OPINION:
Kerry Picket’s “‘Disinformation’: Democrats refuse to believe USAID bankrolled transgender operas, woke activism” (Web, Feb. 12) rightly exposes the diversity, equity and inclusion boondoggles of leftist bureaucrats. But leftist ideologues not only wasted tax dollars; they also cost lives.
For decades, I tried to hammer home to USAID administrators and executive-level staff the fact that smaller, faith-based health entities overseas offer so much more effectiveness, community trust and successful outcomes than do the gargantuan, liberal, grant-sucking organizations that receive the lion’s share of USAID grants.
If those dollars had gone instead to cost-effective, community trusted faith-based health organizations with proven health outcomes instead of radical ideologues, how many people could have been saved from disease and death? But because the political left tolerates anything but religion, many faith-based health organizations despaired of enlisting the help of USAID to treat more patients.
As a consultant, I presented USAID management with polling I conducted of over 100 faith-based health organizations working in over 50 countries. The survey revealed that nearly half of respondents (49%) felt that “the U.S. government (USG) is not inclined to work with FBOs”; 58% said “USG officials in country never contacted their organization;”and 39% were “unaware of any USG efforts to provide help to the country.”
Leftists at USAID effectively block smaller, faith-based organizations from grants not only by using program stipulations that violate faith principles but also by making the application process so arcane and time-consuming that only huge organizations with staff dedicated exclusively to grant seeking can obtain funding.
The U.S. can still fulfill its generous overseas aid mission by shuttering USAID and channeling grants through other agencies less infected by leftist ideology. While aligning aid with U.S. values and interests, the Trump administration must also simplify the grant procedure to enable the nation to tap into the highly effective, locally trusted work of faith-based organizations.
JONATHAN IMBODY
Quinton, Virginia
Please read our comment policy before commenting.