Krugman: Trump Is Terrible for Rural America. His biggest supporters are his biggest victims.

[Soph0571]

Rural America is a key part of Donald Trump’s base. In fact, rural areas are the only parts of the country in which Trump has a net positive approval rating. But they’re also the biggest losers under his policies.

What, after all, is Trumpism? In 2016 Trump pretended to be a different kind of Republican, but in practice almost all of his economic agenda has been G.O.P. standard: big tax cuts for corporations and the rich while hacking away at the social safety net. The one big break from orthodoxy has been his protectionism, his eagerness to start trade wars.

And all of these policies disproportionately hurt farm country.
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But support for Trump might nonetheless start to crack if rural voters realized how much they are being hurt by his policies. What’s a Trumpist to do?

One answer is to repeat zombie lies. A few weeks ago Trump told a cheering rally that his cuts in the estate tax have helped farmers. This claim is, however, totally false; PolitiFact rated it “pants on fire.” The reality is that in 2017 only about 80 farms and closely held businesses — that’s right, 80 — paid any estate tax at all. Tales of family farms broken up to pay estate tax are pure fiction.

[link:https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/09/opinion/trump-rural-america.html?action=click&module=Opinion&pgtype=Homepage|

I truly believe these people will be homeless and destitute before they give up on the golden calf

[Skittles]

1. at this point I would not call them "victims"

[dalton99a]

8. +1

[TheRealNorth]

2. I wonder if their struggles are being overblown

Every Time I'm in farm country- I am blown away that they all seem to have F-450's parked in their driveways.

[Soph0571]

4. Trickle down economics

It takes time.... for the piss to land.... see what I did there

[kimbutgar]

6. Ohhh good one!

[JI7]

7. they do get a lot of welfare plus cost of living and home prices are much lower

than in many other parts of the country .

[dalton99a]

9. And now, a big chunk of the tariffs - which American consumers are forced to pay

[SWBTATTReg]

3. Lots of them have had crops stored from last years mess rump made w/ trading w/ the chinese, ...

and this year is looking the same. Got to be some pressure on these farmers eventually. Crop losses due to flooding of previously stored crops and farmland has got to be hurting quite a few of them.

Reimbursements, or, government handouts (ironic eh, in having their hands out for these government handouts) aren't keeping up with the total losses, which are piling up.

[kimbutgar]

5. But they are too stupid and brainwashed to realize they were conned by the ultimate conman

Anyone with sense would have known he was a grifter. Reading how he stiffed contractors working on his projects, cheated and humiliated his wives and being a liar it was right better their eyes. They got swept up in the ultimate grift and will be swept away after he finishes damaging their communities and they lose their farm and factories.

Shame on them should’ve known better.

[FiveGoodMen]

11. They were pre-brainwashed before that

Most were taught in church to feel proud and happy and secure when they denied evidence (on whatever topic at that moment) and insisted on a particular story that some preacher TOLD them.

They practice that for decades and then emerge to shoot themselves -- and all the rest of us -- in the foot.

[Aristus]

10. To Hell with 'em!

They voted for him. They, like us, have to live with the consequences of their own fecklessness.

[PufPuf23]

12. Maybe the failure of Trump policies for rural businesses is an opening

for the Democratic party to gain ground in rural USA?

Rural USA was a strength for FDR that has ebbed for the party ever since.

Rural USA is not monolithic, there are liberals and progressive Democrats that often perceive their situation as abandoned and misunderstood by the national Democratic party.

Like most anywhere else, the strong Trump supporters are the obvious scum that floats to the top of the cesspool.