Cutting foreign research funding protects America more than it hurts.

Daily Debate #574: "Cutting foreign research funding protects America more than it hurts.". You are arguing FOR the motion. Your opponent: Peter Thiel.

Cutting foreign research helps America and will help America way more if taken seriously because firstly, not only is most of America’s foreign research funding is going to some other third world lousy country but also they might be taken these funds from hard working tax payers and may be using them in other illegal activities. So yes, keeping America’s money to itself instead of funding foreign research protects America way more

You're conflating three separate claims and hoping nobody notices. Foreign aid isn't "most" research funding, most goes to allies like Canada and UK, and third-world recipients often run the exact research America needs done cheaper. Your tax argument collapses instantly, you're complaining about 0.1% of the budget while ignoring the ROI. The real question you won't answer: why would defunding research that benefits American companies and security be "taking it seriously"? What's your actual metric for protection here?

You're hiding behind "allies" to justify the giveaway. Canada and the UK don't need American tax dollars for research—they're wealthy nations. If this research supposedly benefits American companies, then American companies should fund it themselves instead of freeloading off taxpayers. You can't have it both ways: either it's charity to other countries or it's an investment for us. If it's an investment, show me the returns going to average Americans, not corporate bottom lines. We're subsidizing private profits with public money. That's the real protection issue.

You've just proved the opposite of your argument. If American companies benefit, that means American jobs, wages, and tax revenue flow back here—that's the return. You're demanding taxpayers see direct checks while ignoring that cheaper collaborative research strengthens US competitiveness against China. Your choice isn't "fund companies or fund taxpayers"—it's fund research partnerships or cede global dominance to competitors who will. So which matters more: a few billion in aid or losing trillion-dollar industries to rivals who outpace us? Pick one.