House GOP Intro Legislation To Suspend Funding To WEF
The annual gathering of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, attracted 3,000 participants from around the globe, including prominent business leaders, heads of state and government ministers, academics, and civil society leaders. This prestigious event, characterized by sky-high lodging fees and champagne nightcaps, has always been an elite affair, providing a rare opportunity for attendees to see and be seen by some of the most influential figures in the world.
The most talked-about speech of the meeting was delivered by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who issued a stark reminder of the world's precariousness. As the global economy faces headwinds and geopolitical tensions continue to mount, the mood in Davos was more somber than in previous years.
Speaking to this sentiment, Paul Knopp, the CEO of KPMG US, expressed his concern for the state of the global economy. "Last year, for me, it would have been the economy. I'm a little more worried right now about the number of geopolitical concerns around the world that could create shocks," he said.
But it's not just the economy that has the global elite on edge. With elections scheduled in countries that are home to a combined 4.2 billion people, democratic leaders are worried about the threats of fascism, nationalism, disinformation, and other risks to free societies.
Now they're coming for your coffee.
Swiss banker and World Economic Forum "agenda contributor", Hubert Keller: "The coffee that we all drink emits between 15 and 20 tonnes of CO2 per tonne of coffee... Every time we drink coffee, we are basically putting CO2 into the… pic.twitter.com/4tRj2fXJaw
— Wide Awake Media (@wideawake_media) January 22, 2024
Addressing the issue, French President Emmanuel Macron warned that "we are now reaching a watershed moment: 2024 will be the year when European countries and the EU will decide if we want to be sovereign or not." With Trump's "America First" approach and the rise of populist leaders across Europe, the future of democracy is at stake.
This year, the event's attendees were greeted with another worrying development – the coronavirus outbreak. The rapidly spreading virus has caused at least 41 deaths in China, with over 1,300 confirmed cases worldwide. As a result, the Davos meeting was overshadowed by fears of a possible outbreak.
Amid all this uncertainty, one thing remained certain – the elite's concerns about the US presidential elections. As President Trump primarily focuses on domestic affairs, European leaders are growing increasingly anxious about the possibility of Trump securing a second term. The president's "America First" approach has caused concern amongst global leaders and forced them to make concessions, such as increasing their contributions to NATO and pulling out of international agreements like the Paris Climate Agreement.
In light of this, House Republicans introduced legislation to suspend funding for the World Economic Forum. The bill, called the "Defund Davos Act," would ensure that US tax dollars are not used to fund the Forum. While the legislation may not pass, it sends a clear message that some US lawmakers are not happy with US tax dollars being used to support the event.
The most vocal critic of the Forum was Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts, who used the opportunity to criticize the WEF for promoting globalism and socialism. He urged members of the next conservative presidential administration to reject all the ideas being proposed at Davos.