of fraud made but not backed up by the evidence presented. On the contrary, audit results that detailed leave few places for fraud to hide.

There’s much to debate around the investment choices cherry-picked for the camera, but they’re cherry picked! You can be certain 6-7 different examples exist that would make USAID look like saints.

All that said, it’s good to see them on camera justifying the decision.

How is that not totalitarian propaganda? What is the difference between USSR official propaganda and Democrat "aid for other countries"? I am interested in HN Leftist crowd opinion. Or maybe they will downvote this to oblivion, because it's easier. But easier doesn't mean 'right'.

In my understanding, most Soviet citizens were acutely aware that Pravda was official party propaganda. The western system is different in that there are two opposing poles of information. To be concise, some who study the dissemination of propaganda in the US regard each respective pole as a false alternative. This is referred to as, "positioning the goal posts". You can go quite deep into this rabbit hole. There's a fair amount of nonsense, but also some choice kernels that may help you better understand the media landscape.

Well for starters, until these claims are established by a more credible source who doesn’t come from part of a team with a recent history of lying about the work that usaid does.

Your concern about propaganda rings hollow given that you are trusting a government source talking about a government source.

https://www.dw.com/en/fact-check-trumps-team-targets-usaid-w...

hahahaha Deutsche Welle credible source????? hahahahhaha

Just as a matter of language: I have only ever seen the word "Leftist" in contexts meant to connote "traitor" or "moron" or something similar. I'm reluctant to explain anything in such a context.

The recommended left-wing, progressive approach to such things is to be kind, patient, informative, and reasonable. Personally, I believe this is the reason we regularly get destroyed in elections, and if there's ever a way to get back, it's to respond to hatred with hatred. Reasonableness bores people; hate is exciting.

My guess is that they've taken the 0.1% silliest sounding things out of some endowment for the arts program with many thousands of recipients. It would only actually be propaganda if such a program specifically excluded political opinions you disagree with and groups you dislike, such as trans people. For all you know, there could have been many right-wing recipients for this program that they decided not to tell you about. You can only determine the nature of such a program when you look at how it actually operates, not by looking at a random small selection of the things funded.

Bill Kristol, a right wing neo-conservative and ideological heir to Buckley, also had his funds publicly cut. Similarly, there are allegations against Liz Cheney. These are two examples that immediately spring to mind.

Attributing it to a purely right-left battle misses the larger picture. There are entrenched bureaucrats which have successfully moderated and turned away reforms. Some of these creatures of "the swamp" receive self-perpetuating funds from USAID.

The culture war stuff is largely a distraction. When USAID funds a trans musical, it isn't about the musical. There may be elements promoting the trans ideology, but this is tertiary. The real meat is building influence coalitions, protest groups and outright payment of graft. These favors can be called in later to advance the policy of the "swamp creatures". This could be trade deals or any agreement in which this opaque coalition has an interest.

Wait, are you asking why what USSR did to its own citizens is different than what USA is doing to other countries? Of course we want our views and values to be propagandized to other countries, why is that bad? We want other countries to become more like USA.

https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2025/02/will-trump-doge-sink...

I agree with this commentary

> How is that not totalitarian propaganda? [...] I am interested in HN Leftist crowd opinion.

So, speaking from the HN leftist crowd: yeah, I'd say this video qualifies as totalitarian propaganda. It's kinda weaksauce, but that's the direction it's pushing, at any rate.

2/50,000th of their budget. Its straight up right wing propaganda. If you use wayback machine you can see what they funded like a huge oxygen tank in Vietnam for a hospital.

Its like spending 10 bucks on a camgirl site and your wife divorcing you after 10 years.

Do you mean neoliberals? I mean, leftists have been skeptics of USAID as soft power arm of the CIA for ages. Also, you would be crazy to believe this is "Democrat" as this has been a bipartisan effort since it was funded.

Anyway, I'm reminded of this joke:

---

A KGB spy and a CIA agent meet up in a bar for a friendly drink

"I have to admit, I'm always so impressed by Soviet propaganda. You really know how to get people worked up," the CIA agent says.

"Thank you," the KGB says. "We do our best but truly, it's nothing compared to American propaganda. Your people believe everything your state media tells them."

The CIA agent drops his drink in shock and disgust. "Thank you friend, but you must be confused... There's no propaganda in America."

-----

I guess to some, since Musk and Trump dismantled USAID, there's no more propaganda in America.

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