Gross Misuse of Federal Taxpayers' Money for State Use

The oath mandated by the Constitution and pledged by members of Congress and all federal employees when assuming positions in Washington D.C:

"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God." ["So help me God" is optional]

Where in this oath does an elected legislator’s ability to take federal taxpayers’ money back to their home states — sarcastically but correctly labeled “pork” — for state matters and/or projects having absolutely nothing to do with the Constitution or federal issues exist? And where in this oath are unelected federal employees empowered to use federal money to assist or regulate state matters?

Nowhere.

The representatives are elected to the House of Representatives and the Senate to represent the residents of their states regarding federal issues. This mandate has been ignored for decades, but misuse of it has become so accepted as to have become the norm and it must be condemned and stopped.

And federal bureaucracies — like FEMA — massively misuse federal taxpayer money to remedy state problems.

Ponder why people in Nebraska (and the rest of the states) should financially bail out people in states who suffer floods, tornadoes, and hurricanes. When people buy or build homes and businesses next to rivers that flood or in hurricane or tornado zones, they (and the home insurance companies) know the risks, so responsibility for damage however sadly tragic should be theirs.

Private individuals and organizations properly may help with aid, but taxpayers have no choice in the matter. Plus, the buildings FEMA finances for “repair” are often over-improved to be worth more than when the damage occurred; just look at the FEMA re-built homes along the Jersey shore after “Sandy” for glaring examples.

Or consider a personally witnessed example: This writer has a friend with a cottage on the Delaware River. When her home was damaged, FEMA literally lifted the second floor entirely in one piece off the first — it was amazing to see the technical feat itself — redesigned, rebuilt, and upgraded the first floor with water underflow passageways to withstand flooding, set the second floor back on and repaired/upgraded that to “like-new,” installed a non-pre-existing elevator so her aged mother could visit more comfortably, and restored her patio and garden. The value of her property went from $350,000 to $1 million virtually overnight.

This happens all over the country with money forcibly taken from hard-working Americans in federal income taxes. When America bailed out Puerto Rico, everyone knew half the money stayed in politicians’ pockets down there, but we kept the “assistance” dollars flowing out of here and into down-there anyway.

Like so many federal agencies with unchecked power and money transfer abilities wielded by unelected bureaucrats, it’s overdue time to ask if FEMA (and most of the rest) should even exist.

Now, let’s look at Vermont for a few specific examples of using federal money to fund state issues by elected representatives who have taken the Oath: Everyone knows about Bernie Sanders, but a recently elected second-term House representative — Becca Balint — seems to be vying for the spotlight with not only her refusal to provide directly requested information to constituents but also sponsoring outrageous programs. She is singled out here not to expose her especially but because I have personal experience to provide typical congressional inattention to residents and just how far taxpayer money is being rolled out-of-hand from D.C. and into state hand-outs. I’ve repeatedly asked Ms. Balint’s staff head since last February for specifics regarding the number of Northern-border-crossing illegal migrants who have entered Vermont, how many are staying in Vermont and where, who is housing/feeding them, and with whose money.

I even asked Ms. Balint in person at a local town meeting months ago. She turned my questions back to the same staff head who continues to provide no answers.

Meanwhile she brings federal money to Vermont for various projects. The latest? She wants to help lonely people via a “Combating Loneliness Act.”

She hopes these programs will spread to other states, but are these types of programs the purview of any government and valid expenditures of taxpayer money? Here’s the crux of her program from her own official announcement:

This legislation will support the work being done at the community level to increase social connection and mental well-being for all Americans.

• Social infrastructure: This legislation invests in physical infrastructure that creates social connections such as playgrounds, community gardens, recreation areas, and bike lanes. This bill also bolsters our “third-spaces” such as libraries, recreation centers, veteran service organizations, and senior centers so that they can expand their services with a focus on social connection.
• Public health: Mental health care for communities and the health care workers who take care of us are both essential components of ending the loneliness crisis. The Combating Loneliness Act bolsters the community health workforce, reauthorizes the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics, funds mental health support groups, and encourages peer support workers. Additionally, this legislation creates new grants for mental health providers and extends pandemic-era programs that work to prevent burnout of healthcare providers.
• Youth mental health: The Combating Loneliness Act prioritizes youth mental health and social connection through increasing funding to existing mental health programs in schools, access to school-based health services and after-school programs.

It is critical the Combating Loneliness Act be implemented alongside other initiatives that promote stronger, healthier communities including universal health care, paid family leave for all, affordable housing and childcare options, and more.

Ms. Balint’s other “key issues” are informative because they also reflect characteristic progressive activist schemas for government interference and/or funding: balint.house.gov/

Wherever one lives, it is revealing to visit congresspeople’s websites.

Alexandra York is an author and founding president of the American Renaissance for the Twenty-first Century (ART) a New-York-City-based nonprofit educational arts and culture foundation. She has written for many publications, including "Reader's Digest" and The New York Times. She is the author of "Crosspoints A Novel of Choice." Her most recent book is "Soul Celebrations and Spiritual Snacks." For more on Alexandra York — Go Here Now.