Editor’s note: The views expressed by guest columnists are not necessarily those of The Costa Rica Star, its advertisers, or its staff.

No sooner does the United Nations vote 128 to 9 objecting to President Donald Trump’s decision to finally recognize Jerusalem as the true capitol of Israel and move the U.S. Embassy there, the president cuts $285-million from the annual UN membership fee of which the U.S. is the largest contributor. Good move Mr. President.

Announcing this decision was U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley who did not mince words in explaining why the cuts were being made. She cited that it was no secret about the U.N.’s “inefficiency and overspending” plus she firmly stated she and President Trump would not allow “the generosity of the American people be taken advantage of.” Haley also indicated additional USA — UN cuts would be forthcoming.

Costa Rica along with 127 other nations voted to oppose President Trump’s decision and why that is depends on who you ask. This non-binding vote was more or less a waste of time and nothing more than taking a shot at President Trump and his foreign policies. Costa Rica did not help itself by siding with the group and this small, amazingly beautiful country may see a cut in annual USA financial aid which totaled about $15-million for 2016, according to the official U.S. foreign aid website — usaid.gov. Like it or not, this is how President Trump works.

Guatemala was one of the nine counties that sided with the USA, but as of this week “at least 10 counties” that voted against President Trump’s decision are now negotiating with Israeli officials to also move their embassies from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, according to Al Jazeera Radio News as reported in Real Clear Politics. Currently there are about 86 counties with embassies in Tel Aviv, according to Wikipedia.

Israel’s deputy-foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely said — the day after Guatemala announced their intention of moving their embassy to Jerusalem – “So far we have only seen the beginning” adding that Trump’s decision would “trigger a wave” of followers. Hotovely did not release the names of the 10 counties but she did say some are in Europe.

Leave it up to President Trump to get the ball rolling. Embassy Row is coming to Jerusalem with a new U.S. Embassy front and center. With this president it’s evident that business as usual — in the Middle East or anywhere else for that matter – is over. Look what business as usual has produced in the ongoing Israeli – Palestinian conflict. They are still fighting. President Trump’s decision has touched off a series of protests in Jerusalem and in surrounding Muslim countries.

One of the best things to come out of this flare up of UN and USA relations is the media focus upon 45-year-old U.N. Ambassador Haley. She is demonstrating strength and courage when speaking before the United Nations in New York City and she’s getting noticed as a potential secretary-of-state candidate and other higher political offices. She has an impressive resume and is a shining star with a bright future in elected politics. She was born in South Carolina and is a Christian. She rose up thru the ranks of the South Carolina State House and resigned as governor to become Trump’s U.N. Ambassador. Her Sikh parents are first-generation immigrants from India, according to her biography.

The entire concept of the USA giving away foreign financial aid to more than 100 countries is unpopular with the general voting public as evidenced by opinion polls taken over the past several years. However, it is popular with the U.S. Congress and recent past presidents. Currently the USA gives away about $50-billion annually, which represents about 1-percent of the USA’s budget.

Without naming individual countries, many foreign governments that absolutely hate the USA receive foreign aid from the USA regardless of their politics something that President Trump is rightly calling into question. Without question President Trump would have every right to suspend the entire foreign aid program, cancel all payments for 2018 and require each country to reapply. By doing so President Trump should weed out those counties that demonstrate a hate for America. Plus the USA gives foreign aid to wealthy counties that don’t need it. It’s frightful to think just how much of this foreign aid is pilfered, misappropriated or just plain old embezzled.

On the president’s ‘to do’ list for 2018 is welfare reform – what the USA gives its own citizens in the form of financial aid. Simply stated it’s time to weed out the able-bodied freeloaders that remain on welfare and food stamps endlessly and put them to work. Under President Trump the USA should no longer be ‘sugar daddy’ to the rest of the world.

 

About the Author Britt Nelson relocated to Costa Rica in 2011 from Florida, where he served as news editor for the Palatka Daily News, a newspaper owned by the New York Times Regional Newspaper Group (NYT-RNG) for 20 years.

Nelson served the NYT-RNG for 18 years in Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina and Florida as a correspondent, reporter, staff writer, senior staff writer training new reporters, copy editor, page designer, editorial writer, editorial page editor and editorial board member.