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It's Time to Let the Crony Export-Import Bank Die
Real Clear Markets ^ | November 12, 2019 | Michael Lambert

Posted on 11/16/2019 5:06:12 PM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks

The Export-Import Bank – the poster child for corporate welfare – was due to expire at the end of September. But it has been given a temporary reprieve while congressional leaders plot to renew it on the sly by attaching it to a must-pass spending bill, meaning the bank will never get the scrutiny taxpayers deserve.

Ex-Im subsidizes export transactions using sweetheart terms – including below-market-rate loans – that are backed by the American taxpayer. According to the bank’s website, the agency provides financing when “private sector lenders are unable or unwilling to” and “assumes credit and country risks that the private sector is unable or unwilling to accept” [emphasis added].

In making these riskier loans, Ex-Im rigs the game in favor of a few well-connected companies, both here and abroad, at the expense of their competitors and taxpayers. Indeed, the lion’s share of Ex-Im subsidies go to a handful of the biggest corporations in America, including Boeing and General Electric, and their equally large foreign customers in places like China, Mexico and Saudi Arabia. If Ex-Im loans go bust, taxpayers pick up the tab.

The continuing resolution currently funding the government through Nov. 21 also extended the Ex-Im for the same time period. This allows the bank to continue functioning until a long-term renewal can be passed as part of whatever yearend spending package the two sides dream up.

With a lending limit of $135 billion – that’s your tax dollars at risk – you might think Congress would take a sharp look at the agency before renewing it. But no.

(Excerpt) Read more at realclearmarkets.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Editorial; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: badloans; boeing; cronycapitalism; democrats; exportimportbank; financialservices; gop; house; loanmoratorium; loans; subsidies

1 posted on 11/16/2019 5:06:12 PM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
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To: 100American; 3D-JOY; abner; Abundy; AGreatPer; Albion Wilde; AliVeritas; alisasny; ...

PING!


2 posted on 11/16/2019 5:07:23 PM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks (Show me the people who own the land, the guns and the money, and I'll show you the people in charge.)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

It already died once. Was gone even. Ryan and McConnell revived it.


3 posted on 11/16/2019 5:11:33 PM PST by cotton1706
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To: cotton1706

Continuing Resolutions need to Die.


4 posted on 11/16/2019 5:13:37 PM PST by Paladin2
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To: cotton1706

Hard to kill it because it has a powerful constituency. Killing government programs is harder than pulling out a bad tooth.


5 posted on 11/16/2019 5:17:26 PM PST by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

Vandalay industries. Vandalay industries.. ....:-D


6 posted on 11/16/2019 5:19:01 PM PST by redshawk ( I want my red balloon. https://youtu.be/V12H2mteniE)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

Christmas is near government shitdowns and grandmas who just want more spending so they can buy gifts for their children.
They just want it off your children’s tables.


7 posted on 11/16/2019 5:22:20 PM PST by momincombatboots (Ephesians 6... who you are really at war with)
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To: momincombatboots

With corporate welfare you’re giving money to corporations who could manage on their own.

Like I said, those corporations contribute to the congresscritters who fund the Ex-Im Bank.

And they’re not going to say no to political graft that keeps them in office.


8 posted on 11/16/2019 5:26:12 PM PST by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: cotton1706

Bush League Republicans love crony capitalism.


9 posted on 11/16/2019 5:49:15 PM PST by Lurkinanloomin (Natural Born Citizens Are Born Here of Citizen Parents_Know Islam, No Peace-No Islam, Know Peace)
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To: cotton1706

Subsidize the profits and socialize the losses.


10 posted on 11/16/2019 5:49:59 PM PST by Lurkinanloomin (Natural Born Citizens Are Born Here of Citizen Parents_Know Islam, No Peace-No Islam, Know Peace)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

Hugh Hewitt likes it so that must be another reason to abolish it.


11 posted on 11/16/2019 6:23:59 PM PST by Fungi
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To: redshawk; Gamecock; SaveFerris; PROCON

SUSAN: So, was George helpful at all?

ELAINE: (unconvincing) Yeah. Oh, yes, yes, he was very helpful. (hesitant) Uhm, because, you know, Art and I were getting into this whole thing about his business. Uhm, you know he’s an importer-exporter.

SUSAN: (not convinced) Yeah.

ELAINE: (explaining, with gestures) Uhm, George felt that I was too adamant in my stand that Art should focus on the exporting and forget about the importing.

SUSAN: (spotting an inconsistency) Wait a minute. I thought that Art wanted to give up the exporting.

ELAINE: What’d I say?

SUSAN: The importing.

ELAINE: (caught out) I did. Uh...

SUSAN: So, what does he uh, import?

ELAINE: (extemporising) Uh... chips.

SUSAN: Oh. What kinda chips?

ELAINE: Potato.

SUSAN: Ah.

ELAINE: (embroidering) Some corn.

SUSAN: And what does he export?

ELAINE: Diapers.

SUSAN: (fake smile) I’m sorry for bothering you.


12 posted on 11/16/2019 6:38:08 PM PST by Larry Lucido
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks
  1. The Export-Import bank produces a profit that gets turned over to the treasury. Kill the bank and have less money in the Treasury.
  2. The bank does make use of the good credit rating of the US government. But does that really cost us anything? If you don't use that credit rating, it just sits there.
  3. The bank does actually help exports because if a foreign company tries to take the money and run or renegs on a deal or whatever, they have the full force of the US bearing down on them.
  4. By making exports more competitive against other governments that are doing the same if not more for their companies, it's helping employ Americans. That generates Income tax revenues back to the government, and taxes to state and local governments.
  5. Trump is for the bank. Now I'm not saying Trump can't be wrong. But Trump was right about tariffs when nobody in Congress was talking about them. Trump has delivered on jobs. Trump has delivered on a lot of things. So I'm not saying Trump can't be wrong. I AM saying Trump is smarter than you idiots that are against the bank. And Trump happens to be right about the bank.
  6. If there are problems with the bank, such as inadequate access for small businesses vs giant ones, then maybe we need to work on refining access to the bank.
  7. And Boeing employs 137,000 people in the US. Heaven forbid we help them stay competitive. Who are we to subsidize Boeing when China will eventually produce adequate plans that are much cheaper. /s

13 posted on 11/16/2019 6:38:20 PM PST by DannyTN
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To: DannyTN

Exact logic behind every guarantee the Fed makes. Including housing and student loans. In the end it is a subsidy. In the case of Boeing they could buy default insurance by why do that when the gov will give it to you for free.

Why don’t we use that big ole government muscle to help collect on some other debts. Heck let’s make all loans default free by having the force of the federal government back them.

Why help Boeing and not every other lender in the US?

You tried this crap logic the last time.

If it was cost free Boeing wouldn’t be asking for it. Of course there is a cost to the US taxpayer. Where federal guaranteed mortgages cost free? Pensions? Student loans?


14 posted on 11/16/2019 9:19:20 PM PST by FreedomNotSafety
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To: goldstategop

This is no different than team owners and companies like Amazon wanting the taxpayers to foot the bill for the pleasure of keeping the team in the city or doling out tax breaks like their candy on Halloween. All the while, passing the bill to tax payers that, generally, have no say in the matter.

As with the revelations on Biden’s op in Unkraine, the equity fund in China managed by 3 moron kids of rich/political families(those 3 are more like Spalding from Caddyshack than anything else), Mittens’ kid dealing in Ukraine, it’s now proven how these corrupt bastards get rich while they’re in office.


15 posted on 11/16/2019 11:24:20 PM PST by qaz123
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

I hate to tell Michael Lambert that the House just voted yesterday to extend the Export Import bank.


16 posted on 11/17/2019 7:30:11 AM PST by Georgia Girl 2 (The only purpose of a pistol is to fight your way back to the rifle you should never have dropped)
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To: FreedomNotSafety
"You tried this crap logic the last time."

I added a shameless appeal to authority with my "Trump is for it" and Trump is smarter than you logic.

17 posted on 11/17/2019 10:28:34 AM PST by DannyTN
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