The Law?

[Patriot123]

I just got into an argument with my father as to why America shouldn't be donating to Israel, or any country for that matter. Just any country in general. My argument was that despite the fact that it might be nice that we are donating to Israel, it's not what our founding fathers wanted, and it's against the constitution. Yes, we're Jewish. My father just stopped supporting Ron Paul because of this, because he doesn't like the fact that Ron Paul, "doesn't want to give aid to Israel," which I explained to him is not true. He just wants to stop foreign aid as it's against the constitution. He wants to see the exact law, or quote from our founding fathers.

So... Can anyone point out to me the law and/or advice (quotes) from our founding fathers or in the constitution (or Declaration of Independence, wherever it might be) which stated that we should not give foreign aid to other countries, get involved with entangling alliances, etcetera? I know it's somewhere... I just can't find it.

[bbachtung]

It is from Thomas Jefferson's First Inaugural Address:



Equal and exact justice to all men, of whatever state or persuasion, religious or political; peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations, entangling alliances with none.

http://www.bartleby.com/124/pres16.html

Similar sentiments are found in Washington's Farewell Address:



Observe good faith and justice towards all nations; cultivate peace and harmony with all.

***

In the execution of such a plan, nothing is more essential than that permanent, inveterate antipathies against particular nations, and passionate attachments for others, should be excluded; and that, in place of them, just and amicable feelings towards all should be cultivated. The nation which indulges towards another a habitual hatred or a habitual fondness is in some degree a slave. It is a slave to its animosity or to its affection, either of which is sufficient to lead it astray from its duty and its interest. Antipathy in one nation against another disposes each more readily to offer insult and injury, to lay hold of slight causes of umbrage, and to be haughty and intractable, when accidental or trifling occasions of dispute occur. Hence, frequent collisions, obstinate, envenomed, and bloody contests. The nation, prompted by ill-will and resentment, sometimes impels to war the government, contrary to the best calculations of policy.

***

So likewise, a passionate attachment of one nation for another produces a variety of evils. Sympathy for the favorite nation, facilitating the illusion of an imaginary common interest in cases where no real common interest exists, and infusing into one the enmities of the other, betrays the former into a participation in the quarrels and wars of the latter without adequate inducement or justification. It leads also to concessions to the favorite nation of privileges denied to others which is apt doubly to injure the nation making the concessions; by unnecessarily parting with what ought to have been retained, and by exciting jealousy, ill-will, and a disposition to retaliate, in the parties from whom equal privileges are withheld.

http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/washing.htm

Keep in mind that we (the U.S. government) give THREE TIMES as much money to Arab countries than we do to Israel in foreign aid, including military aircraft, etc. to Saudi Arabia.

Have him read this story about Jews in Israel who started up a Meet-up group in support of Ron Paul BECAUSE of his views on not making Israel dependent upon the U.S.: http://www.freemarketnews.com/WorldNews.asp?nid=50077

Finally, here is a pro-Israel writer talking about why Ron Paul might be wrong on foreign policy (according to the author), but he is not anti-Israel: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/rosnerBlog.jhtml?itemNo=921350&contrassID=25&subContrassID=0&sbSubContrassID=1&listSrc=Y&art=1

[1000-points-of-fright]

You probably won't find anything about foreign aid in the constitution. Therefore, it's unconstitutional.

10 Amendment - The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

[Patriot123]

Huh. You know, I honestly never knew that we gave three times as much to Saudi Arabia than we do to Israel. I thought it was the other way around, really. Huh. Anyway, thank you so much.

[noxagol]

Challenge him to show you where giving money to foreign nations is OK in the Constitution, he will fail because it is NOT OK.

[Unspun]

I don't see it in Article 1 Section 8 which is the part of the Constitution that delegates powers to the Congress. The very fact that it's not there dignifies that it is unConstitutional.

[Pete]

Some very good articles here:

http://zionistsforronpaul.blogspot.com/

[inibo]

ISo... Can anyone point out to me the law and/or advice (quotes) from our founding fathers or in the constitution (or Declaration of Independence, wherever it might be) which stated that we should not give foreign aid to other countries, get involved with entangling alliances, etcetera? I know it's somewhere... I just can't find it.

The better question is can you find anything in the constitution the authorizes the federal government to give aid to any country? Then remind yourself that

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

Amendment X (http://www.constitutioncenter.org/constitution/details_explanation.php?link=157&const=17_amd_10)

[Enzo]

Huh. You know, I honestly never knew that we gave three times as much to Saudi Arabia than we do to Israel. I thought it was the other way around, really. Huh. Anyway, thank you so much.


We don't. Israel has been the greatest SINGLE recipient of US foreign and military aid for years. (Iraq is now, by far, the greatest single recipient of US foreign aid) Peru actually receives more US foreign aid that Saudi Arabia does.

I think what bbachtung is saying... is that Arab countries COMBINED... account for a larger amount of aid than Israel alone. When you take into account Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, etc..

Also, keep in mind that most of the aid to the Arab countries is aimed at counter balancing all the money thrown at Israel. Just ends up costing you and I more and more every year.

Most certainly... the greatest financial burden placed on the US taxpayer right now, (in the form of foreign aid) is the Arab country of Iraq.