Is Trump putting farmers on welfare?

[Sefko Trafikant + 35]

Trump's administration announced it would offer $12 billion in aid to farmers hindered by retaliatory tariffs imposed on U.S. grain, produce and meat exports. The department will use the emergency aid to assist and buy crops from farmers who’ve lost billions of dollars in sales from foreign buyers in the European Union, Canada, Mexico and China. President promised supporters earlier this week that farmers will be the “biggest beneficiary” of his escalating trade disputes with numerous countries,

[Meanwhile + 49]

i am sure that $12 billion will flow to big agriculture companies and not the family farmer.

[Meanwhile + 49]

Just now, Meanwhile said:

i am sure that $12 billion will flow to big agriculture companies and not the family farmer.

and from our pockets.

[Nigerian Price + 22]

it is becoming clear to me why Trump's life has been a series of bankruptcies.

[Cokiga Damke + 53]

1 minute ago, Nigerian Price said:

it is becoming clear to me why Trump's life has been a series of bankruptcies.

Someone from administration has to point out to him the dire consequences of Smoot-Hawley? No one wins a trade war.

[Ajan Bosnjacki + 27]

2 minutes ago, Cokiga Damke said:

Someone from administration has to point out to him the dire consequences of Smoot-Hawley? No one wins a trade war.

He is going to to subsidize the car and steel industry next?

[Joanna + 68]

15 minutes ago, Sefko Trafikant said:

Trump's administration announced it would offer $12 billion in aid to farmers hindered by retaliatory tariffs imposed on U.S. grain, produce and meat exports. The department will use the emergency aid to assist and buy crops from farmers who’ve lost billions of dollars in sales from foreign buyers in the European Union, Canada, Mexico and China. President promised supporters earlier this week that farmers will be the “biggest beneficiary” of his escalating trade disputes with numerous countries,

cheap vote buying

[Rodent + 1,424]

So subsidizing solar and EVs good, subsidizing food bad?

[Sefko Trafikant + 35]

20 minutes ago, Nigerian Price said:

it is becoming clear to me why Trump's life has been a series of bankruptcies.

I was just checking Russian media on this. They claim that Trump is showing signs of socialism 

[李伟王芳 + 77]

China's president has an PhD. His cabinet members have 11 PhD's in economics, science... US has a guy with a license to run a motel.

Edited July 25, 2018 by 李伟王芳

[Dan Warnick + 6,100]

2 hours ago, Rodent said:

So subsidizing solar and EVs good, subsidizing food bad?

Ha-ha!

[Rodent + 1,424]

Just now, Dan Warnick said:

Ha-ha!

I'm here all week!

[Sefko Trafikant + 35]

Last time food was subsidized was in 1944. Before that in 1929

[Dan Warnick + 6,100]

6 minutes ago, Sefko Trafikant said:

Last time food was subsidized was in 1944. Before that in 1929

Really?

https://www.downsizinggovernment.org/agriculture/subsidies

 

[Sefko Trafikant + 35]

1 minute ago, Dan Warnick said:

Really?

https://www.downsizinggovernment.org/agriculture/subsidies

 

no need for links, some stuff you learn in school. We are not talking about same subsidies 

[Dan Warnick + 6,100]

3 minutes ago, Sefko Trafikant said:

no need for links, some stuff you learn in school. We are not talking about same subsidies 

So what subsidies are we talking about?

[Sefko Trafikant + 35]

3 minutes ago, Dan Warnick said:

So what subsidies are we talking about?

well, you are talking about part of the industry that didn't need aid just few months ago. I am talking about tech, science...

[Dan Warnick + 6,100]

21 minutes ago, Sefko Trafikant said:

Last time food was subsidized was in 1944. Before that in 1929

So why did you state the above?  You clearly said "Last time food was subsidized......"

[Dan Warnick + 6,100]

Trump is actually tapping into an area of U.S. subsidies that is routinely easy to get from Congress (who hold the purse strings).  In fact, one area where presidential vetoes have been overruled in the past is agricultural subsidies.  Agricultural subsidies support, according to the government but rarely supported by results, a number of other industries such as livestock via feed, fuel/gasoline, sugar/fructose, etc.  The agricultural sector of the U.S. is rather highly subsidized and has been pretty consistently since the early 1900's.

Edited July 25, 2018 by Dan Warnick

[Cokiga Damke + 53]

34 minutes ago, Dan Warnick said:

So why did you state the above?  You clearly said "Last time food was subsidized......"

 I think he meant "food" that is affected by Trump's tariffs

[Dan Warnick + 6,100]

6 minutes ago, Cokiga Damke said:

 I think he meant "food" that is affected by Trump's tariffs

Ok.  But to be clear, Trump's tariffs affect the prices of goods coming into the U.S., not those going out.  If his point is actually about non-U.S. country's counter tariff's, then he should state that clearly as well.  My response has simply been that it is not true that the U.S. government has only subsidized "food" (agriculture) twice in the last century.

[Rodent + 1,424]

Subsidies for agriculture have been in place for almost ever, presumably in an effort to ensure a stable food supply, handing out tens of billions per year including via crop insurance subsidies and tax incentives, etc. Yes, of course, the largest farms get more in direct subsidies. That makes sense mathematically (as opposed to ethically or morally) speaking... they produce more, they get more.  But there are also programs for beginning farmers, limited resource farmers (PC for poor farmers), socially disadvantaged farmers (PC for minority and female farmers).

I will neither endorse nor bash the farm subsidies, for I lack the economic prowess with which to form an intelligent opinion.  I will only say these are nothing new, and that I am intrigued at the renewed vehemence on either side of the issue. Where was the outrage or passion for farm subsidies prior to Trump's involvement? Trump gets involved and its all of a sudden a terrible idea or a wonderful one.

Just business as usual, folks. 

 

[HermitMunster + 146]

Farmers were already screwed by the Bayer-Monsanto, Dow-Dupont, and ChemChina-Syngenta mergers--which pretty much no politician objected to.

[HermitMunster + 146]

2 hours ago, Sefko Trafikant said:

Last time food was subsidized was in 1944. Before that in 1929

 

The U.S. throws away 63 million tons of food each year.

[李伟王芳 + 77]

2 hours ago, HermitMunster said:

Farmers were already screwed by the Bayer-Monsanto, Dow-Dupont, and ChemChina-Syngenta mergers--which pretty much no politician objected to.

why should they, classic piggy bank fairy tale