FACT SHEET: U.S. Support for Strengthening Democratic Institutions, Rule of Law, and Human Rights in Sub-Saharan Africa

The United States strongly supports the great strides many African countries have made to ensure good governance, rule of law, and respect for human rights.  We commend the progress they have made to broaden political participation and improve governance, and will remain a steady partner as they continue to work to strengthen electoral processes, ensure transparency and accountability in government, and provide security while respecting and protecting universal rights and fundamental freedoms.

In addition to our ongoing diplomacy and our efforts in multilateral institutions, in 2012 the United States – through the U.S. Department of State and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) – provided more than $292 million in support for these efforts, including in the following priority areas:

Supporting Civil Society and Independent Media

Civil society and independent media play a critical role in any vibrant democracy.  Across sub-Saharan Africa, the United States supports efforts to ensure civil society organizations and independent media can organize, advocate, and raise awareness with governments and the private sector to improve political processes, transparency, and government performance.  Examples include:

• In Kenya, the $53 million Yes Youth Can program empowers nearly one million Kenyan youth to use their voices for advocacy in national and local policy-making, while also creating economic opportunities.  In advance of Kenya’s March 2013 general elections, Yes Youth Can’s “My ID My Life” campaign helped 500,000 youth obtain National identification cards, a prerequisite to voter registration, and carried out a successful nationwide campaign with Kenyan civic organizations to elicit peace pledges from all presidential aspirants.
• In Tanzania, the United States has dedicated $14 million to strengthening government accountability institutions and linking them with Tanzanian civil society watchdog groups and civic activists in a constructive partnership to further government transparency.  The program focuses on improving access to information for Tanzanian citizens in four key development sectors:  health, education, natural resource management, and food security. 
• The United States will soon launch a program in West Africa to build the capacity of civil society organizations to responsibly advocate on land tenure issues, including land rights, working closely with governments and the private sector to improve responsible natural resource utilization and the protection and advancement of human rights and economic development.

More: http://m.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/06/27/fact-sheet-us-support-strengthening-democratic-institutions-rule-law-and

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Since when did it become practical or constitutional to spend $292 million U.S. taxpayer funds on some foreign country's political processes and identification programs?

What about the hundreds of thousands, if not millions of homeless, helpless, suicidal veterans who walk the streets of the U.S. with no place to go, no way to get medical attention, no food, and no hope?  Don't we owe these people that $292 million before we waste it on some political campaign of Obama's friends in Kenya?

I thought Obama was not born in Kenya, and it was not legal for American elected officials to participate in foreign elections.  I guess these were just foolish assumptions. Obviously, we no longer have any laws except only those that are convenient for the current regime at unspecified times. This must be the New World Order.  Just make up the laws as we go, like former House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi said about the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act..."we have to vote on it, so we can tell what's in it."   This statement was prophetic, and also insanity.   I am literally in disbelief that our Congress would allow this.