Blog Stage Five: Original editorial or commentary #1

     In his article “This Common Argument for U.S Foreign Aid is Actually Quite Xenophobic” posted in The Washington Post on March 31, 2017, William Easterly discusses the changes made to the U.S. foreign aid policy by first stating that “President Trump’s proposed budget includes steep cuts in foreign assistance.” The argument for foreign aid helped increase, then sustain the U.S. foreign aid budget after 9/11, (the annual U.S. aid increased from $8 billion before 9/11 to $18 billion after 9/11) unfortunately the continued reliance on the argument has left the foreign aid vulnerable to deep cuts. One of the reasoning’s from Easterly is that “the link from aid to counter-terrorism never had any evidence behind it.” Another one of Easterly’s reasoning’s is that “…the argument falsely generalized that the nationals of the poorest countries were prone to terrorism…” which he felt “…contributed to today’s toxic xenophobia toward refugees and migrants….” When I first read the title for William Easterly’s article I was set to disagree with him, but as I read his article I started realizing how much sense it made. I completely agree with Easterly’s article, most arguments that support foreign aid promote terrible images of immigrants. Easterly ends his article with a thought that I feel could only exist in a perfect world, “Let’s transcend our pettier squabbles about aid to come together in affirming the equal dignity and worth of all persons, regardless of religion, income level or nation of origin.” Unfortunately, fear sells better than equality, and that’s why immigrants will always be seen as enemies.  

Blog Stage Four: Substantial commentary or criticism #2

     In his article “The Conservative Guide to Impeaching Trump: ChristianSchneider” posted in USA Today on March 17, 2017, Christian Schneider discusses Paul Ryan’s plan the, American Health Care Act, and tries to use it as a reason to impeach Trump. Christian Schneider goes on to call the plan, ‘a sponge for negative reviews’ that Steve Bannon, who serves as both Trump’s chief strategist and head of Breitbart.com was ‘working to undermine the speaker (Paul Ryan) as soon as the plan dropped, Steve Bannon has had it out for Paul Ryan and even went as far to say that his goal was to have Paul Ryan “gone by spring” back in December 2015. Schneider calls this a stab in the back for Paul Ryan, and because of this betrayal Trump should be impeached. There’s probably many reasons why Trump should be impeached but I believe that this alone is not a good enough reason. I do agree that this is a stab in the back for Paul Ryan but based on what I read from Christian Schneider’s article, Trump was in no way involved in this situation. The only one I see who did any kind of betrayal is Steve Bannon, perhaps the reason Christian Schneider thinks this is a good enough reason to impeach Trump is because Steve Bannon and Paul Ryan work closely with Trump, either that or Christian Schneider needs to make his reason a little more clearer. I personally wouldn’t consider myself a Trump supporter but I don’t see this as a good enough reason for impeachment.