My brother, an Iowa farmer WHO VOTED FOR BIDEN,

[Sogo]

was sounding very discouraged on our Thanksgiving phone call Wednesday night.

The inputs for next year's crop, which are purchased with this year's profits, are up 350% (so far). They had a great yield this year, but poof.....profits gone....Then there are gas prices, heating prices, grocery prices...."Something's got to be done," he said.

Dems have an opportunity to win some farm votes, if they care to take it.....Natural gas producers are driving much of the hurt felt by farmers now, as one of the main byproducts of natural gas production is used to make liquid fertilizer. In addition, most households can't afford heating bills that will be 40-100%, or more, higher this winter. One of my brother's last comments on the phone call was, "I hope Biden wakes up."

It seems to me that intentional withholding of natural gas production is an urgent matter of national security in regards to our economic well-being. Can EOs be used to require increased natural gas production?

[Ron Green]

1. Petroleum inputs for food crops seem like a risky bet.

What is he growing? I imagine a big monocrop like corn or soy will not fare as well in a tough future scenario as will biodiverse acres of companion crops grown more organically.

[Sogo]

4. Farming practices for hundreds of acres

doesn't turn on a dime.

[oldsoftie]

24. NAt gas is needed to make fertilizer. nt

[Ron Green]

43. From an earth-based point of view, that seems like a problem. n/t

[Sogo]

51. Exactly.

[bluestarone]

2. All this, and he's blaming Biden??

Not one mention of the RETHUGLICONS?? Maybe he should wake up and smell the coffee!!

[Sogo]

6. Maybe you should wake up and

learn some reading comprehension.

He wasn't blaming Biden, but turning to him as a solution.

[bluestarone]

10. Yea right ok.

His comment was "i hope Biden wakes up" ok that's NOT blaming Biden? YEA RIGHT!

[Hekate]

48. Hmm. Context. The OP provided us with context.

[KPN]

40. Applaud! nt

[TigressDem]

36. I didn't hear blame. I heard this is an opportunity to score with farmers.

They are already turning away from Orange and Furious, but with the circumstances still tough out there, DEMS and Biden can do better, since we might actually TRY and not just lie to them and get them angry about stupid stuff.

I THINK FARMING should start using underground Hydroponic Containers to get more yield out of less space and if it is underground and out of the weather, those crops can grow year round.


https://www.freightfarms.com/?utm_term=shipping%20container%20farm&utm_campaign=Product&utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=ppc&hsa_acc=4729319506&hsa_cam=306846654&hsa_grp=78006659918&hsa_ad=446902358057&hsa_src=g&hsa_tgt=dsa-298196203583&hsa_kw=shipping%20container%20farm&hsa_mt=b&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_ver=3&gclid=CjwKCAiAqIKNBhAIEiwAu_ZLDsOga7ttvzvfT_qfVvRgD0SQI2oRCQF_E1vtsxsHBzPa62NVZeH-uhoC2kgQAvD_BwE

[bluestarone]

39. You didn't read it like i did

You do you.

[TigressDem]

42. The "Biden wake up part..."

OK.

I hear ya'

BUT if a group wants the Prez to wake up to their issues..... they still believe something can be done.


He has been busy and he's been blocked at every step of the way.

[bluestarone]

45. Plus not NOT ONE MENTION

Of what the RETHUGS are doing. (from his brother) NOT ONCE! It's all Bidens fault that's what i read!

[Sogo]

46. Well, the way you read it is wrong.

nt.

[TigressDem]

47. Well, WE KNOW the truth and it's still got wiggle room to bring the brother around.

He's got solid issues to talk about, with facts and everything. Much better than most conversations with rePukes go.

I had to stop the car because my son wanted to play something Marjorie Taylor Greene had to say about some issue he was trying to tell me the DEMS had all wrong.

"You will not play that b****es voice in my car. You can shut it off or you can walk. Your choice." He shut it off and then walked anyway. He was trying to shut me down with her as a source of facts.

THOSE that are drinking the koolaid are not willing to listen to anything without diving into talking points.

At least his brother has stepped away from the Orange and Furious dude.

There is hope.

[Polybius]

77. The average voter isn't nearly as informed as we here at DU are

They blame the President and look at who's in charge in the House and Senate. They see that they are both controlled by Democrats and blame them too.

[KPN]

41. Well said and spot on. I'm tired of peope blaming before understanding.

[TigressDem]

44. Except BlueStarOne was defending Biden.... that's a good thing.

And farmers are still stuck in a country that is beating itself up and they aren't getting any real progress on some of their issues.

Biden has been really busy and blocked constantly.

We need a FULL Majority in 2022 so we can get some REAL work done.

SO TIRED of obstructionists.

[KPN]

75. While blaming Sogo's brother the farmer

and by association Sogo for not being simply satisfied with things during Biden’s time and railing instead about Repugs essentially.

So go is right. Many if not most people vote based on how their personal lives are going. Blaming them for not being satisfied serves zero purpose and, in fact, does miss an opportunity to actually score some votes instead.

Blame is a waste of time even if couched in defending Biden. Recognizing opportunities to score support and votes and acting on them is productive.

[TigressDem]

82. Telling the truth about brother's popsition doesn't endorse blaming Biden.

To me it's an example of him redirecting brother away from feeling helpless. Not endorsing him to blame but to do something to help himself. A small success to even be able to have that conversation.

If brother gets response and can understand DEMS give a sh** about them, he'll be more open than before.

Talking to RW relatives is like going out into the desert and hearing them talk about mirages. Gotta get them out of the heat that's baking their brain and get fluids in them before rational thought returns.

[Bayard]

3. Biden does indeed hire the best people

Tom Vilsack was governor of Iowa twice, I just read, so I'd think he's very aware of farmers' needs there and across the country.

Good luck to your brother.

[Sogo]

9. Yes. My brother was talking about writing to

his Congress person (a Dem).

I recalled that Vilsack is Secty. of Ag. and suggested he contact him, also.

[roody]

20. Vilsack is run by corporate ag.

...

[Bayard]

31. You have the facts on that statement?

[roody]

78. Yes.

[DenaliDemocrat]

5. Farmers dry out corn in propane sheds

That’s going to hurt too, BUT even if Biden helps farmers, as a block they’re never going to have an appreciable number vote for him

[Sogo]

7. They voted for Obama....

nt.

[DenaliDemocrat]

12. They did not. Obama did better but he most certainly

Did not win the rural vote.

[Sogo]

13. He won the Iowa Dem caucus

and won the state twice in the general....

[stopdiggin]

15. sorry. agree with 98% of what you're saying

AND your point about a (possible) potential to win some support in this demographic. But (as somebody that has been there) the rural farmer is about as rock ribbed Republican as you can possibly imagine (much to their own detriment, I have always contended) - and the vast majority of them have been in that camp, and voted there - for generations. No sense in pretending otherwise.

[DenaliDemocrat]

17. But lost the rural vote. He did about 3% better than Kerry

Though among rural voters. It’s all Trump country now

[ZonkerHarris]

26. Iowa. The state Trump won by 9% in 2016 and 8% in 2020. That Iowa? Okay.

Obama was a decade ago dude.
Not comparable now.

[modrepub]

8. Funny How Government Gets The Blame

for any issues that arise in a private market economy.

Overall markets tend to be very efficient. But that efficiency comes at a cost. Basically if you can't perform you're out of the game (bankrupt).

Often times, its short-term imbalances that cause the most problems. It's like the life of a weather forecaster. You can get your forecasts right 364 days a year but if you blow that call on that one big snow storm that's all anybody remembers.

Government can't make the storms go away but sometimes they can take the edge off.

[Sogo]

11. I think that's all that's being suggested here.

"Government can't make the storms go away but sometimes they can take the edge off."

The farm has been in the family for generations. They know how to
weather storms....Inflation and price gouging going on now are more like a tornado, however....Fast and causing intense destruction. Who doesn't need some help in the case of a tornado?

[modrepub]

18. What Good Does Government Help Do

if Big-Ag controls the prices to the point that a small farm's profit margin is unable to sustain it? And don't expect Government to help when it's interests are more aligned with Big-Ag than their constituents.

You can be the best farmer in the world but if you're operating at a sustained loss, it's time to move on. That's capitalism in a nut shell.

My father was a main-frame programer. By the late 90s he was out of a job and doing pizza delivery. He retired and in the long run things worked out OK. Sometimes you loose your livelihood through no fault of your own. Adapt or be left behind. It' all (true) capitalism offers.

Politicians can't reverse gravity. We'd all be better off if we could accept that change is a constant predicament we're all exposed to.

[stopdiggin]

22. that's a pretty solid 'free market' point of view

Truth is, most governments have a decent sized 'footprint' in agriculture and food production - and ours has been no different over the years. Mostly we have cultivated 'cheap food' options - to the detriment (sometimes) of our own producers. But there's no solid reason why different priorities and agenda (like food supply and security?) couldn't be brought to the table as well.

[ZonkerHarris]

30. Iowa farmers didn't like the China tariffs Trump put in after voting for him +9% in 2016 so

to teach him a lesson he only won the state by 8% in 2020

[Blues Heron]

14. Your bro needs to wake up

Biden's doing fine

Thanks for your concern though

[stopdiggin]

19. your casual (disdainful?) dismissal doesn't really serve

Biden may be "doing fine." (guess that kind of depends on perspective and the metric used) But there's a good sector of the population that is not doing so fine, and is legitimately concerned at this point in time. The OP brings forward a solid case in point. To brush those concerns casually aside is a mistake - both politically, and in terms of real life impact and experience.
(and you can probably bet that Biden and his advisors are not making the same error)

[Blues Heron]

21. Remember his bro allegedly VOTED FOR BIDEN

Caps always lend an air of legitimacy don’t they? Lol not buying it.

[stopdiggin]

23. and another disdainful dismissal

that's alright - you do you.
----- -----

[Blues Heron]

25. Still not buying it

[ZonkerHarris]

32. And yet he uses language like Biden needs to "wake up" that is associated with Fox talking points

about Sleepy Joe Biden
So there's that.

[Blues Heron]

34. It's just concern trolling 101 complete with the team of wingmen

It’s getting old

[Sogo]

50. Oh, aren't you the slueth....NOT.

He's not a Fox watcher.

But he does use common expressions that have been around a lot longer than Fox.

SMH.

[Sogo]

49. ....all caps to avert the responses like the

ones that dismiss rural voters as nothing but Republicans.

[Blues Heron]

52. cool bro story bro

not buying it

[Sogo]

56. Here's what I'm not buying....

that Dems like you are interested in expanding our voter base.

[Blues Heron]

58. who did your "bro" vote for in 2016

[Sogo]

60. Hillary.

[Blues Heron]

61. OK so Obama, Clinton and Biden

but now he's going to go to the dark side? Sounds like a loyal Dem to me. Not worried about your alleged bro.

[Sogo]

62. Who said anything about him going to the "dark side?"

Just another case of poor reading comprehension here on this thread....

[Blues Heron]

64. the implication is we'll lose him if Biden doesn't "wake up"

Not buying this story whatsoever.

[Sogo]

65. Your "implication" is way off base.

He was saying he hoped Biden wakes up to what is happening with price gouging and inflation. He was not saying anything about his vote.

Don't give a damn what you "buy". Nothing was being "sold" here.

I'm done with you and your ASSumptions. Have a good life....

[stopdiggin]

68. you've gone from dismissal, to calling the OP poster a liar

you're way out of line here.

[oldsoftie]

28. The avg voter doesnt care that the President is "doing fine"

When elections come around, whoever is in charge gets the credit & the blame for whatever is going on. And if we're still at $4-7 a gallon for gas & food prices thru the roof, we're in trouble. Ignoring that invites disaster. Trumps gone so we cant blame him

[Sogo]

54. Yep.

If the Dems can be seen as turning this inflation/price gouging around, they will get the credit....

One way is to get the Natural Gas industry to stop the market manipulation of their product that is needed to produce food and to heat our homes.....

That's a National Security, concern if every I've seen one.

[Klaralven]

16. We could ban the export of liquified natural gas

[Amishman]

29. better to tax it

banning export puts a cap on how much can be meaningfully used by limiting the potential market.

A modest tax helps domestic consumers without taking away any of the potential market, while also providing additional funding which can be put to good use (perhaps mitigating climate damage caused by the use of fossil fuels?)

[NickB79]

27. Fertilizer companies have been sounding the alarm for a month now

About a food shortage next year because of fertilizer shortages.

https://fortune.com/2021/11/04/energy-crisis-food-shortage-security-fertilizer-prices-yara-ceo-madagascar-cop26/

The world is facing the prospect of a dramatic shortfall in food production as rising energy prices cascade through global agriculture, the CEO of Norwegian fertilizer giant Yara International says.

“I want to say this loud and clear right now, that we risk a very low crop in the next harvest,” said Svein Tore Holsether, the CEO and president of the Oslo-based company. “I’m afraid we’re going to have a food crisis.”

[Roy Rolling]

33. Withholding Natural Gas?

Companies are building giant export terminals to ship liquified natural gas overseas to the highest bidder.

Sorry farmers and every American who foolishly thought natural gas would be sold to Americans at low prices when the price overseas is higher.

[jaxexpat]

35. Complex problem with no bumper sticker solution.

Pledging to reduce release of green house gases stands at odds with adjusting policies to encourage mono crop fertilizer dependent livelihoods which exist to support the fast-food industry. That's just the way most acres in agri production are used and it cannot adjust even a little without squashing the last of the independent farmer community.

[Scrivener7]

37. Not to worry. Iowa farmers, like coal miners, always get plenty of attention and assistance.

If he were a retail worker, a teacher or a nurse, I'd be worried.

But I expect this will be addressed quickly. Many resources will be thrown at it.

[moondust]

38. Does he want/expect subsidies?

AKA political bribes; AKA GQP taxpayer handouts. No doubt that was a factor in the 2020 election results.

Trump's payments to farmers hit all-time high ahead of election

Trump's massive farmer bailout failed to make up for the 'self-inflicted' trade damage

Trump’s farmer bailout gave $21 billion to red counties and $2.1 billion to blue ones

Have soybean farmers recovered from TFG's trade war with China--prompting them to look elsewhere for soybeans? Did U.S. Ambassador to China and former Iowa Governor Terry Branstad approve of TFG's trade war and loss of the Chinese soybean market he himself helped to develop?

[NQAS]

53. It has always been thus

Costs go up. Sometimes they come down.

Demand goes down. But then it goes up.

The weather? Increasingly unreliable.

Raw materials. Availability often in flux.

Customers? Fickle.

Competitors? Always.

Sometimes it’s politics, mostly it’s economics. Easy to blame parties or presidents. But not everything is within governments’ ability to control.

Add in covid and stir.

Won’t change my vote in 2022 and beyond.

[Joe Nation]

55. I'm done with farmers PERIOD.

I am tired of supporting them with our tax dollars in a "Free Market" economy. I am tired of them judging the poor as lazy takers while living on a farm that was handed to them. I am tired of their damn kids in pick-up trucks parading around town with their damn Trump flags waving off the back end of their trucks. And now I am asked to feel sympathetic towards this farmer because he voted for Biden? Screw him and all the rest of these assholes that have always looked down on the poor and just about any minority you can name. I hope they all fail.

[gay texan]

59. Hoo boy....... n/t

[marie999]

67. And what will you be eating?

[GusBob]

73. Typical

Nt

[James48]

57. NO.

The President can’t turn production of oil or gas up or down with an executive order- that would require ownership of the wells, and that would be socialism.

[Sogo]

72. But we do have the Defense Production Act....

Read post #27 re food crisis.

It could get that bad....

[The Jungle 1]

63. Listen the farm belt does not vote D

They still believe Reagan's lie about welfare queens. They don't need no stinking government help. Well except for that 500 billion farm bill. That they like. They also like those illegals when it is picking time. But we still need the wall.
Food production in this nation is not capitalism. Also Don't worry they will just pull themselves up by their boot straps.
This I know: No farmers were trying to help me when the manufacturing unions were being crushed.

[traitorsgalore]

66. An organic farmer or someone who's selling genetically modified Monsanto poison?

And just WTF has the GOPlague done to help farmers? LOL

[hunter]

69. Maybe there needs to be a subsidized path to organic farming...

... since it's not possible to switch in one season.

As a nation we might also restore marginal farmlands to something approaching a natural state, paying farmers to do this, or by buying them out entirely.

[myohmy2]

70. it's no secret...

...during our turn at bat, many puke-loving corporations will try to screw us in order to give their corporate owned stooges ammunition for the next election...

...many unpleasant things will be laid at our door step in order to bamboozle your brother into vote puke...

...we should do everything within federal power to protect your brother and the American people from price-gouging, tax evasion and a multitude of other illegal business sins and activities...

...it's not going-commie to protect your brother, the American people or the economy from the ravages of corporate thieves and scoundrels...

..."I hope Biden wakes up."

...Joe's awake...

...we just need to get a couple of intransigent sleeping assholes in line so we can get on with the job...

...

[leftyladyfrommo]

71. I'll bet he is having a hard time. This inflation is hard

on everybody. Now winter heat is going to cost more. I am on fixed income and I'm really noticing it too.

If I remember correctly it was runaway inflation that wrecked Jimmy Carter. Interest rates went to 18%.
But I think Biden's team is really on it. It still takes time.

Poor farmers. It's always something. Too much rain, not enough rain, hail storms.

[GusBob]

74. As maybe you can tell from this thread

People here dont like farmers
People don’t like rural folks
People really suck at reading comprehension
People have zero understanding of running a business which relies on every expense and profit that fluctuates based on everything including the weather.
Most folks here dont work dawn to dusk

I remember in early in Bill Clinton’s first presidency an aide was prattling on about ag issues, BC cut his legs out: “spoken like a true city slicker”

Folks here have zero comprehension what your brother is going thru.

How would you expect them to message it. Dems don’t suck at messaging they have other problems involving understanding

[Ron Green]

76. I don't think it was ever established whether the brother

is sustainably farming diverse crops or growing a monoculture for industrial production.

There’s a big difference.

By the way, Vilsack is not a friend to the small farmer or to the planet.

[NickB79]

81. Those monocultures are what make meat so cheap here

I agree they're devastating for the environment, but as long as you're enjoying the fruits of it in the form of cheap meat raised on cheap corn and soy, you don't have much room to complain.

And God help any politician who tried to campaign on raising meat prices in America.

[betsuni]

79. SO WHAT?

[Roisin Ni Fiachra]

80. Venezuela's oil exports bounce to over 700,000 bpd in Oct -data

Nov 2 (Reuters) - Venezuela's oil exports last month surpassed 700,000 barrels per day (bpd) as supplies of imported diluents boosted production and shipments, according to documents from state-run firm PDVSA and Refinitiv Eikon tracking data.

The OPEC-member country's largest oil producing region has regained its output and blending capacity in recent weeks after Iran, one of the nation's most important allies, began regularly supplying condensate for diluting the Orinoco Belt's extra heavy oil. Iranian supplies are lessening the impact of U.S. sanctions on the nation's output.

In October, PDVSA and its joint ventures shipped 30 cargos of crude and refined products, mostly to Asia, including a 2-million-barrel cargo of Merey heavy crude to pay back Iran for the condensate received.
snip----
Venezuela's oil exports, which along with Iran's are under U.S. sanctions designed to limit sales, have stabilized this year at around 633,000 bpd, a slight increase from the 626,000 bpd of 2020 but still a large decline from previous years when PDVSA had not been blacklisted by the U.S. Treasury Department.

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/venezuelas-oil-exports-bounce-over-700000-bpd-oct-data-2021-11-02/

Our neighbors down in the "lower forty" have plenty of oil. Our government needs to stop its bullshit oppression of the Venezuelan people and trade with our close neighbors. Saudi Arabia doesn't even elections, for dawgsake, and we kiss their royal asses like we are their vassals, despite the fact that the Saudis treat women and LGBT just like mean people treat their dogs, and it's legal to do so. Women have equal rights in Venezuela, and being LGBT is legal there.

The economic oppression of Venezuela is pure bullshit, based in the fact that their oil is nationalized, and they won't let multi-national
petroleum companies own and control their oil supplies.

And oh, the hypocrisy, to condemn Venezuela's electoral processes, given the fact that 19 US States have brought back Jim Crow Laws, in the name of Trumpian white supremacy.

Voting Laws Roundup: October 2021

In a backlash to this historic voter participation, many state lawmakers have proposed and enacted legislation to make it harder for Americans to vote, justifying these measures with falsehoods steeped in racism about election irregularities and breaches of election security.
snip----
Between January 1 and September 27, at least 19 states enacted 33 laws that make it harder for Americans to vote.

At the same time, lawmakers in many states responded to Americans’ eagerness to vote by making it easier for eligible voters to cast their ballots. Between January 1 and September 27, at least 25 states enacted 62 laws with provisions that expand voting access.

But this expansive legislation does not balance the scales. The states that have enacted restrictive laws tend to be ones in which voting is already relatively difficult, while the states that have enacted expansive laws tend to have relatively more accessible voting processes. In other words, access to the right to vote increasingly depends on the state in which a voter happens to reside.

https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/voting-laws-roundup-october-2021