Farmers hurt by trade wars to get $4.7 billion in relief payments starting next month

[Judi Lynn]

Source: USA Today


Michael Collins, USA TODAY
Published 4:42 p.m. ET Aug. 27, 2018 | Updated 5:09 p.m. ET Aug. 27, 2018

WASHINGTON – The Agriculture Department said Monday it will soon begin paying $4.7 billion to farmers whose harvests have been hurt by “unjustified retaliation” from foreign governments in trade wars with the United States.

The compensation is the initial payment of some $12 billion in aid that President Donald Trump promised in July to farmers slammed by tariffs.

“Our farmers work hard and are the most productive in the world, and we aim to protect them,” Agriculture Secretary Sonny Purdue said.

Starting Sept. 4, the USDA’s Farm Service Agency will administer a program to provide payments to corn, cotton, diary, hog, sorghum, soybean and wheat farmers. Soybean farmers will get the bulk of the money, $3.7 billion. Pork producers will get $290 million, while cotton farmers will receive $277 million.

Read more: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/08/27/trade-wars-u-s-farmers-get-first-4-7-billion-relief/1114709002/

[shraby]

1. And just where is that money going to come from?

Social security/medicare/Medicaid doesn't have enough.

[safeinOhio]

12. China is going to pay for it.

Just like Mexico will pay for the wall

[Bengus81]

2. NOW....they can run down and vote for Republicans again in Nov!!!!!

Ok...we're not so mad anymore seeing how our WELFARE checks will be arriving soon.

[Fred Sanders]

3. SOCIALISM! But it's OK and not hypocrisy when Republicans do it out in the open...ya dig?

[The Liberal Lion]

9. I disagree. This isn't socialism this is bribery

[CountAllVotes]

4. Bankrupt America

Nothing new to this "businessman".

[keithbvadu2]

5. Something you won't hear from a Trump-country farmer: Rejecting Donald's socialism.

Something you won't hear from a Trump-country farmer:
Rejecting Donald's socialism.

socialism

[Bernardo de La Paz]

6. Taxpayer campaign contribution to T base. But won't go far replacing $13 B soy market loss. nt

[atreides1]

7. Let's call it what it is

WELFARE!!!!!

But, even with this assistance, many of those farms are going to go under if Trump doesn't fix his f**k up!!!!

[The Liberal Lion]

10. Nah, not welfare either. Welfare is for helping folks who need a hand up

This is pure and simple bribery. A hand out of the worse sorts.

[atreides1]

35. It's not even bribery!

When you pay someone a bribe you get something for it...the tax payers aren't going to get squat for that money! I believe that the USDA will be storing what they purchase, for sale later on...at a much higher price!!!

[aggiesal]

36. The Republicans are buying votes ...

This is cheap, compared to if they lose the House or Senate.

Farmers were starting to see how IQ45's policies were detrimental
to their livelihood, and grumblings about voting against R's were surfacing.

This handout keeps them in the R's corner for the 2018 election.
Expect another handout in 2020 if the R's hold both chambers.

[elmac]

8. so the fascist are ok with corporate welfare queens

but don't mind if poor kids starve to death or drink lead.

[The Liberal Lion]

11. Once again typical trump M.O.

He fucks up a project and then leaves someone else holding the bag and they as well are left to pay. Given the GOP "tax reform" you all know who is going to pay for this trump misadventure. Yep, the middle class, with their shrinking wages. America is being left a wasteland. The Tajmahalification of America continues..................

[Mr.Bill]

13. "Trade wars are easy to win". n/t

[onecaliberal]

14. This is complete bullshit.

[McCamy Taylor]

15. Money for votes.

[Bengus81]

33. And TAXPAYER money paying for Republican votes

[RazBerryBeret]

16. This is another instance where I'd like to separate the Trumpsters

from the rest of us.
IF you voted for this, other Trumpsters should help you or you should have to endure it.
I don't mind helping out the farmers who didn't vote for the the Orange One. I'd prefer my tax dollars go somewhere else.

[PSPS]

17. LOL. "Our farmers work hard and are the most productive in the world"

Yeah, I'd also be the "most productive in the world" if I got paid for selling nothing.

[logosoco]

18. what happens next YEAR?nt

[KY_EnviroGuy]

22. Just watch...

Trump's mobsters will come to some sort of settlement with China that won't amount to a hill of beans for better trade - just like with NAFTA. Regardless, he will brag and blow smoke for a month on what a great deal it is at his hand, and America has been rendered great again. Meanwhile, hundreds of farmers will go bankrupt.

They may well get a few minor concessions but looking at the big picture, our trading partners will distrust us for a long time and inflict retribution by a thousand cuts.

And American consumers get to pay the bill for these fiascoes with inflated product costs and down the road with higher taxes. In my view, this is not just Trump (he just makes a big show of it). Republicans have used this sort of ruse to help billionaires for decades.

...........

[marble falls]

19. Putting farmers on welfare, and wasting more of your tax dollars. SO MUCH WINNING!!!

[Rebl2]

24. Exactly right!

So are they going to give them welfare until trade war is over?

[marble falls]

26. It isn't going to end until we fix Congress and dump Drumph.

[Solly Mack]

20. I'd like a few million for my pain and suffering because of Trump.

[bringthePaine]

21. guess who's all for "income re-distribution" now?*

*hint: answer starts with "dumb", ends with "fucks"

[KY_EnviroGuy]

23. We should all send letters to Congress asking for...

compensation for inflation caused by his trade tariffs and maneuvers affecting products we've purchased.

"Please remit check payable to me for $50 to cover higher cost of my new washing machine", etc......

[bluestarone]

25. How would the farmers feel if

Rumpy gave the money to the Farm equipment dealers instead of the farmers?

[Pope George Ringo II]

27. Joseph Heller had some thoughts on the subject in Catch-22.

Major Major’s father was a sober God-fearing man whose idea of a good joke was to lie about his age. He was a longlimbed farmer, a God-fearing, freedom-loving, law-abiding rugged individualist who held that federal aid to anyone but farmers was creeping socialism. He advocated thrift and hard work and disapproved of loose women who turned him down. His specialty was alfalfa, and he made a good thing out of not growing any. The government paid him well for every bushel of alfalfa he did not grow. The more alfalfa he did not grow, the more money the government gave him, and he spent every penny he didn’t earn on new land to increase the amount of alfalfa he did not produce. Major Major’s father worked without rest at not growing alfalfa. On long winter evenings he remained indoors and did not mend harness, and he sprang out of bed at the crack of noon every day just to make certain that the chores would not be done. He invested in land wisely and soon was not growing more alfalfa than any other man in the county. Neighbors sought him out for advice on all subjects, for he had made much money and was therefore wise. “As ye sow, so shall ye reap,” he counseled one and all, and everyone said, “Amen.”
Major Major’s father was an outspoken champion of economy in government, provided it did not interfere with the sacred duty of government to pay farmers as much as they could get for all the alfalfa they produced that no one else wanted or for not producing any alfalfa at all. He was a proud and independent man who was opposed to unemployment insurance and never hesitated to whine, whimper, wheedle and extort for as much as he could get from whomever he could.

[no_hypocrisy]

28. Adding this up:

I live in New Jersey.

Trump just raised the National Debt by $1.3 trillion. I'm going to be asked to contribute.

And Trump capped state and municipal property tax deductions at $10,000. Both. Which means unless the court quash this situation, I'll be paying more tax on at least $6,000 next year.

And now Trump has committed my NJ tax dollars to farmers in the Midwest to compensate them for his improvidence. Indefinitely until corrected I'm certain.

Trump has done nothing but punish me for living in New Jersey since January, 2017. I hate this guy.

[kimbutgar]

29. Talk about race based payouts from the government

[UCmeNdc]

30. Funny how the farmers are willing to take welfare money from the government now.

[Historic NY]

31. $4.7 billion that El Trumpo has cost the country so he can have a petty little fight.

[pampango]

34. Create a problem then portray the hero to your base by solving the problem.

Trump lives in a simple political world in which he can do no wrong (and even if he does, he can ride to the rescue of his 'suffering' base). If you are not a member of his base - loyalty matters more than anything to him - you are on your own.

[aggiesal]

37. How many students ...

could attend college if this handout when to them?

I would much rather give $4.7B to college students.
The tax base would increase like crazy.

Example, the GI Bill after WWII, produced $5-$12.50 in taxes per $1 spent. (See Page 116)

[yallerdawg]

38. When arguing that state-supported enterprises aren't fair trade and free market...

there is nothing more persuasive than directly supporting private enterprises with state funding.

[Achilleaze]

39. republican welfare socialism for Ag MegaCorps, Inc.

is what this is. republicans are stealing our tax money for a welfare program for AG corps that got screwed over by the republican tafiffs.