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Biden’s Strategy for Winning the Next Election: Billions to Community Organizations
If you’re looking to predict the outcome of the next presidential election, don’t put all your trust in opinion polls. Instead, consider the billions of taxpayer dollars that President Joe Biden is funneling into community organizations in disadvantaged communities, a clear tactic to sway the results in his favour.
Following in Obama’s Footsteps
Remember the community organizer who journeyed from Chicago streets to the Oval Office? Yes, Barack Obama. He was a master of machine politics, adept in leveraging federal tax dollars to bolster community organizations – essentially left-leaning non-profits – and turning them into potent political tools. Now, Biden is not just following in Obama’s footsteps, he is scaling them up, pumping in billions compared with Obama’s millions.
Case in Point: The Climate Justice Alliance
Take for example the recent discovery made by Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.). In December 2023, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded a $50 million “environmental justice” grant to the Climate Justice Alliance. This alliance, while calling for climate justice, has a broader agenda that includes fighting political oppression and promoting the cause of a ‘free Palestine’. Disturbingly, their environmental solutions have race, gender, and class at their core.
But the $50 million earmarked for the Climate Justice Alliance is just the tip of the iceberg.
The Wider Picture: Billions in Government Grants
Had lawmakers studied the Inflation Reduction Act more closely before passing it, they would have discovered that the act allocates $2.8 billion to the EPA for ‘environmental and climate justice block grants’. This essentially provides the means to distribute funds to political activists, effectively turning them into political machines for the administration.
One such organization is the New York Immigration Coalition, described as a coalition of immigrant and refugee organizations advocating for government services. Similarly, the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice, another recipient, makes zero mentions of ‘climate’ or ‘environment’ in its communication materials.
What is the Funds Really for?
While legislators might presume these funds are meant for climate and environmental improvements, the fine print tells another story. The wording within the Inflation Reduction Act permits the funds to be used for ‘facilitating engagement of marginalized communities in local, state, and federal public processes, such as advisory groups, workshops, rule makings’; in simpler terms, these funds could potentially be used to mobilize support during election periods.
Who Can Avail These Funds?
The EPA seems keen on reducing the burden of securing these grants for small, resource-strapped community-based organizations supporting marginalized populations. In gist, the process is fairly simple and straightforward. The only catch — the money can either go to disadvantaged communities or southern border towns. The latter is an interesting add-on, possibly aimed at bolstering support in towns overwhelmed by migrant influx and divided over Biden’s immigration policies.
A Repeat of Past Tactics?
This isn’t a new tactic. We’ve seen it before when the Affordable Care Act empowered the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to distribute ‘community transformation grants’. Community Health Councils, a typical recipient of such grants, used these funds for various activities, including voter engagement and various political causes, proving yet again that such grants can be used for more than their publicly stated purpose.
Call for Greater Congressional Oversight
As we head towards another presidential election, calls are growing for greater oversight in the use of these grants. It is time for Congress to read the fine print, understand the ramifications of these provisions and put an end to what can, at best, be described as an attempt at tilting a democratic process.
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