15 thoughts on “Friday Open Thread”

1. Colorado's 51st Staters probably know this intuitively, even if they won't acknowledge it:

   The Trump tax cut largely passes farmers by, because they aren’t corporations and few of them are rich. One of the studies by Agriculture Department economists that raised Trumpian ire showed that to the extent that farmers saw tax reductions, most of the benefits went to the richest 10 percent, while poor farmers actually saw a slight tax increase.

   Rural Americans. Trump’s biggest supporters are his biggest victims.

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   1. Like moths drawn to a bucket of soapy water by a dim bulb …

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   2. Yup.  Kinda like how I saw an increase in my taxes due to Trump's #taxscam

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   3. More free stuff on the way!

      USDA working on new trade aid package for farmers

      Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue confirmed today that USDA, at the request of the White House, is working to put together a second aid package for farmers to make up for losses from Chinese tariffs.

      “Just spoke with (President Donald Trump) — while China may backtrack, (Trump) is steadfast in his support for U.S. farmers and directed (USDA) to work on a plan quickly,” Perdue tweeted this morning. “(Trump) loves his farmers and will not let them down!”

      Perdue’s comments come a day after Vice President Mike Pence assured farmers in Minnesota that the administration is “going to look for ways to provide additional support to American farmers that would be impacted by the negotiations or uncertainty in our relationship with China.”

      “Talks with China continue in a very congenial manner — there is absolutely no need to rush — as Tariffs are NOW being paid to the United States by China of 25% on 250 Billion Dollars worth of goods & products.” Trump tweeted today. “Your all time favorite President got tired of waiting for China to help out and start buying from our FARMERS, the greatest anywhere in the World!”

      But that’s the exact opposite of what farm groups want to hear after months of tariffs and retaliatory tariffs. In a joint release today, the presidents of the American Soybean Association, National Corn Growers Association and the National Association of Wheat Growers all put say they are losing patience and demand a resolution to the China trade war.

      “We have heard and believed the President when he says he supports farmers, but we’d like the President to hear us and believe what we are saying about the real-life consequences to our farms and families as this trade war drags on,” said ASA President Davie Stephens. “Adding to current problems, it took us more than 40 years to develop the China soy market. For most of us in farming, that is two thirds of our lives. If we don’t get this trade deal sorted out and the tariffs rescinded soon, those of us who worked to build this market likely won’t see it recover in our lifetime.”

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      1. Remember, Michael, if the money goes to rich old white guys, it ain't welfare!

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         1. No truer words spoken, V. 

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            1. Sunday morning on NBC should be interesting. Is your Hemp College coverageon this weekend?

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               1. June 19

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      2. “Talks with China continue in a very congenial manner — there is absolutely no need to rush — as Tariffs are NOW being paid to the United States by China of 25% on 250 Billion Dollars worth of goods & products.” Trump tweeted today. 

         Clueless Buffoon economic theory in practice. 25% of 250 billion dollars is a $62.5 billion tax hike on Americans.

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2. Bernie and AOC Just Teamed Up to Take On Credit Card Companies

   The bill, called the Loan Shark Prevention Act, is Ocasio-Cortez’s first big piece of legislation as a congresswoman. It applies to all consumer loans, including credit cards.

   “Today we’re telling Wall Street and the payday lenders that enough is enough,” Sanders said alongside Ocasio-Cortez in an announcement Thursday. “Your grotesque and disgusting behavior is not acceptable in America.”

   Sanders said they were explicitly hoping to take out payday lenders, which are “disgraceful beyond imagination.” Payday lenders offer loans to poor families that can carry annual interest rates of around 400%

   For Michael:

   Although it’s not part of the legislation, Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez are also calling for banking services to be introduced at U.S. postal offices. Sanders called it “universal banking,” and it would provide basic checking and savings accounts, low-interest loans, debit cards, ATMs, money-wiring, and more.

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   1. Fantastic news on the Post Office front. Thanks, Pseudo. Every Dem candidate for POTUS needs to have a position on this issue. 

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   2. MJ will probably have a stroke reading this but I actually support what those two are doing with credit card companies.

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      1. I'm sure that there are many policies promoted by "LWNJs" that you would agree with if you would abandon your usual stance of contempt prior to investigation.

         Nothing you do would give me a "stroke", since I don't care that much about your opinions – although I do enjoy exposing your hypocrisy on occasion.

         So does this mean that you might not vote 3rd party if Sanders wins the nomination, after all?

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         1. For someone who claims not to care about R&R's opinion, you spend an ungodly amount of time fulminating and bloviating about it.

            As far as Bernie goes, he seems headed so far south that the only voters he'll meet will be penguins.

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3. None of us can be as dumb as all of us, but the bar is low:

   US declining interest in history presents risk to democracy

   To be sure, Donald Trump is a fitting leader for such times. He had to be told who Andrew Jackson was (the Trump-style 19th century president whose portrait he hung in the Oval Office). He also seems to think that Frederick Douglass, the escaped slave and 19th century abolitionist, is among us still. “Frederick Douglass is an example of someone has done an amazing job and is getting recognised more and more, I notice,” Mr Trump said last year.

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