US farmers stressed and angry at Trump trade war
Source: The Business Times
SAT, JUN 16, 2018 - 10:33 AM
[NEW YORK] US farmers find themselves in the crosshairs of a trade war with China and others launched by President Donald Trump, who was elected with the support of many in rural America.
On Friday, Mr Trump announced long-threatened trade tariffs on tens of billions of dollars worth of Chinese goods, sparking an immediate retaliation from Beijing on an equivalent of US products including agricultural goods, notably soy.
"For American farmers, this isn't theoretical anymore, it's downright scary," the Farmers for Free Trade lobbying group said of the prospects for escalating tariffs. "It's no longer a negotiating tactic, it's a tax on their livelihoods."
China is the largest buyer of soy beans, buying US$12 billion in 2017, about 30 per cent of the US harvest.
Read more: https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/government-economy/us-farmers-stressed-angry-at-trade-wars
Suck it up buttercups.
olegramps
(8,200 posts)I listened to nincompoops condemn unions and vote for so-called Right to Work laws. Sorry but when I saw them being steadily undercut with the hiring of their replacements at half or less what they were paid I just couldn't muster up an sympathy for them. I witnessed this first hand at our company, which was the major supplier of communications equipment, go from a major employer to nothing more than a minor player that was then sold off.
Could it have survived. Absolutely. But the game was merge, and then sell off divisions at a profit to pad the top executives' compensation packages until there wasn't anything left to sell the except the bones for the scavengers. As I have told my kids, I was fortunate in that I had a great job, excellent pay, health benefits, continuous graduate education of the latest developments at top schools and most importantly a pension. Those of us that came of age after WWII were able to go to college and actually work their way though and enjoyed the best times that this nation had to offer for the middle class.
theaocp
(4,244 posts)for 45. Clap louder, rubes.
Golden Raisin
(4,613 posts)Zero sympathy.
Solly Mack
(90,787 posts)"But our organisation grows increasingly concerned that this administration does not have a plan to ensure family farmers and ranchers aren't thrown under the bus for the sake of these goals," he said.
Even so, few blame Mr Trump directly.
Mr Hurst said many in Missouri are still willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.
IOW - they support Trump's actions - but - they didn't want to be the ones harmed by his actions.
It's OK to harm others - just not them.
Response to Solly Mack (Reply #4)
Kittycow This message was self-deleted by its author.
olegramps
(8,200 posts)Bit the bullet and forge on suckers. Do you think that they won't vote for Trump if he survives this term? The are going to have plenty of soybeans to chew on and the first ones in line get a "govment" handout. Look at the bright side with gasoline prices set to go sky high, they won't be needing any fuel for those $100,000 airconditioned, TV and internet connected tractors they got on government assistance.
Solly Mack
(90,787 posts)Their pain is real...fuck everyone else - is their thinking.
dalton99a
(81,570 posts)They'll blame Democrats and they'll vote for him again
Duppers
(28,127 posts)Solly Mack
(90,787 posts)cubbies01
(85 posts)a Cult
llmart
(15,552 posts)Trump voters are called "stupid".
Jesus H. Christ on a pogo stick! How stupid and/or in denial does one have to be to make a statement like that?
ck4829
(35,091 posts)Before putting the fire out.
Wellstone ruled
(34,661 posts)fifties,sixties,the Farmers Union supported Progressive ideals of the Democratic Party. Most Farm families had a picture of FDR hanging on a wall some where in their homes.
Folks,it is going to get real ugly down on the farms this late summer and fall. Never in my years have I seen such a clueless group of folks.
Solly Mack
(90,787 posts)regardless of how bad it hurts them.
A good deal of them still get government assistance, so fuck everyone else.
Wellstone ruled
(34,661 posts)and being true Sod Buster,watched first hand how a whole community of like persons switch to a spiteful uncaring group in our Society.
One thing that really stands out is this,where are all those so called Christians who are so against a Women's choice to do what they want with their bodies.
Oh,just remembered,it's for white folk only,them brown skinned folks don't count,cause the Preacher told them so. And in that lies many of our social problems in the USA.
Solly Mack
(90,787 posts)Wellstone ruled
(34,661 posts)garbage in a month. Will be spoiling our Grand Daughter and agitating her ex marine right wing mother.
Fun had by one and all!!
gtar100
(4,192 posts)They can pay the US or they can pay China. How are those republican values working out for them?
Freethinker65
(10,048 posts)At least the rest of us might see cheaper prices of some US produced food items before the entire economy tanks because of Trump's clueless and confused negotiating "skills".
Cold War Spook
(1,279 posts)that a few of the countries in South America that grow soy beans have already contacted the Chinese.
modrepub
(3,503 posts)they should be harvesting in SA or already finished. Unless you've stored soybeans or corn you can't sell in the US until harvest time. I have no idea if farmers sell on the spot market or have contracts. Tariffs employed now probably won't be effective on US farmers until this fall (harvest time); they are probably collectively hoping this all blows over before September. Otherwise there will be more corn and soybeans than can be absorbed in the US so prices go down and farmers who have a lot of debt are going to be looking for other work by fall. We'll see if these people can put one and one together and vote in their own interests in November. I'm not holding my breath and I support any future legislation that keeps federal tax receipts in the areas where they are collected.
murielm99
(30,761 posts)They store quite a bit. They look at prices, and lock in a time to sell at those prices. They borrow against stored crops.
Farmers will be looking at the markets and seeing how things look for the crop that is in he ground right now.
Many farmers do have other work while they continue to farm. Farming has always been a gamble. And you would be surprised how many family farms are out there.
Yes, most of them did vote republican. We didn't. We never do. And we have friends in this county who are active and informed Democratic farmers. Most farmers in Minnesota are Democrats.
We have a couple of friends who are Farm Bureau members. They try to talk to the republican farmers. They are not popular, but they try.
The farm economy is the basis of everything. If that collapses, we are all in a lot of trouble. I hope we can hang onto our property.
Don't judge all of us. Some of us have worked hard for change.
modrepub
(3,503 posts)Are the basis of farming. Without access to world markets US farm commodity prices will undoubtedly fall. One thing American farmers are very good at is producing crops; think of how much one family farm with good soil, ample fertilizer, equipment and labor can produce. As you know, it's also a curse.
Access to credit (and low interest rates) are another necessity. Federal deficits are on the rise, and at some point so will interest rates. When interest rates do go up farmers typically start having problems.
Do I have to say any more regarding migrant labor?
I have some empathy but the Republican positions on all of these points were well know before the election (all to the negative) and people who would be hurt most by these policies didn't bat an eyelash. Elections have consequences.
We are all, as capitalists, subject to the same market forces. The price you charge must cover the costs you acquire and the costs of production must constantly be minimized. My father was a main frame computer programer in the 60s and 70s. The personal PC revolution put him out of a job in the 90s. He delivered pizzas and did odd jobs until he was old enough to collect his military pension. Capitalism is a mean system but its the best we have (similar to democracy). Peace.
GetRidOfThem
(869 posts)Likely to take over and become no. 1. Argentina also exports soy...
rpannier
(24,338 posts)You voted for the fucker
RKP5637
(67,112 posts)of characters the same. They voted for a dystopian society, now Trump is implementing it for them. No healthcare, no income, lack of rights. Hell, it's a utopia for them.
Like said above, it's okay in their minds for others to suffer, but not okay when the suffering turns on them.
Snowflakes.
keithbvadu2
(36,906 posts)jrthin
(4,837 posts)No, can't find it.
WhiskeyGrinder
(22,432 posts)Bernardo de La Paz
(49,040 posts)TryLogic
(1,723 posts)Apparently farmers (and religious folks and old white guys) are extremely naive.
jayschool2013
(2,313 posts)llmart
(15,552 posts)a better word for them.
dembotoz
(16,832 posts)Vinca
(50,303 posts)CrispyQ
(36,513 posts)~insert flip-the-bird smilie here.
Aristus
(66,462 posts)Go plow the back forty, will you?
Hate Hillary all you want, but STFU and remember that you got yourself, and all of us, into this...
dalton99a
(81,570 posts)Coventina
(27,172 posts)You got us into this mess, Trump-humpers.
Don't expect pity now.
Doreen
(11,686 posts)You stupid MOFO'S voted for him and you are getting exactly what you voted for!! You made your damn bed so go lay on it!! We tried to warn you but your heads are so far up your asses you refused to listen and now really all we can say is "we fucking told you so." Run along now and reap your reward.
WhiteTara
(29,722 posts)You broke it? You pay for it.
beachbum bob
(10,437 posts)When you get screwed by him
turbinetree
(24,720 posts)the lever to vote for this traitor........................so your stupid....................and now everyone gets to live through your values of shit and pay for it, you can't have it both ways.......................it's party over country.....................and now we the country get your tax................
November the blue wave will try and straighten out your right wing values of shit...............because lets face it you embolden this crap when you got this traitor in office and every time a republican gets into office this country goes through the malfeasance of right wing stupidity and greed, we subsidize your crop yields with tax breaks and you still vote republican, what the hell am I missing here, and now your whining........................
catbyte
(34,451 posts)[IMG][/IMG]
ffr
(22,671 posts)Awesome!
noncliqer
(50 posts)Now is the time to get the fuck in there and engage! People whose bank accounts have been hurt by Trump are the very people we might be able to flip for November!
progressoid
(49,999 posts)bluecollar2
(3,622 posts)These are red state Christian, gun loving people who see Democrats as the antithesis of everything they believe.
Even if Jesus Christ himself came down from heaven and told them to vote Democrat they'd refuse based on the gun issue.
They'll switch when they hurt badly enough. When they have to sell the farm and auction the equipment they'll blame Obama (because...you know...the black guy thing) or Hillary (because....you know...the e-mail/Benghazi thing)
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)weren't happy with Trump but justified their choice by the open seat on the Supreme Court. And we know some conservative Dems and indies voted Trump not out of commitment to conservative ideology but unhappiness at the demographic progression; there'll be some softness there.
What we need are for just a few to be so disillusioned with the GOP that they skip voting and another few to vote for Democratic control of congress as a check on our would-be Dear Leader. Agree that hoping for more is not realistic.
But remember, we're already seeing this happening in the specials and primaries as people in many conservative districts reject the more extreme candidates, even choosing moderate Democrats here and there.
bluecollar2
(3,622 posts)I just believe that targeting these voters is a waste of time, money and resources.
Instead of trying to get the to join us by outreach we should be doing the opposite.
Put out a message that is targeted towards our voters that is so compelling the others will want to join us if their own volition or be left behind.
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)The candidates are targeting those locally.
I love what you call for at the end, thrilling idea, and I agree with the value of inspiring our own. But a message and media delivery to the nation that'll turn everything around? Kinda asking for a lot.
Messaging negatives is far and away the most effective way to energize whole populations, and it's been working spectacularly on the right.
Liberal and conservative brains tend to process and respond to input somewhat differently, though. It's not just the type of message sent but the type of recipient. Conservatives tend to send information for emotional response first, including fear-flight, then for examination and analysis. Liberals more often analyze first then send for emotional response. This is huge for messaging.
As proponents of liberalism and progressive government, what we offer is positive. We call for research and aggressive field action to stop pandemics before they start (I was just reading about Ebola in DR Congo). Conservatives warn of death and demand closed borders to stop hoards of diseased brown-skinned people. Our basic orientation to rationalism and advance -- not of compelling fear -- is a huge communications problem.
And the MSM will not deliver our messages. At most they make a pretense of it, but most often just ignore. Fear, anger and strife message far, far, far more strongly to the benefit of both careers and profits. We message all the time, but it almost never leads the news. Trump's message always leads because he feeds the beast what it craves, and what we cannot.
The press dynamic of puffing up new figures and trashing old suggests the words of a new politician could get some media lift instead of kicked aside or written about in order only to disparage. But even if a new pol with charisma and a gift for speaking was found and turned into a soaring star by the media (a liberal Sarah Palin or less dysfunctional Bernie Sanders), then we could be stuck with some untried pol with by definition little record to examine, definitely a "be careful what you wish for" situation. How often is a great speaker also even a good leader? Very seldom.
A long, dark-hours way of saying that in this era I agree wholeheartedly with the value of liberals suddenly becoming so thrilled by our principles and goals that it's catching. But god knows leaders and other proponents at every level have been trying to do just that all along.
bluecollar2
(3,622 posts)Of the message but more so in how it is delivered.
Most Americans are not very good with the concept of critical thinking so trying to persuade them by virtue of education is a waste of time.
The message needs to be delivered in a more subtle manner.
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)a bunch of our members of congress were out today shining lights on the concentration facilities frightened children are being held in.
I understand what you mean, btw, but I'll go ahead anyway and say I disagree strongly that education can be done away with. It must be included and should be increased. I'm guessing you don't really think that a politician telling you what, how, why, when he intends to do, instead of just shining you on with a bunch of vague rhetoric meant to keep you a happy sucker, is a waste of your or his time.
bluecollar2
(3,622 posts)But rather than push the message that Republican Representative X is bad and Democratic Candidate Y is good...I think one is better served by packaging the message in such a way that the target voter reaches that conclusion on his/her own.
The method of education needs to be customised to the target audience based upon the circumstances.
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)facilities here, but that'd have probably struck the neighbors we went down had drinks with earlier, almost certainly all conservative, as partisan and broken the group. Instead, we all salved our consciences with brief but proper attention focusing on trauma to the children, on top of what many had already experienced. We deplored it in unity without ever mentioning Trump, or other. When someone deplored it as necessary, someone else turned the conversation away without anyone agreeing. (I'm taking notes, so to speak, but it's all as expected. )
As you say, we all have to reach conclusions on our own.
bluecollar2
(3,622 posts)To have a civil conversation.
I have for the most part been forced to 86 people in my life who don't share the same values as I do.
One called me and asked if there was something wrong. I told her we didn't share the same values and that she'd be happier finding someone to hang out with that thought the same way she does. Haven't heard from her since.
Not sure where this country is going...
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)California to the deep south and a very, very conservative culture. So conservative that being willing and able to be friends with us is a litmus test I've come to take seriously. The others...! No need to 86 them.
Not sure either.
Liberalagogo
(1,770 posts)you don't get to complain about the taste.
gibraltar72
(7,512 posts)I'm stressed at American farmers dumb enough to help him win.
BadGimp
(4,018 posts)Farmers don't win
Farmer's families don't win
American businesses don't win
The American consumers don't win
But damned if Putin doesn't win.
Dan
(3,579 posts)perdita9
(1,144 posts)duforsure
(11,885 posts)So when he says he'll help them they know now he did the opposite. Then include the oil prices skyrocketing, the interest rates shooting up, the food not being able to get picked, and losing your health care, or watching your premiums skyrocket from what he's done to take it all away from the people. Then their tax scam bill transferring trillions into their pockets , and now cutting Medicaid by a trillion, and a half a trillion cut from Medicare, and they now are working on destroying Social Security. And that;s not everything he and the republicans are doing to hurt this country with. His lying has got stop be stopped. Vote the GOP and trump out of office, or the suffering will get much worse. The corruption and self dealings are unbelievable.
I really don't like wishing ill will on anyone but sometimes the only way to learn is to make it hurt.
Smarten the fuck up next time, mmkay?
Shrike47
(6,913 posts)perdita9
(1,144 posts)...you see big TRUMP banners posted on barns and farm equipment.
I'm very pro-farmer, but I'm also a believer in actions having consequences. My sympathy will be used elsewhere
NBachers
(17,136 posts)LonePirate
(13,431 posts)I will save my concerns for the majority of Americans who are not ignorant bigots and did not vote for that monster.
wcmagumba
(2,892 posts)the dumbasses will still vote 100% thuglican, because jesus, mexicans, fox, nra and on and on...
njhoneybadger
(3,910 posts)roamer65
(36,747 posts)Fuck them.
NCjack
(10,279 posts)get some nice farms, real cheap. Suckers.
IronLionZion
(45,528 posts)muntrv
(14,505 posts)muntrv
(14,505 posts)"But Ms Pjesky noted that "there are a lot of people who voted for him that still have faith that it is just going to end up well."
Should I send thoughts and prayers?
Xolodno
(6,401 posts)....side note, this also benefits another major farming country. Russia.
And sad as it is, too many of them still believe they will turn out all right in the end. Wonder if they still think that when they file Chapter 12.
Takket
(21,625 posts)Fortunately the wound is not fatal. Extraction surgery scheduled for this November. Will they show up?
NNadir
(33,545 posts)...and highly intelligent woman, but chose a racist senile pig instead.
Cha
(297,655 posts)brewens
(13,620 posts)us and now we need to fix it.
Demsrule86
(68,667 posts)Little by little...the big tent got smaller and smaller. And he lost...didn't have to happen. Trump is doing the same thing. Consider, he didn't win by much (If he won at all) so every person who leaves the tent makes it that much more likely that he will lose in 20. And it also helps us save our Senate seats and maybe just maybe take enough to have a majority in 18 which would save Roe V Wade, Gay rights, and voting rights as we would refuse to approve any judges...well maybe Merrick Garland...but maybe not... a more liberal judge that Trumpers hate would be better. it would save the lower courts for sure.