Why the silence from the developing countries that lost USAID funding? Well we know why - because all that work we did on thinking and working politically was largely ignored!. Instead of us directing USAID to build alliances with influential constituencies in developing countries we built all our alliances with grant recipients. So the grant recipients went the same way as USAID staff anf contractors. If we had alliances with influential constituencies in developing countries they would lobby their heads of state and we would hear push back. AND, Trump responds to lobbying - see how quick he changed course on a call from the auto industry. We dont deserve this - but we are guilty of failing to work politically and now we know the consequences!
The process that's begun logically only ends at zero US foreign assistance. There might be a temporary carve out for assistance that can be defended, justified, and explained. But the people who run the federal government now and their complicit allies in Congress do not play defense and they do not have a plan for building anything new. The just tear down. They do not build, even to repair the damage they themselves caused.
Excellent excellent piece! Can’t wait for more Auth insights!
Why the silence from the developing countries that lost USAID funding? Well we know why - because all that work we did on thinking and working politically was largely ignored!. Instead of us directing USAID to build alliances with influential constituencies in developing countries we built all our alliances with grant recipients. So the grant recipients went the same way as USAID staff anf contractors. If we had alliances with influential constituencies in developing countries they would lobby their heads of state and we would hear push back. AND, Trump responds to lobbying - see how quick he changed course on a call from the auto industry. We dont deserve this - but we are guilty of failing to work politically and now we know the consequences!
The process that's begun logically only ends at zero US foreign assistance. There might be a temporary carve out for assistance that can be defended, justified, and explained. But the people who run the federal government now and their complicit allies in Congress do not play defense and they do not have a plan for building anything new. The just tear down. They do not build, even to repair the damage they themselves caused.