Credit to simpliticus for mentioning the story in the Question for Libertarians thread.

http://www.theroot.com/buzz/republic...ocks-aid-haiti

This isnt the first time he has used loopholes to stop bills he personally objects to:
http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/20...sistance-army/
http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/artic...1_WSIGOm597922

So this is how democracy works, first you pass a bill in both houses to give aid to a devastated country, then one person can stop then entire process for dumb made up reasons that make no sense at all, then the media finds out and America looks really scummy for breaking their promise to help.

Though to be fair, America is not alone in this:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39407580...iti_earthquake

Sorry Haiti survivors, shoulda been more newsworthy so people paid attention longer

At least it's just another coincidence.

good, they were going to receive stolen money anyway, hooray for freedom!

This isn't a dumb or made up reason. It seems pretty reasonable not to just wantonly dump cash into Haiti. And a huge lol at the thread title. Post-quake US aid is the only reason Haiti exists at all.

never miss a chance to post this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3Tsoi1WFjg

Why are ambassadors qualified to distribute a billion dollars of aid?

This is one of those situations where they give a billion to the ambassador and if some of it gets wasted you lol at them giving someone unqualified for the job all the money. 5 million over 5 years to ensure the best possible distribution of 1bn by hiring a team of 7 experts is good business, not waste.

What the **** else is the US ambassador to Haiti going to do?

Edit: You know that the POTUS picks who the ambassador is right?

Yeah, im sure experts in rebuilding countries are awesome at all the other duties of an Ambassador.

IT'S ****ING HAITI, CHIEF. What other wicked hard duties do you think the chuclkenuts has to perform?

0.1% expense ratio for a billion dollars doesn't seem that bad at all.

But on the other hand, It's a well known fact that ambassadors are qualified to distribute rebuilding money.

Off the top of my head: grant visas to Haitians, provided services to visiting Americans, coordinate relief with the local government, support US law enforcement.

In other news 3 doctors. I know and 2 of my coworkers have flown to haiti and helped. Turns out people actually do wiLlingly give of their own time and money.

Since you're using the past tense, I'll assume they came home. Unfortunately, there are still a lot of sick Haitians and it will take years for Haiti to get back on its feet.

You are seriously missing the point. How is an ambassador qualified to distribute aid?

Thank you senator Coburn for saving this $5 million dollars. Our debt problems are solved, yo.

Coburn is a tool. I say that because I've seen him make wonderfully good sense and surprisingly rational and reasonable contributions on legislation. This is just like Alexander and Bunning and all the of GOPers who grandstand about expenditures that have passed both houses (which one could say means that the idea is supported by the majority of Americans). Awesome that the other side of the "we're spending too much already" argument is millions of actual human beings that will probably die.

"All animals are created equal, but some animals are more equal than others." - Orwell

Who do you think is actually qualified to distribute aid?

they could create a new senior Haiti coordinator... oh, right.

Do you people realize Barry Hussein Obama can make whoever the **** he wants ambassador to Haiti?

That is one hell of a Venn diagram for someone qualified to both distribute a billion dollars of aid and perform the duties of an ambassador.

Not to mention this isnt about hiring someone, its hiring 7 people and setting up an office to do it so all you are really doing is saving the salary for one person even if you could find the right person to do this which i highly highly doubt.

I would start with people who have done it successfully before.

Are you ****ting me? Do you think there's a huge subset of individuals who are qualified to hand out a birrion dollars that can't handle the job of being an ambassador?

Edit: The only guy I can think of is George Soros because he loves terrorists and hates America ldo.

Lol, id have gone the other way because the answer to that is clearly yes.

Oh and i think the answer is probably yes the other way. In any case someone less qualified is going to waste more than the cost of hiring the qualified person (around 100k a year over 5 years). Its clearly -ev and certainly increases your variance massively. Whilst there are overlaps it is really really dumb to assume an expert in project management is also an expert in international diplomacy.

You have no idea what the US ambassador to Haiti actually does. Here's a hint: It doesn't involve being an expert in international diplomacy.

Edit: Here's another hint: The POTUS hands out nonstrategic ambassador posts to big campaign fundraisers.

That doesnt change the fact that 1 billion in aid is being held up to "save" around 500 grand across 5 years by hiring one less person.

And again this is assuming you are right that you can find one person to do these two jobs well and they wont waste 500 grand or more if they had been less distracted or you hired two people great at each job instead of one pretty good at both.

Plus something about the millions of Haiti survivors suffering whilst this 500 grand is being argued about for months.

Edit, oh and the guy currently there has so much experience that he clearly isnt a "nonstrategic" ambassador and he is undoubtedly doing something to justify his paycheque.