Just the deaths of hundreds of thousands, nothing to see here.
estearum · 2026-10-27 17:05:00 UTC
Really hard to see how someone who wasn't even part of the executive could possibly enjoy executive immunity. Welp into the wood chipper!
such a bummer /s
asadm · 2026-10-27 17:06:39 UTC
USAID was cancer to the countries it operated in. Good riddance.
ck2 · 2026-10-27 17:10:48 UTC
just a reminder that tons and tons of food and medication that was ALREADY PAID FOR
was purposely left to rot in warehouses instead of being distributed
six months ago the NY Times documented half a million deaths attributable to the destruction of USAID
by now it's easily a million, slow-motion murdered
may you never suffer to death like those million that could have been spared
WillPostForFood · 2026-10-27 17:19:24 UTC
NY Times has done no reporting substantiating the claim the hundreds of thousands have died. They have published an OpEd piece and have reported a memo by a USAID employee how was upset about being fired. It is all models and unsubstantiated claims.
scottLobster · 2026-10-27 17:14:14 UTC
And DOGE decided to deal with that cancer by blasting it with a shotgun and leaving the patient to bleed out
orwin · 2026-10-27 17:15:12 UTC
USAID was a vehicle for US intelligence. That said, it also helped a lot where it operated. Especially helped logistics and local administration tasks for NGOs which could be extremely bad at those two tasks.
Also USAID existing prevented NGOs to have too much local political power and the corruption that goes with it.
My opinion is that overall, USAID was a net positive, although in some specific cases it wasn't.
cowlevel · 2026-10-27 17:28:06 UTC
> USAID was a vehicle for US intelligence. That said, it also helped a lot where it operated.
This reminds me of the standard USA tech startup model, where you do something useful to get the users, while secretly exploiting them.
blltprfmnk · 2026-10-27 17:28:40 UTC
USAID was absolutely a net positive and if nothing else its elimination has completely ceded almost all soft power to China and Russia, something that will have repercussions for decades to come.
goodluckchuck · 2026-10-27 17:06:51 UTC
The executive power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America.
This is appalling to think career appointees are trying to override the democratically elected president. USAID, etc., have zero constitutional independence or authority, and cannot be granted any by the legislature, except only as an agent of the executive.
imzadi · 2026-10-27 17:17:53 UTC
Interesting to see how USAID in the title is like the bat signal for scumbags
apercu · 2026-10-27 17:21:53 UTC
Some of y’all need to stop reading 4chan in your moms basement.
paul7986 · 2026-10-27 17:22:23 UTC
omg have the political bots been directed at Hacker News. WTH?
cowlevel · 2026-10-27 17:27:20 UTC
Have been for years.
seany · 2026-10-27 17:30:38 UTC
This type of strategy is almost the only way to get rid of these kinds of agencies. You'd end up with a million raodblocks being tossed up if you tried it any other way.
Comments
such a bummer /s
was purposely left to rot in warehouses instead of being distributed
six months ago the NY Times documented half a million deaths attributable to the destruction of USAID
by now it's easily a million, slow-motion murdered
may you never suffer to death like those million that could have been spared
Also USAID existing prevented NGOs to have too much local political power and the corruption that goes with it.
My opinion is that overall, USAID was a net positive, although in some specific cases it wasn't.
This reminds me of the standard USA tech startup model, where you do something useful to get the users, while secretly exploiting them.
This is appalling to think career appointees are trying to override the democratically elected president. USAID, etc., have zero constitutional independence or authority, and cannot be granted any by the legislature, except only as an agent of the executive.