Commentary
The recent currency swap that amounted to a $20 billion U.S. loan to Argentina was a completely justifiable strategic move and a legitimate gesture in treasury terms also. Critics who complain that the United States should not be engaging in such largesse while the U.S. government is shut down are misfiring completely.
A loan is not a gift, and if President Trump thought the United States would not get its money back, he would not have made the loan. The Democrats shut down the U.S. government to try to force greater spending and strengthen their Senate leader, Chuck Schumer, against a primary challenge from Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Trump has made it clear that if his enemies persist in this, he will take the occasion to eliminate a significant number of government jobs that have already been identified as redundant….