President Obama Goes to Indonesia, U.S. Taxpayers Foot Anti-Development Funding

FAIRFAX, Va., Nov. 8, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As President Obama continues his 10-day Asian tour this week, Frontiers of Freedom President George Landrith issued the following statement today, imploring the president to rethink the "assistance" he intends to offer Indonesia in the form of aid money from the U.S. Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC):

"Scared from last week's elections, President Obama has quickly skipped away from the capital this week to attend two Asian economic summits in South Korea and Japan. But on his way there, he will make a stop in Indonesia, where he is expected to announce that the MCC will pledge some of the $700 million it has already allotted to Indonesia to purportedly help the nation meet its environmental and economic goals. This benevolence, however, is simply a facade. With $7.4 billion already dispersed from MCC's coffers worldwide since 2004, this diversion of funds simply does not fit the agency's bill.

"During the first stop of his trip in India this past weekend, the president spoke in support of advancing economic growth and increasing living standards in the developing world. But his intentions for Indonesia would have the opposite effect. For example, MCC aid money will be slated for ceasing deforestation; that's an assault on the livelihoods of millions of Indonesians. And this misguided charity will destroy key sectors of Indonesia's economy, namely forestry and agriculture. In addition, this supposed helping-hand is being extended at the same time the U.S. is imposing tariffs and duties on Indonesia's most widely-traded products.

"The president's plan to use this aid funding to coerce Indonesia to limit commercial forestry and reduce emissions goes beyond the scope of MCC's mission, too. The agency was created to fund programs that reduce poverty and foster economic development. Expending MCC funds like this, though, not only damages Indonesia's leading exports, but also is a severe misuse of U.S. taxpayer money.

"The president believes that U.S. taxpayer monies are better spent restricting a developing nation's trade than solving problems at home. It appears that the president has yet to learn one of the main lessons that should have been clearly derived from the mid-term election results, namely, if your policies kill jobs and sour economic growth, then don't expect a warm reception. Hopefully Indonesia reacts the same way to the president's MCC offer.

"Diverting MCC funding away from its stated goals and towards objectives championed by Western environmental activists will not only restrict the ability of Indonesia's businesses to compete in the global marketplace, but also thwart opportunities for Indonesia's labor force to engage in the sustainable management of natural resources. Our government should not be funding the goals of 'green' organizations, but rather the development of industries and enterprises that will provide a more secure economic future for Indonesia's families.

"Frontiers of Freedom urges President Obama to continue carrying the pro-growth messages he relayed in India onto Indonesia. His use of government agencies like MCC to impose ideological views, and those shared by his environmental supporters, on developing nations is ill-advised. Furthermore, President Obama's stimulus and attempts to pass environmental legislation have rightfully failed here in America. Let us all hope the president does not try to inflict the same sort of damage on Indonesia's people and economy under the guise of international aid. The poor in other countries should now not have to live with these bad policies."

SOURCE Frontiers of Freedom