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| So much soy with nowhere to go; Stormy Daniels may explain their fate. |
The
Atlantic brought to my
attention this very cogent explanation of what's happening to American farmers amid Trump's trade war, by way of alleged Trump paramour Stormy Daniels. It's a story of regret for an increasing number of them, although you get anecdotal
reports that Trump is still popular among several misguided sorts. No matter; here's Iowan farmer Christopher Gibbs on his "
buyer's remorse" in voting for Trump:
Let me be clear. I want to be supportive of the president and his policies. As a farmer, we voted for the president because he purported to represent a “can do, just get it done” attitude. That attitude is the core of farm folks. But the president’s trade war, now being supported by hush money to keep agriculture sedated, is a bridge too far for me. This week the president announced he is offering $12 billion of borrowed taxpayer monies to continue to “have farmer’s backs.” These dollars are nothing more than verification that the president’s protectionist’s trade policies are folly.
Let me tell you a riddle. “I slept with a billionaire because he said he loved me. I expected to make love, but in the morning I realized I was getting screwed. When I went to tell the world, I was offered cash to keep my mouth shut.” Who am I? No, I’m not a model or someone named Stormy. I’m the American farmer [my emphasis].
Gibbs then continues by contrasting the many years it took to establish overseas markets for corn and soybeans with the damage caused by Trump at the stoke of a pen when he decided to levy tariffs on Chinese goods, which the PRC then retaliated against by hitting America where it hurts most--in agriculture:
In the mid-1980s we were awash with over production in the corn and soybean sectors. Agriculture got busy, boarded planes, trains and automobiles and started building markets around the world, one handshake and one relationship at a time. We used our own funds through our check off dollars and trade associations to build markets in Mexico, Canada, Latin America and the Pacific Rim. And we didn’t stop there. In partnership with the U.S. taxpayers, we built an ethanol industry to ensure another renewable energy source for U.S. consumers.
The world markets, which the president is now tearing down in the name of fairness, were built and paid for by farmers to ensure agriculture had outlets for our production so we didn’t have to come to the American taxpayer for support.
What can I say? While a lot of what Trump campaigned on is a lot of hot air, you cannot exactly vote for someone on the premise that he will
not do what he said he would do. China-bashing just happens to be at the top of the list. At the end of the day, you must bear the consequences of your actions however foolhardy, and voting for Trump is as close to a crime against humanity as you can get at the ballot box.
