Negotiations are being finalized regarding Qatar’s gift of a Boeing 747-8 aircraft to the United States.
According to the Washington Post, the “Qatari government wanted the luxury jet to be “an unconditional donation to the Department of Defense.” They asked that the official agreement would state that “the plane would remain in the custody of the U.S Air Force, but “that language was stripped from the agreement” due to U.S. objections.
The president has made clear that he intends to abscond with the aircraft when he leaves office. Imagine if any other president decided to keep Air Force One!
There were objections from U.S. lawmakers, as well, due to the price tag of this gift. Necessary renovations “may cost hundreds of millions of dollars and could take years.” We are talking taxpayer dollars here.
He is OK with spending tax dollars for his own benefit. His trip to Scotland this week, funded by the American people, is said to be focused on his golf courses. He is visiting both his Aberdeen course and his Turnberry Resort, but the main reason for the trip seems to be the opening of a second Aberdeen course, this one named after his mother, Mary Anne Macleod. He did schedule a couple of meetings, including one with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, to make this an “official visit.”
While the president travels on our dime, maybe we need to be thinking about the next election season.
What if we elect people who are serious about reducing the deficit, not by stripping the neediest among us of food and access to healthcare, but demanding that billionaires contribute their fair share to state and federal treasuries? Giving billionaires tax breaks raises the deficit. If it’s tax breaks you’re after, make sure they go to the people who need a break to make ends meet.
Taxpayers contribute to the treasury. We expect the treasury to fund those things that contribute to the common good, including quality education, access to healthcare, and well-staffed borders.
What if the current administration spent taxpayer money to hire judges to process asylum claims instead of building concentration camps. What if they understood the difference between the civil offense of being undocumented as opposed to the criminal offenses that are a danger to society.
Even Trickle-Down Reagan understood that immigrants are good for the economy.
The U.S. Treasury is funded by us and belongs to us. Our money should not be squandered by an administration that can’t be trusted with either our money or our constitutional rights.
