'Biden is the fool calling the play as $6billion in oil revenue is handed to Iran'

When my brother was young, he went shopping with my dad. My dad gave cash to my brother and let him pay. When the change was handed back to him, he looked at the little donation box next to the register with the picture of hungry children on it and dropped the change in. My dad replied with, “Wow – you are sure generous with MY money”.  

Perhaps that’s a bit how the American people feel these days – but on a much larger scale.

President Biden is increasingly generous with money that is not his. The money he is spending belongs to the American people and he and this administration have been entrusted to be good stewards of it. 

Every dollar should be spent with the priorities of the taxpayer in mind.  In line with what they value and desire, not funding a far-left agenda which doesn’t benefit the average American - and, in fact, is making life more expensive, more dangerous, and is helping our enemies.

If every dollar spent had to receive approval from the American people, the spending habits of this nation would look entirely different. The budget would balance – because it would have to.  The priorities would be in alignment with those of the American people, and government would work for and with, not against, the economic engine of the nation – the private sector.

Instead, the Biden administration continues to spend as if writing a check means there’s money in the bank to pay for it.  Have they seen the national debt?  Do they realize they are spending the US into a financial deficit which will be incredibly difficult, if not impossible, to recover from?

Yet the wild and reckless spending spree continues – in ways that are foolish and beyond explanation.  The latest involves the State Department announcing they are giving Iran access to $6 Billion in oil revenue that had been previously blocked and now is being used as part of a prisoner swap. 

Even though they are an enemy of America, Secretary of State Blinken says not to worry because the money can only be spent on food, medicine, and humanitarian items.  So, I’m sure they will be men of their word and not use any of it on their nuclear program - right?  

And rewarding the Iranians with $6 Billion to release five prisoners wouldn’t possibly incentivize Iran to detain other American citizens in the future - right?

Justifiably, Republicans in Congress have called this decision “ridiculous”, claiming we have been “blackmailed into paying $6B for hostages” and said by doing so on 9/11 that it “desecrates this day”.  I think the majority of the American people would agree – not only on the foolishness of Biden’s decision, but on the reality that we cannot afford it. 

Yes, these are seized assets that belong to Iran and have been sanctioned, but we know that if Iran had seized assets of ours, they certainly wouldn’t be returning them.  We’re being played for fools.  Everyone knows it – except the fools calling the plays.

Yet Biden and company spend on.

And what about illegal immigrants and the countless ways in which they are taxing our system.  Our city streets are overrun with people who have crossed the border illegally and are stretching thin our police departments, social services, schools, and hospitals. 

They are redirecting resources away from our brave veterans who are struggling, and from Americans who are experiencing homelessness or are fighting mental illness. For every person we provide for who is here illegally, it is taking away assistance from an American who needs help and support.  And providing services and support only incentivizes more people to come illegally.

In New York, Mayor Adams ordered all city agencies to slash their budgets by five percent but has warned that number may rise to 15 percent to care for incoming illegal immigrants. Lawmakers in New York have indicated the only way out of this ballooning crisis is to raise taxes.

So that means there will be increasingly limited services provided for additional people, and residents will be paying more to get less. Again, if the American people got to vote on whether or not they wanted to spend their money this way, I imagine it would be a resounding NO.

Yet Biden and company spend on.

And then there’s funding for the war in Ukraine, which the American people, and even conservatives, are deeply divided on. Should we continue to give hard-earned money to a war that Biden has not clearly articulated? He hasn’t explained to the American people what success looks like or why this war is essential for US interests and must be won. 

There is a strong case to be made for backing Ukraine, and many people do want to support their fight for freedom and sovereignty. But the American people also want greater transparency by this administration and want to know that what Ukraine needs is being given to them, within reason. They want accountability to ensure the money and resources are going to the right place. America should help support Ukraine in winning the war though, not just resource a lengthy stalemate.

Americans are the most philanthropic people in the world and will continue to be so.  But even charitable people can reach their limit and Americans are fast approaching that line. They see Joe Biden being very generous - with their money – and are not happy with the ways he is spending it. 

Peggy Grande was executive assistant to Ronald Reagan and is author of “The President Will See You Now.”  She was Chair of World for Brexit and served as a political appointee in the Trump Administration. Peggy serves on the Board of Pepperdine School of Public Policy, and the Board of The Center for American Ideas.