Results of tariffs could sour even the president’s fans

Every day the fake news generated by our president and his spokespeople leaves us shaking our heads. It’s enough to create a concussion.

It is no wonder the majority in America has an unfavorable opinion of our president and the way the country is moving. Taking into account the sadness of the man’s unfitness to guide our country, it’s laughable that he has any support at all.

I’ve heard comments that our president’s supporters acknowledge his personal shortcomings because of what he has accomplished. Ignore the man; focus on results, they imply.

I suspect that many still support him because his daily showmanship diverts attention from the aftermath of his actions. Is it possible that his supporters are unaware of what his “promises kept” have actually accomplished?

Take a look at his promise to undo all the “horrible, horrible” trade deals his predecessors negotiated.

So far he has renegotiated NAFTA in a way that will result in higher cost for automobiles in the United States, while allowing more to be produced and imported from Mexico and Canada. Granted the new pact gives U.S. dairy farmers miniscule penetration into the Canadian markets, however that penetration is less than Canada has agreed to allow the participants of the Pacific Trade Agreement that Trump pulled us out of.

The weakness of this man vs. results mantra is mind-boggling when you examine his accomplishment with the trade wars over steel and aluminum he started.

“Trade wars are easy to win,” he assured.

China slapped counter tariffs on Trump’s tariffs that slowed American agriculture exports. Scrambling to provide relief, Trump’s administration is dishing out over $12 billion in payments to farmers and producers whose exports have sagged. Some have supported this “welfare” under the justification of no pain, no gain.

The irony in the relief policy and its aftermath, is that, under the rules, our tax dollars are to be given to Sen. Chuck (limit the FBI investigation) Grassley, member of the Senate agriculture committee and an Iowa farmer, and Sen. John Tester, a Montana farmer. How embarrassing to expose that, combined, these two have pulled in over $600,000 in farm subsidies over the last two decades. Who knows how many of the other 33 members of Congress who have shared in the $15 million they received over the same time period now qualify for this relief?

Piling on that bit of irony is the fact that W.H. Group, a Chinese company, financed by a $4 billion loan in 2013 from the Chinese government to take over Smithfield Foods, is due to receive a big chunk of the $559 million in additional relief payments destined for pork producers. The same applies to J.B.S. of Brazil, another large pork producer in the U.S.

Rounding out the irony is that Larry Kudlow, the president’s top economic adviser, was unaware of the possibility the relief money would benefit a Chinese firm. Alas, old Chuck says he’s going to introduce legislation to keep the relief payment from going to the foreigners.

But, as suggested by Trump supporters, let’s focus on the results. It’s true the pork relief money is going to the largest producers who provide thousands of U.S. jobs, and that the government is actually buying this pork to be distributed to food banks. And then we can’t ignore the $3.50 per hog that the small farmer in northeast Iowa received to compensate for the market value decline of $50 per hog.

I’m wondering what happens to Trump’s lock on those who support him when they realize the tariffs on foreign aluminum increase the cost of U.S. beer production by $347 million.