Question

In 2018, U.S. President Donald Trump proposed a 33% cut in the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) budget for the upcoming fiscal year, which would have reduced USAID spending in 2019 to $16.8 billion. His total proposed 2019 budget for the U.S. federal government was $4.4 trillion. There are many ways one can use to develop a sense of scale to explain the magnitude of foreign aid spending. Which of the following would not be helpful?
It would not help to compare the U.S. federal budget this year to previous years.
Compare foreign aid spending this year to previous years. think about the ratio of foreign aid to the total U.S.
Federal budget. think about the U.S.
Federal budget per person and foreign aid per person.

Answer 1

Answer:

It would not help to compare the U.S. federal budget this year to previous years.

Explanation:

a) Data and Calculations:

Proposed cut in USAID for the upcoming fiscal year of 2019 = 33%

USAID spending in 2019 = $16.8 billion

This would have been $16.8 billion/67% = $25.07 without the proposed cut.

Ratio of actual 2019 USAID spending to the 2019 budget = $16.8 billion/$4.4 trillion = 0.038 or 4%

b) Comparing the U.S. federal budget this year to previous years' is not relevant to the issue of foreign aid spending.  Instead, the comparison should concentrate on issues connected to foreign aid.