Tommy Tuberville Called Out For Pushing 1 Of The ‘Oldest False Choices’ In Politics | EUROtoday

Tom Nichols, a employees author for The Atlantic, knocked Sen. Tommy Tuberville on Wednesday over the Alabama Republican’s claims in opposition to sending army help to Ukraine for its battle in opposition to Russia.

“This is one of the oldest false choices in American politics, this is something that happens every four years. ‘If only we weren’t spending the money here, we’d be spending the money there,’” Nichols mentioned in an look on MSNBC.

He later added, “First of all, Americans need to understand that foreign aid is actually money spent in the United States.”

MSNBC’s Katy Tur, in her interview with Nichols, famous that President-elect Donald Trump and his allies have claimed that the U.S. ought to deal with “problems at home” as an alternative of funding wars just like the one in Ukraine.

She went on to ask if the U.S. would redirect cash to welfare packages, Social Security, Medicaid, a baby tax credit score or paid parental depart ought to it not present help to Ukraine or Israel.

Nichols, who appeared on MSNBC after Trump tapped retired Gen. Keith Kellogg to function a particular envoy to Ukraine and Russia on Wednesday, referred to Tuberville’s latest remark complaining about help to Ukraine, the place he seemingly confused the U.S. with Russia.

“[He’s] apparently unaware that many of the weapons that are bought and sent to Ukraine are made in Alabama,” Nichols mentioned.

“People don’t realize that most of American foreign aid, which is less than 1% of our budget, is spent in the United States on American workers for American products,” he continued. “And the idea that you can simply say, ‘Well, things happening in other parts of the world will never affect us,’ is foolish and shortsighted.”

Nichols mentioned one of many “myths” in regards to the battle is that the U.S. “can’t afford to keep” sending weapons and cash to Ukraine.

He famous that about 5% of the U.S. protection finances has “destroyed about half” of Russia’s army functionality within the battle.

“This isn’t costing us that much money, that’s an old saw,” Nichols mentioned, including that conservatives used to argue that the U.S. has “plenty of money for guns and butter.”