The Biden administration on Tuesday called for a further $38 billion dollars for aid to Ukraine.
This comes after a missile thought to have been used by the Russians struck Poland, killing two Polish farmers.
It was later discovered that the missile was Ukrainian, although Ukraine has yet to accept responsibility.
While the story was trending on social media and fervor for Ukrainian support in the midst of high Russian aggression, no one was quick to admit or correct the mistake.
If approved, the measure would bring the total of United States support to $104 billion in under a year, according to a Defense News report.
“We are urging the Congress to provide additional appropriations to ensure Ukraine has the funding, weapons and support it needs to defend itself and that vulnerable people continue to receive lifesaving aid,” Office of Management and Budget Director Shalanda Young wrote to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
The $104 billion total Ukraine funding this year would cost almost $700 per taxpayer — in a year when taxpayers have already been plagued by soaring inflation and high prices.
For the roughly 150 million taxpayers in the United States, it seems impossible to catch a break.
Twelve conservative groups on Tuesday sent a letter to Pelosi and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy urging them not to approve the spending package.
The group includes the Heritage Foundation, America First Policy Institute and Concerned Veterans for America.
“It would be a colossal mistake for congressional leaders to use this lame-duck session to fast-track yet another massive aid package to Ukraine as the United States faces historic inflation and a $31 trillion national debt,” Concerned Veterans for America deputy director John Byrnes said in a statement.
He continued, the U.S. “should not continue to write a blank check to Ukraine.”
The $31 trillion national debt figure has only continued to balloon as the government spends at a seemingly breakneck pace and increases taxes on middle-class Americans.
Income taxes rates have risen by 42 billion from 2018 to 2019 with the wealthiest individuals paying at an over 25 percent rate and the top five percent paying at over 17 percent, according to the Tax Foundation.
“In 2019, the top 1 percent of taxpayers accounted for more income taxes paid than the bottom 90 percent combined. The top 1 percent of taxpayers paid $612 billion in income taxes while the bottom 90 percent paid $461 billion in income taxes.”
These costs that impact the highest earners then in turn hurt everyday Americans through higher prices, layoffs, automation in some sectors and other cost-cutting measures.
Thomas Sowell said it best when he said, “The fatal attraction of government is that it allows busybodies to impose decisions on others without paying any price themselves. That enables them to act as if there were no price, even when there are ruinous prices — paid by others.”
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
