I'm told that many nations want an US Ambassador who is a massive donor to the President. Presidents don't usually listen to ambassadors but do listen to donors, or so the thinking goes. So the country will have the President's ear.
MAGA's issue with USAID isn't so much the slush fund per se, rather that much of the cash was a huge public subsidy to the Left's activism industry. Better to direct it to right-wing allies like Bukele and groups like America First Legal.
Before writing something like this it would be good to know how much of that 16 million the youth of Mongolia ever saw and how much of it actually was diverted to paying US based employees pushing causes like (from the Aspen Institute website):
"Researchers found that focusing on the topic of “free speech on campus” actually hindered conflict resolution by situating the tension as an abstract national debate"
The topic of free speech on campus is a DISTRACTION stop LOOKING AT IT.
I had a brief period of appreciation for Megan McArdle. She was a self-proclaimed libertarian who wrote for the Atlantic for a while. I think she’s at a newspaper now.
Maybe a decade ago, there was one of those outpourings of hate for NPR on the right.
Her response was to defend federal funding for NPR on the grounds that it was “insignificant.”
That finished my appreciation for the works of Ms. McArdle.
Why would anyone pay for the rope that’s being used to hang them?
I can see how Mongolia would want America's friendship while playing China and Russia off each other. But there is only so far Mongolia can go. America is not going to send its military to Mongolia if Mongolia riles China.
I still don't get the left's narrative regarding Russia aiding Donald Trump's political career. Much of the left became enthralled by Russia when Lenin and the communists took it over in 1917. More on the left became enamored by Soviet Russia under Stalin because the legitimacy of capitalism was questioned by many on the left during the Great Depression. Still more leftists felt sympathetic to the Soviets due to their sacrifices in World War Two. And younger leftists became sympathetic to the USSR during the Vietnam War and the guerrilla war in Nicaragua. The left only turned against Russia when it surrendered on the Cold War, relinquished its empire and then had the audacity to not bow before the homosexual lobby in Russia.
They were very pro-Russia during Obama’s first term too, only turned against during the 2016 presidential race, some old lefties never got the memo or were just too old to care to change their views (hence people like Chomsky, Oliver stone, and Jeffrey Sachs still have pro-Russia biases)
Seems to me Steve kinda understands why we spend a small amount of money to us(but significant money to the recipients) on stupid things overseas. I’m guessing the DOGE people will miss the point. Of course, lefties during the great awokening took it too far messing things up for the rest of us.
The world is getting more conservative at present, so paying for woke silliness in other people's countries is not a good way to win friends and influence people in 2025.
Foreigners in countries that receive aid don’t care about woke. They care about the money we give them. You have to understand in most of these cultures almost everything we yammer about (I.e. corruption, good governance, civil rights, feminism, etc.) is irrelevant to them,
not just the crazy stuff. They’ll smile, nod and say nice things in agreement (most cultures are very polite) and do whatever they want with the money anyway. Very interesting topic, but in some ways, I think foreigners like woke in the West, makes them feel their cultures are better than the West despite the differences in material wealth.
Full disclosure: I live overseas and work in the development industry.
"On the other hand, there’s the least wussy country of all: Mongolia, which is extraordinarily proud of its home-grown genocidal maniac, Genghis Khan:"
Libel!!!!!
I'm as ignorant of history as the next guy, but I see him as just a great empire builder. He wasn't out to destroy any specific races. He gave them options, surrender and participate in the benefits of empire, or be made an example for future psychological warfare campaigns.
I would never be so crass as to do any research on the matter, but it is my firm opinion that for the overwhelming majority of regular folks, the Pax Mongolica was far far better than the previous state of affairs. We've been propagandized against empires since the American revolution. Fucking 'Star Wars'! Wake up sheeple!
It surprises me how completely the Mongolians rolled back without a trace despite leaving a large Y-chromosomal footprint. Apparently the pastoralists don't have a lot to offer the farmers.
Their empire fell apart rather quickly. I think it was divided among heirs first. The mongolians themselves perhaps didn't bother populating the conquered areas and maybe only sent administrators and soldiers for a while...I would need to read more about it. Is Mongolia even where the Mongols were all originally from? Weren't they Steppe people? Is Mongolia part of the Steppe? My ignorance could fill a wikipedia article. ChatGPT says yes Ghengis was born in what is now Mongolia
Yeah, so, no. Something like 40 million people died during his conquests, and his empire fell apart straight after he died. So basically no benefits unless you are an extreme animal rights person who supports depopulation.
One theory is that the brief Pax Mongolica, when it became feasible for adventurous Europeans like Marco Polo to travel the inland Silk Route all the way to the China, brought back to Europe key Chinese inventions like gunpowder, the compass, and paper. But I haven't followed that debate since the 1970s.
The 40 million chose to die. That it fell apart prematurely is a shame but while it lasted the benefits were clear. If it had made it a proper 500 hundred years it would have meant much improved lives for way more than 40 million (if that is the number)
USAID is a bottom feeder in a Swamp of bottom feeders. It should be shutdown completely and what little it does that helps the US folded directly into the State Department. See @mikebenzcyber on X for details.
I've yet to hear an explanation of what Russia could have done for Trump in 2016 that he couldn't do himself, besides publishing Hillary's pay to play emails.
In truth the US doesn’t have to spend very much or work very hard given how superb its popular culture is.
For sure there are exceptions - European soccer teams and Latin music - but literally everyone outside North Sentinel Island is exposed to some aspect of American culture.
I’m not a rabid Plan Truster, but what I’ve assumed Trump is doing is gaining a huge domestic victory by cutting the Gordian Knot and disrupting the Dem patronage network that was hiding in plain sight, and then the worthwhile stuff can get turned back on via negotiations -i.e, he’ll get something in return and also be able to trumpet what he’s done for our allies, science, medicine, etc. He’s got a plethora of these bargaining chips in his pocket now.
So, maybe Mongolia gets back on the gravy train but his base doesn’t get wound up because we’re not funding studies on The Hermeneutics of Gay Cryptorchidism or whatever.
"Underneath would be a picture of a Cubist horse strangling on a banana." Tom Wolfe always puts it right where it stings the most.
If you haven't read it lately, revisit a special socialist evening in NYC. Tom Wolfe was there. He published his observations in New York Magazine, June 8, 1970. > > > Radical Chic: That Party at Lenny’s “It’s a tricky business, integrating new politics with tried and true social motifs.” https://nymag.com/article/tom-wolfe-radical-chic-that-party-at-lennys.html
I'm told that many nations want an US Ambassador who is a massive donor to the President. Presidents don't usually listen to ambassadors but do listen to donors, or so the thinking goes. So the country will have the President's ear.
That would definitely be the Asian approach. I was once in an arbitration in SFwith a Chinese client who handed
me cash underneath the table to hand to the arbitrator, LOL. He claimed to be Chinese CIA. We lost, but the blueberry muffins were great.
I would have been hard-put to stifle a guffaw as the sheaf tickled my fingers.
In a word, no. Foreign aid is awful for numerous reasons.
Practically, If China decides landlocked Mongolia needs to be a province then that's that. It's their backyard, not ours.
MAGA's issue with USAID isn't so much the slush fund per se, rather that much of the cash was a huge public subsidy to the Left's activism industry. Better to direct it to right-wing allies like Bukele and groups like America First Legal.
Exactly. I’ve read a couple of articles about the stuff they fund. Woke crap.
Before writing something like this it would be good to know how much of that 16 million the youth of Mongolia ever saw and how much of it actually was diverted to paying US based employees pushing causes like (from the Aspen Institute website):
"Researchers found that focusing on the topic of “free speech on campus” actually hindered conflict resolution by situating the tension as an abstract national debate"
The topic of free speech on campus is a DISTRACTION stop LOOKING AT IT.
mmhhmmm
I had a brief period of appreciation for Megan McArdle. She was a self-proclaimed libertarian who wrote for the Atlantic for a while. I think she’s at a newspaper now.
Maybe a decade ago, there was one of those outpourings of hate for NPR on the right.
Her response was to defend federal funding for NPR on the grounds that it was “insignificant.”
That finished my appreciation for the works of Ms. McArdle.
Why would anyone pay for the rope that’s being used to hang them?
She’s at the Washington Post now.
Probably has friends who work there.
I can see how Mongolia would want America's friendship while playing China and Russia off each other. But there is only so far Mongolia can go. America is not going to send its military to Mongolia if Mongolia riles China.
I still don't get the left's narrative regarding Russia aiding Donald Trump's political career. Much of the left became enthralled by Russia when Lenin and the communists took it over in 1917. More on the left became enamored by Soviet Russia under Stalin because the legitimacy of capitalism was questioned by many on the left during the Great Depression. Still more leftists felt sympathetic to the Soviets due to their sacrifices in World War Two. And younger leftists became sympathetic to the USSR during the Vietnam War and the guerrilla war in Nicaragua. The left only turned against Russia when it surrendered on the Cold War, relinquished its empire and then had the audacity to not bow before the homosexual lobby in Russia.
They were very pro-Russia during Obama’s first term too, only turned against during the 2016 presidential race, some old lefties never got the memo or were just too old to care to change their views (hence people like Chomsky, Oliver stone, and Jeffrey Sachs still have pro-Russia biases)
Russia lost popularity after it invaded Ukraine. It’s doing poorly now, using North Korean troops.
Trump had no luck approaching Putin.
Seems to me Steve kinda understands why we spend a small amount of money to us(but significant money to the recipients) on stupid things overseas. I’m guessing the DOGE people will miss the point. Of course, lefties during the great awokening took it too far messing things up for the rest of us.
The world is getting more conservative at present, so paying for woke silliness in other people's countries is not a good way to win friends and influence people in 2025.
Foreigners in countries that receive aid don’t care about woke. They care about the money we give them. You have to understand in most of these cultures almost everything we yammer about (I.e. corruption, good governance, civil rights, feminism, etc.) is irrelevant to them,
not just the crazy stuff. They’ll smile, nod and say nice things in agreement (most cultures are very polite) and do whatever they want with the money anyway. Very interesting topic, but in some ways, I think foreigners like woke in the West, makes them feel their cultures are better than the West despite the differences in material wealth.
Full disclosure: I live overseas and work in the development industry.
"On the other hand, there’s the least wussy country of all: Mongolia, which is extraordinarily proud of its home-grown genocidal maniac, Genghis Khan:"
Libel!!!!!
I'm as ignorant of history as the next guy, but I see him as just a great empire builder. He wasn't out to destroy any specific races. He gave them options, surrender and participate in the benefits of empire, or be made an example for future psychological warfare campaigns.
I would never be so crass as to do any research on the matter, but it is my firm opinion that for the overwhelming majority of regular folks, the Pax Mongolica was far far better than the previous state of affairs. We've been propagandized against empires since the American revolution. Fucking 'Star Wars'! Wake up sheeple!
“Psychological warfare campaigns?”
That’s an interesting take.
The mongols claimed they killed 200,000 when they sacked Baghdad. The Muslim sources say a million or two.
That’s going to require more than an appointment with one’s therapist.
And that’s just one city.
shoulda surrendered...what did the next city do?
It surprises me how completely the Mongolians rolled back without a trace despite leaving a large Y-chromosomal footprint. Apparently the pastoralists don't have a lot to offer the farmers.
Their empire fell apart rather quickly. I think it was divided among heirs first. The mongolians themselves perhaps didn't bother populating the conquered areas and maybe only sent administrators and soldiers for a while...I would need to read more about it. Is Mongolia even where the Mongols were all originally from? Weren't they Steppe people? Is Mongolia part of the Steppe? My ignorance could fill a wikipedia article. ChatGPT says yes Ghengis was born in what is now Mongolia
Yeah, so, no. Something like 40 million people died during his conquests, and his empire fell apart straight after he died. So basically no benefits unless you are an extreme animal rights person who supports depopulation.
"So basically no benefits unless you are an extreme animal rights person who supports depopulation."
Virgins with pots of gold on their heads were doubtless grateful though, so there's that.
One theory is that the brief Pax Mongolica, when it became feasible for adventurous Europeans like Marco Polo to travel the inland Silk Route all the way to the China, brought back to Europe key Chinese inventions like gunpowder, the compass, and paper. But I haven't followed that debate since the 1970s.
and the black death?
The 40 million chose to die. That it fell apart prematurely is a shame but while it lasted the benefits were clear. If it had made it a proper 500 hundred years it would have meant much improved lives for way more than 40 million (if that is the number)
USAID is a bottom feeder in a Swamp of bottom feeders. It should be shutdown completely and what little it does that helps the US folded directly into the State Department. See @mikebenzcyber on X for details.
One good thing about Mongolia is Mongolian Beef. Easy to make and delicious to eat.
It's only authentic if the sweat from Mongolian line cooks drips into it. I'm surprised Tyler Cowen hasn't organized an airlift to Fairfax County.
I've yet to hear an explanation of what Russia could have done for Trump in 2016 that he couldn't do himself, besides publishing Hillary's pay to play emails.
In truth the US doesn’t have to spend very much or work very hard given how superb its popular culture is.
For sure there are exceptions - European soccer teams and Latin music - but literally everyone outside North Sentinel Island is exposed to some aspect of American culture.
I’m not a rabid Plan Truster, but what I’ve assumed Trump is doing is gaining a huge domestic victory by cutting the Gordian Knot and disrupting the Dem patronage network that was hiding in plain sight, and then the worthwhile stuff can get turned back on via negotiations -i.e, he’ll get something in return and also be able to trumpet what he’s done for our allies, science, medicine, etc. He’s got a plethora of these bargaining chips in his pocket now.
So, maybe Mongolia gets back on the gravy train but his base doesn’t get wound up because we’re not funding studies on The Hermeneutics of Gay Cryptorchidism or whatever.
I don’t get the frickin Gaza thing, though.
"Underneath would be a picture of a Cubist horse strangling on a banana." Tom Wolfe always puts it right where it stings the most.
If you haven't read it lately, revisit a special socialist evening in NYC. Tom Wolfe was there. He published his observations in New York Magazine, June 8, 1970. > > > Radical Chic: That Party at Lenny’s “It’s a tricky business, integrating new politics with tried and true social motifs.” https://nymag.com/article/tom-wolfe-radical-chic-that-party-at-lennys.html