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    U.S. Taxes Subsidize Ukrainian Small Businesses as Americans Continue to Struggle

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    A latest 60 Minutes spot meant to focus on what the American tax {dollars} are paying for in Ukraine uncovered some particulars that had been probably unknown to most residents. We’ve all learn, and I’ve extensively reported on, the copious quantities of {dollars} despatched to Ukraine centered on army gear and coaching.

    However what wanted to be extra extensively recognized was the sum of money used on nonmilitary “support” for Ukraine. Cash that’s rightfully that of the American taxpayer. 

    It appears solely honest to shine a brilliant gentle on this new data; in spite of everything, each law-abiding tax-paying citizen has a proper to know what their hard-earned money is funding. Let’s dive into the small print behind this “righteous” warfare effort.

    Paying Ukrainian payments

    Along with the huge quantities of army support our legislators have shoveled to Ukraine in what’s approaching the third yr of the proxy warfare towards Russia, 60 Minutes found that we’ve additionally been paying for nonmilitary gadgets. For instance, the US authorities has been buying seeds and fertilizer for Ukrainian farmers.

    Moreover, your tax {dollars} are getting used to pay for the salaries of Ukraine’s complete first responder workforce, which sits at about 57,000 Ukrainians. We additionally pay the wages of the divers who clear unexploded ammunition from rivers and lakes.

    My favourite nugget, nevertheless, as a former small enterprise proprietor who needed to shut down store earlier this yr because of the economic system, was that the US authorities has used my tax {dollars} to subsidize Ukrainian small companies. In complete, the US has despatched simply shy of $25 billion on this kind of nonmilitary support to Ukraine.

    Throughout the episode 60 Minutes reporter Holly Williams linked up with Senator Lindsey Graham throughout his go to to Ukraine to ask what he says to Individuals fearful about the price of this warfare.

    Senator Graham said:

    “Individuals ask me, ‘Is it value it?’ Right here’s what we’ve gotten for our funding. We haven’t misplaced one soldier. We diminished the fight energy of the Russian military by 50%, and never one in all us has died within the endeavor. It is a nice deal for America.”

    Let’s discuss investing and offers for a spell.

    RELATED: Pentagon Exempts Aid To Ukraine From Potential Government Shutdown, Sparking Outrage From People Who Put America First

    The place’s my nice deal?

    The cruel actuality of the American dream at this time is that for many of us, it would stay a dream. With the ability to purchase a house, present for your loved ones, perhaps even create some impartial generational wealth by means of entrepreneurial endeavors, and retire comfortably was what American desires had been made from.

    Now, most of us are blissful to interrupt even every month and hope that we are able to hold that pattern going. A whopping 61% of Individuals are at the moment living paycheck-to-paycheck 

    Of these residing from one pay interval to the following, 8 in 10 who earn lower than $50,000 a yr can not cowl future payments. Maintain onto your hats, reader, as a result of 4 in 10 incomes over $100,000 a yr are in the identical boat.

    RELATED: Ukraine’s Zelenskyy Pulls the ‘Climate Change’ Card in Bid for More Cash At the U.N.

    Let’s break down some extra particular numbers. In keeping with the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median pay on this nation is $4,766 a month earlier than taxes.

    The BLS breaks down the common of obligatory month-to-month prices as follows:

    • $1,510 for one-bedroom hire
    • $690 for meals
    • $900 for transportation bills
    • $450 for well being care

    That signifies that in a month, the median obligatory bills for a U.S. taxpayer is $3,550. That’s not quite a lot of leftover cheddar from that paycheck that also wants taxes taken out to ship to Ukrainian farmer Bob for seeds.

    Insult to harm

    It’s the final week of September, which suggests speak of presidency shutdown. Every year, we undergo this similar track and dance the place the left and the proper can’t come collectively to move a funds, and everybody wigs out a few authorities shutdown.

    I used to be within the army for 2 sizeable shutdowns. In 2013, I used to be deployed abroad when the 17-day shutdown occurred.

    Navy flights had been curtailed, many operations shut down, and even army member’s pay was delayed because of the shutdown. I skilled the same shutdown in 2019, however army pay wasn’t touched that point.

    RELATED: J.D. Vance Accuses Ukraine Of Holding American Journalist Hostage While Biden Seeks To Send Them Billions More

    The Pentagon can carve out particular tasks to make them exempt from a authorities shutdown, they usually have announced that within the occasion of such a shuttering of the federal authorities operations that help to Ukraine will proceed. Whereas I usually agree that our authorities is bloated and will use to trim the fats, a authorities shutdown impacts a bunch not usually talked about – small enterprise homeowners.

    That’s proper, within the occasion of a authorities shutdown, small enterprise loans come to a halt, and small companies which have authorities purchasers lose enterprise. So, whereas Ukrainian operations proceed and Ukrainian small companies obtain American subsidies, it’s the American small enterprise proprietor who faces doable and possible extinction.

    America final, as all the time

    I at the moment personal a house and help my husband and two kiddos. I additionally turned part of the sandwich era this yr that took in my dad and mom after my dad obtained a life-altering medical prognosis that requires 24/7 care. 

    The numbers from the BLS are alarming however pale in comparison with what households like mine face each day. Final month’s groceries value me simply over $1,700. 

    My mortgage is $3,450 a month. I spend slightly below $1,000 for transportation-related bills (gasoline, automobile upkeep, tolls, and so forth.), and my common obligatory payments value simply over $800 (electrical, water, gasoline, and so forth.). I obtain a pension from my time within the service, and each my husband and I obtain incapacity from our time in as properly. 

    When all is alleged and achieved, these bills depart us in a considerably higher place than most, with $1,550 for emergencies, financial savings, and discretionary spending. Sadly, our small artwork enterprise was costing us greater than it was making as a result of whereas my husband is a superb artist, artwork isn’t one thing Individuals residing paycheck to paycheck need to spend their cash on. 

    And so, like many Individuals, we needed to put a pin in our American dream, and I’ve needed to come out of retirement to search for a salaried job. However I ought to sleep higher at night time realizing that my tax {dollars} pay the salaries of Ukrainian EMTs and assist enhance Ukrainian entrepreneurs. 

    Now could be the time to help and share the sources you belief.
    The Political Insider ranks #3 on Feedspot’s “100 Greatest Political Blogs and Web sites.”





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