Non-Quantifiable

Last night we took our eleven-year old child to listen to a ranger-led presentation while visiting
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. Over the years we’ve attended numerous talks like this at various national parks and monuments throughout the western US. Along with thinking about how I would personally survive in harsh desert conditions (which is what the talk was about), I was also thinking about the current state of the nation.

At this very moment, the Republicans are annihilating funding for everything from NIH funds (which provides funding into things like cancer research) to providing aid (and likely political stability) to impoverished people around the globe. For all I know, ranger-led talks like the one I attended are next on the chopping block.

Now that we’re decimating programs that I personally think are important, I’ve been thinking more on why we should or shouldn’t be funding them. I’ve seen several studies and proclamations on the financial return on NIH funding, but other programs I feel are less quantifiable. And perhaps the conservatives have a point. Perhaps we shouldn’t be investing in programs where we can’t know if we’re actually getting a return on the investment. The ROI on the ranger-led talk that I attended is probably pretty difficult to compute. I could see talks like that inspiring children to become scientists, to teach them to be curious, and to care about the world around them. But how do you get a number for the economic return on such possible outcomes?

I’m assuming that to me, whatever the cost is, its probably minimal enough that in my opinion, its worth it. And I think that’s what is missing in the (non) discussion abut brazenly cutting government expenditures. How much is each individual person actually paying for these various programs, and is that expense worth it? The expense to each of us is very likely very minimal for most of these. If my total tax bill to fund USAID is ten cents per year, I’m definitely ok paying that amount to provide food and medical support to those around the world less fortunate than me. In fact, it makes me feel good to know that I’m supporting good acts in the world. Similarly, if I’m spending a few cents per year so that a ranger can inspire young kids, where there is even a slight chance of some positive outcomes, I’m personally completely fine paying that.

Perhaps there are many that aren’t ok paying a few cents per year, or perhaps the actual cost makes it so that it’s understandable for not supporting such programs. But the lack of actually knowing the cost, or thinking about it in a logical, well-reasoned way is just irresponsible.

Update:
I did look into the numbers more deeply. For the average taxpayer in 2023, $156 was paid to fund USAID, and $103 went to fund the National Park Service. Personally I’m happy to pay those amounts for these programs.