Truesee's Daily Wonder

Only Trump has done something to Make America Great Again. Manufacturing is back and job gains are up under Trump.
There have been more than 202 companies hurt by former Presidents who did not give a Sh!t about American manufacturing and workers.
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The Death of American Manufacturing
Globalization and outsourcing are hammering our icons of industry.
From the February 2006 Trumpet Print Edition
https://www.thetrumpet.com/2061-the-death-of-american-manufacturing

I researched many of the companies and individuals on this list, but for now, will confine this post to the soybean industry and some other ag. imports from our opposition in these tariff wars. Unlike many of my other posts, I will keep this as short as possible because I know my conservative friends in here have other things to do, like jobs and families to spend time with and that the others don't have attention spans that lend themselves to reading more than a few lines, and since I can't post pictures.... Let's begin with some numbers, shall we?

In regards to the recent USDA aid package to agriculture producers affected by the tariff "war", out of the $4.7 billion in govt. payments starting in Sept, $3.6 billion will go to soybean farmers. If that sounds like a lot, it is, although soybean subsidies in the United States totaled $35.6 billion from 1995-2016.

I might have missed some, but three soybean farmers were mentioned in the article - a little disingenuous to list them separately, seems like, instead of putting them into a single category, but none the less, I checked into their own subsidy receiving history at the EWG Farm Subsidy Database, with their name and the amount:

John Heisdorffer of Iowa - $989,220.17

Jerry Slocum of Mississippi - $421,455

And the article also mentioned Bernie Kosar of Ohio. (Yes, the former Browns QB) I could find no record of him receiving any subsidy, but he was on record as saying his farm was "therapeutic", which I took to mean it was more of a hobby than any money making venture. That doesn't mean he doesn't accept subsidies; he could be incorporated under some different name, something like "QB Farms" but I did not take the time to try to find that out. (Actually, I was looking up other agriculture products listed in the article, as well as reading about the steel industry, mainly the lack of steel that is causing problems for so many other manufacturers in the article)

Seems to me that the farmers not only want their free trade and open markets, they also want to keep their palms out for their subsidy payments. I could rant on for a thousand words about how ag subsidies actually RAISE food prices to the consumers or that if a farmer needs subsidies to make a profit raising a certain crop or livestock, then perhaps they should try their hand at another type...but I won't bother, not unless it's requested. (I won't be holding my breath, IOW)

But, while I'm on the subject of agriculture and most esp. trade tariffs, I will just say that maybe having produce restricted from Mexico might cause them to clean up their act. I personally was adversely affected by some watermelon imported from Mexico, later found to have been irrigated with sewage water. It sent hundreds to the hospital and I will save you from the sordid story of my own illness. Surely you have heard of the countless incidents involving other Mexican produce with outbreaks of salmonella or e-coli tainted vegetables?   I will eat nothing from there.

Plus, if anyone would read about the horrible conditions China raises it's own ag. imports, in particular seafood and esp. shrimp, tilapia and catfish, they would never touch them again, much less eat them.    China's fish farms often raise the latter two together, feeding the tilapia adulterated fish food...and the catfish eats the tilapia's waste. Plus, the water is of horrible quality, often contaminated with human sewage, plus other toxic substances and heavy metals.

(and I could go on about multiple cases of other Chinese products that are tainted or made with toxic substances, such as children's toys and pet food, but as I said, that's a 'nuther story)

I see the reduction of Chinese ag. imports to be a win-win situation for American producers of the same things, esp. the seafood. China flooded the market with their cheap shrimp, tilapia and catfish, even crawfish, all industries that used to thrive here in the states, yet were put out of business b/c they simply couldn't compete with the low prices. Maybe this will allow those industries to start up again.

Also, I should admit that this is something I've always been passionate about, esp. after learning some of the rich farmers and ranchers in the area where I grew up were taking subsidies from the govt. (meaning the taxpayers, of course) In the course of my "research" and reading about it, I found that there are many extremely wealthy (and famous) people who also take subsidies in some form or fashion, sometimes in property tax breaks but often as direct payments. Yet again, that's for another time.

Correction: I meant to say "China's own ag EXPORTS, not their imports...I meant to say OUR imports from there. Sorry 'bout that.