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Robot Bender's avatar

No sympathy for the farmers. Trump screwed them over in his first term and they helped put him back in power anyway. Now we all get to suffer for their FAFO.

Karen Echols's avatar

This is a real mixed bag for me! My family has been farmers since Oklahoma was opened back in the late 1870’s. My family still owns and lives on my great-grandfather’s original homestead, and it just goes down to every generation. These people are the ones I have loved and treasured my entire life, and I spent summers there every year until further into college. BUT I know they are solid pro-Trumpers, and I’ve never reconciled that! I have not been down there since Trump first came down that damn gold escalator, and I don’t envision ever going back. I now have very limited contact with anyone in the family. But I still love them, and I hate that they are struggling and possibly losing their farms. I know they voted for Trump, this creating this mess, but I still can’t say out loud that they deserve to lose it all when I know where it originally started. I love them (maybe it’s who they were to me back in the day, but I HATE them being pro-Trump!

Geoffrey Fox's avatar

Farming family also and I understand. However, he screwed them in the first term and they should have learned. In these times you cannot just say well he is the Republican candidate so I am voting for him. We as Americans, have to do our homework. Someone needs to remind our farming relatives that trump made deals with Argentina and Brazil against them.

Edward mead's avatar

Most farmers are honest and God Fearing people and Trump use the Church to get elected not Biden.

The only farmers who are making money today are cattle farmers, Beef is at almost highest ever.

R. M. Kelleher's avatar

I know how you feel. Just don't forget how other people feel about THEIR beloved family members who have suffered under Trump.

Robot Bender's avatar

I have several family members who voted for Trump. I tried to warn them what would happen.

David Maceira's avatar

My deepest sympathies. Deprogramming cultists is not easy. Especially since they have been psychologically manipulated into dependence on the cult leader. They must be completely removed from the group. And then supported with counseling to help them regain their identity and independence.

David Maceira's avatar

The rural knuckle draggers overwhelmingly voted for t-Rump. They were fine with him being a multiple felon who raped children. They bet the farm on that moron three times. And now just like their smelly orange god they'll be successful at bankruptcy.

Joanne Gatsis's avatar

He'll bail the dumb fuckers out again!

David Maceira's avatar

Farm bankruptcies surged to 46% in 2025 and are showing no signs of slowing down. According to the USDA this is fourth year in a row. Caused by low crop prices, higher debt and higher production costs.

Which means we're all getting hosed.

Linda Harris's avatar

Prices in stores will skyrocket if there is even produce available. F the farmers they screwed not just themselves but the rest of us.

Robot Bender's avatar

I'm in the Midwest. Meat and vegetables are getting very expensive already. That's very unusual for an agricultural state.

Linda Harris's avatar

Joanne, I have zero respect for the farmers bc they helped create this mess. He screwed them over his first term and they voted for him twice more. This time he sold them out bc of his tariffs. When China said we don't need US soybeans, the farmers loss was $44 billion. trump's bail out to the farmers was $12 billion. Also, now they cannot afford fertilizer (thanks to trump) for some it is just not available at any cost. And who will lose from that, us. There will be not just shortages in the stores but no product and I blame the farmers as well as trump for that.

Joanne Gatsis's avatar

I agree, Linda. They should have learned by their mistakes the first time around but they didn't. I was so pissed and confused as to why they would support/vote for him again! 🤷🏻‍♀️

Hendrik Gideonse's avatar

Linda, I just sent off in the USPS sixty senior democrats a detailed 19 page e-mail essay the democratic party's inadequate capacities for analysis, planning and sensible goal identification. They'd rather talk about the processes the party is employing, the kinds of candidates they are trying to advance, the focus groups they intend to create. I don't give a rats ass about any of that . I want to know not who to blame, not whose at fault, not what means they intend to build and employ, but what GOALS, godammit, what AIMS they 'll strive for, what STEPS they will take to fix the obvious weaknesses in our constitutional structures which have allowed the swift decline in stability for our (supposed) liberal democratic Republic into an authoritarian incompetent ineptiotude. The state of our nation is, admittedly, awful, but spitting venom towards people who aren't going anywhere any more than we are, when what we've been left with are also the consequence of the dumbing down effects of our technology (social media, cell phones, 140 character limits on posts, the influence of our numbing media,. etc.) but part of it, too, is also the lack of empathy ("I have no respect . . .") which I see as a full-on march to yet another Bull Run. My intent is not to rile you up, but to urge greater reflection on the implications of what each of us says . . .

Joanne Gatsis's avatar

I hear you, Robot!! I can still hear "Farmers for Trump" ringing in my ears! They screwed themselves and screwed us! 🤬

Carol Gamm's avatar

How long will their support for Trump continue?

Signe K.'s avatar

Are you kidding, Meidas? You said, "Farmers Got Played. Again." Who do you think is paying for their 2nd bailout (1st bailout, of course, in Trump's 1st term)? It's US the taxpayers! I'm a fan of small family farms BUT not the corporate factory farms. Sorry, I'm not feeling sorry for the farmers who voted for an idiot twice and then received money stolen out of the pockets of honest taxpayers.

MM Harris's avatar

Smaller quantities of produce in the market will really help the cost go down .......... NOT.

Barb O's avatar

I have not seen anyone (will be checking this out myself in awhile) categorize exactly what kind of farms are going under. Are they dairy farms? Real food farms (fruit, nuts, veggies, grains for baking, hemp)? Or row crop farms (bent corn and soy used for feed, export, ethanol, and some corn byproducts, the Big Ag kind that get all the subsidies)? I live in Indiana. Only 1% of the corn grown here is sweet corn that goes on your dinner plate. The rest of it is for other stuff which we don't absolutely have to have, eg, we could eat less meat and take ethanol out of our gasoline like it used to be. So, we just continue to subsidize these row crop farmers even though we don't need all of them??? What other job category gets this treatment? Someone fill me in on what I'm missing.

Linda Harris's avatar

I know from relatives of my brother that the dairy farms in WI are hurting. It isn't just the production of milk but the upkeep and feeding of the cows. For other farms I can only speak on one I researched and that is soybean farmers. Many have already defaulted and are losing their farms. This is bc of trump's tariff policy. China told him "We do not need US soybeans". The loss to soybean farmers was $44 billion. trump's bail out was $12 billion.

Barb O's avatar

The dairy farms I have read about (Minnesota and Iowa) are highly dependent on migrant labor. Many farms had the same guys working there for years, even recruiting others from their villages in Mexico. Most didn't have documents. They work 7 days a week, in freezing cold and brutal heat. Americans don't want to do the work, but the cows need to be tended to 24/7. I feel for them. Milk and cheese is real food. In 73 years, I've yet to have a plate of soybeans for dinner.

Linda Harris's avatar

It isn't the soybeans themselves that are important, just like corn, the products produced from soybeans is phenomenal.

Alexis 🇨🇦's avatar

In actuality the things made from soybeans and corn are not actually necessary for humans to survive.

Corn in the US has been subsidized so much just like dairy that there was a massive amount that couldn’t be used or sold in country so the US has attempted to export it.

But neither Canada nor the EU will allow US dairy products it in to their countries due to the amount of hormones and other chemicals fed to the cows.

They don’t allow chickens in either because they have been washed in bleach.

And as for soybeans Canada and quite a few other countries already produce them. The only folks who would be in trouble would be vegans as soybeans are used to make tofu.

Geoffrey Fox's avatar

You are correct.

Geoffrey Fox's avatar

You are missing nothing. Until we get big business out of the government we are screwed.

Therese Siemers's avatar

There are a heck of a lot more city slickers who voted for THE RUMP than farmers! Blame the IDIOT CITY SLICKERS - not the Farmers for voting in your Idiot CRIMINAL in power who is destroying the whole WORLD!

Robot Bender's avatar

Not MY idiot criminal.

The farmers shot themselves in the foot three times. Yes, a lot of others voted for Trump, but the farmers who voted for him deserve what they're getting. The problem now is that EVERYONE is getting screwed at the grocery store and it's only going to get worse.

Geoffrey Fox's avatar

His followers were a combination of everyone. Latinos, farmers, businessmen, pharmacists lawyers, doctors…all standing to gain from an illicit president.mhow many of the 1% are suffering? None! They are making money hand over fist.

Kelvin Hobbs's avatar

Some farmers may have made unwise choices when voting in November 2024, but please remember the challenges they face due to variable and rising costs and weather and labor uncertainty – often at great personal financial risk – in order to feed … us.

Input costs continue to rise without crop prices moving to meet them. According to ISU, input costs for growing corn after soybeans are up 16% compared to 2022. But since 2022, cash corn prices have dropped by 38%. [Since 2022, soybean costs are up more than 18% and prices are down 22% and machinery and interest costs rose by 40%+.]

Input costs are the operating costs for a farm that require upfront purchases necessary to begin production. These are items such as fertilizer, pesticides, seeds, weaned animals, feed and any other production input. Variable costs are costs that will change depending on the amount of consumption on a farm or ranch and include items like fuel and oil, electricity, labor (hired and custom), repairs and maintenance, water use and storage. Fixed costs are costs that must be paid but are not dependent on the level of production. These include operator labor, machinery, taxes, asset depreciation/capital consumption, rent and interest expenses.

In the short run, cash income must be sufficient to pay cash costs, including seed, fertilizer, chemicals, insurance, cash rent, and hired labor, as well as machinery fuel and repairs, and interest on operating capital. In the long run, income should be sufficient to pay all costs of production for resources to be used in their most profitable purpose.

Understanding today’s farm economy; Iowa Farm Bureau; 23-Mar-26; https://tinyurl.com/552z5n25

Analyzing Farm Inputs: The Cost to Farm Keeps Rising; Market Intel; 17-Mar-22; https://tinyurl.com/3e6zpfcw

Iowa State University; Estimated Costs of Crop Production in Iowa - 2026; January; https://tinyurl.com/5n74dxac (downloaded)

Linda (Evanston IL)'s avatar

We love the idea of a commission to assess trump’s presidential capacity. We assume they will call highly regarded Neuropsychiatrists and the hearings will be televised. Maybe the hearings could happen before trump’s scheduled trip to China in one month, but we’re not sure that is feasible.

Thomas Moore's avatar

OMG, no, this is just another can-kicking exercise. Establish a commission blah blah. Trump is plainly mentally incompetent. Just vote on it. Most doctors will refuse to issue a diagnosis without examining the patient, and they cannot do so. We all see what is plain before our eyes. Vote. It doesn't matter either way, frankly. The cabinet and Republican Congress are invertibrates.

BobK's avatar

Actually, taking a page out of the MAGA RepubliCON playbook might be what they're aiming at. Just like they did to Joe Biden, perhaps it's best to form a commission that continues the drip, drip, drip of all the evidence and analysis showing that Dear Leader is demented, incompetent and lacking any clue. It helps with the blue tsunami we need to effect in November (as in Hungary).

MM Harris's avatar

Sadly, It may be the only way to get around his doctors who all seem to be very comfortable lying through their teeth re his health.

MM Harris's avatar

Even if he were entirely healthy, he needs to be relieved of presidential duties based on "all the reasons" too lengthy to list but primarily for breaking the oath he took to defend and uphold the US Constitution and for his unwillingness to comport himself with the integrity and decorum required of a US president, no matter how innocent or serious a situation might be.

Geoffrey Fox's avatar

Correct. He was impeached twice first time and Mitch did,nothing. Now we have Mike Johnson and John Thune who do nothing. Sad isn’t it.

bitchybitchybitchy's avatar

Johnson and Thunr do nothing because bith men are on-board with Project 2025, as is the GOP/MAGA cult. Shrink government, destroy social programs, privatize everything that private equity and corporations are salivating to get their greedy mitts on.

Linda (Evanston IL)'s avatar

If Democrats had a majority trump would have been impeached . But this could be an interesting tactic for now. But doctors might be afraid of revenge. John Brennan and others have already spoken up. There is ample evidence from trump’s own behavior.

Punkette's avatar
5hEdited

Jason Easley at PoliticusUSA explained how the commission would work:

Jamie Raskin Just Made A Big 25th Amendment Move

House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) has introduced a bill that would establish an independent commission on presidential capacity, which is a step toward the 25th.

https://politicususanews.substack.com/p/jamie-raskin-just-made-a-big-25th?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web

Linda (Evanston IL)'s avatar

This will not pass as legislation unfortunately until after the new Congress is installed 🙏. But it will draw more attention to the issue. The whole world is watching.

Punkette's avatar

Exactly! Dems must regain control of Congress first, but they are already making plans for the takeover. The midterm election is coming up fast (November 3). It’s up to We the People to VOTE in our state primaries and in the midterm election, and give Democrats a clean sweep of the House and Senate so we can start fresh with a Dem-controlled 120th Congress on January 3, 2027 and kick some major butt!

Here’s the 2026 Primary Election Calendar: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-primary-elections/calendar

Patricia Davis's avatar

Actually, Congress was directed to form this commission in the 25th Amendment back in 1967, and as I understand it, this commission is supposed to be an alternate body the VP can go to when the 25th is required. Congress never set it up, but now we discover it is an essential part of the 25th, because THIS cabinet, which is the primary vehicle for invoking the 25th, is made up of die hard loyalists who won’t consider it, not that Vance will either.

And now, it’s unlikely the commission can be formed because it requires a bill to be passed by BOTH houses of congress and then SIGNED by the president. Do you see him signing? Because I don’t. So then Congress will have to enact the bill by a two-thirds majority in BOTH houses.

Old Uncle Dave's avatar

Four women accused Swalwell and he resigned.

Twenty+ women accused trump and he got reelected.

Make it make sense.

Kelvin Hobbs's avatar

Acquiescence to the consequences of (but sadly, not yet acceptance of responsibility for) misdeeds vs. denial of responsibility, refusal to apologize, initiation of an escalated counter-attack, litigation and fear-based threats, media manipulation, crony buy-in.

Geoffrey Fox's avatar

And his new AG is probably destroying all evidence of the Epstein files.

Joanne Gatsis's avatar

It's madness!!! I don't fucking get it?!

bitchybitchybitchy's avatar

Well, Dems always panic and dump their people, or if you are idealistic Dems act to uphold principles, maybe its both

Richard Friedman's avatar

The 25th Amendment is a fail. When the president appoints a collection of useless toadies and the Senate confirms them, the 25th Amendment is a worthless piece of paper. So the only point of mentioning it is to consider how it should be revised someday, but that day won’t be anytime soon.

Geraldine L Sheremeta's avatar

Agree completely. People seem to think that will happen. Maybe in 2026 we can check him. The complete submission of his Cabinet and his Congress is firm.

Linda Harris's avatar

Just as the founding fathers did not foresee a regime like trumps who would take out their guardrails, so in 1967 (ratified) they also did not foresee this. I think you are very correct that the 25th needs to be revised to take all of this into account and it will have to wait until there is a new congress. Just as SCOTUS needs to be updated to put in term limits and hopefully a better vetting process.

Nancy Richardson's avatar

Great job, Ben. Succinct and to the point!!!

Bob's avatar

Trump has so much confidence in pistol Pete's military prowess he continues to purge our military of top level, qualified patriotic leaders....why?

David's avatar

Bob, The most obvious reason is to eliminate the opposition, the top brass - those who offer the biggest risk of opposition to their plans.

Kelvin Hobbs's avatar

Adding to David's reply: doing so also gets rid of those who favored DEI policies, allows for removal of high ranking officers who are people of color and/or women, and removes JAG oversight that provides guidance to those seeking clarification a to lawful vs. unlawful orders

Wade Baynham's avatar

I was curious how poorly the blockade insanity was going. Thank you for the update!

Stephen M Kahnert's avatar

Plan C: someone copy out the exact deal Obama’s team got Iran to approve. Choose a flowing script typeface. Then ask The Really Intelligent Vance to carry it to Islamabad in the valise she used daily as a clerk for Chief Justice Roberts. Easy peasy.

Therese Siemers's avatar

It’s not just the price of fertilizer that’s bothering farmers. You forget about the price of Diesel fuel. Farmers’ tractors run on Diesel fuel too - as do probably trucks that deliver your food to grocery stores, etc. The price of Diesel fuel went up too - not just gasoline.

A farmer from Saskatchewan, Canada told CBC News that it used to cost $1,000 to fill his tractor before the price went up - now it costs him $2,000! The price had doubled and more in places.

In Germany - I am told it costs the equivalent of $4 Canadian a litre to fill his car which runs on diesel. 4 litres = One US gallon. So, that is $16 Canadian per US gallon!

At this rate, Canadian farmers don’t know what to seed. You can bet they will most likely cut down on how much land they seed - then you can expect shortages of food for the World - and rising prices for groceries and everything else!

You can also bet that EVERYONE blames the criminal warmonger THE RUMP! And the USA has no more allies!

Linda Harris's avatar

You are so right. It is not just the price going up that I fear. I think there will be shortages and outright unavailability of items. trump does not know how to deal with a world market, which he proves with every move he makes. I am surprised his billionaire friends haven't stepped in at this point.

David Maceira's avatar

The sad part is that nothing is going to improve and are bound to get much worse as long as Agent Orange is in the WH. He must be Impeached, convicted and removed from office.

Yesterday would not have been soon enough.

SJR's avatar

It was amusing when trump thanked the Door Dash lady for being such a great supporter, having asked her if she voted for him. Her answer was "maybe"!

Linda Harris's avatar

Door Dash should be boycotted and that woman needs to stop being ferried from one GOP event to another. Meidas did an expose on her and this stunt.

Karen Echols's avatar

She was great! She went along with the stunt, but she didn’t kiss his ass like they’d hoped!

Kimberly Byrne's avatar

Why have we not heard anything about the F15 pilot that was “rescued”. NO PR campaign, NO UPDATE on how he is healing up- not even a name? Did it REALLY HAPPEN? DID IT REALLT HAPPEN THE WAY WE WERE TOLD IT HAPPENED? Please investigate.

Linda Harris's avatar

My personal opinion from the facts I derived from independent news sites is that there was a clandestine operation going on bc there was no reason for them to be in that region. (That region is where the buried enriched uranium is). They stated that the second pilot walked to where they found him in one day (110 KM) very unlikely. And, why were so many involved in the rescue. Not just specialized squads but planes and helicopters. Was it a mission to try to get the uranium. That I cannot guess at. But they dropped all information on it immediately.

Karen Echols's avatar

I still ask WTF has set Trump off so badly that in every conversation, he brings up Trans people and men playing in women’s sports? He made his point clear long ago, but that is so minute with everything else going on in the world, yet he brings it up in just about any comment he ever makes. What set him off about this so long ago?

Sue's avatar

It appeals to his conservative base who have always been afraid of any LGBTQ population (remember the AIDS years -fear of gay people and even prior) Trans people in particular freak out those who are closed to gender fluidity even though there is thousands of years of history of gender exploration and people living as the opposite sex from a young age. Some cultures has always embraced this. The hypocrisy is stunning in the Republican Party (think Kristi Noems husband openly considering living as female) or Caitlyn Jenner embracing Trump. White evangelicals are particularly phobic and they continue to try to influence this administration.

Alan & Jan Erickson's avatar

The Rich Starry sailing is beyond irony.

D Jones's avatar
5hEdited

ONLY 50 DEMOCRATS in Congress think Trump is nuts 🥜?!

Protect the Vote's avatar

What’s Wrong With The American Electorate?

Finally someone is willing to say the quiet part out loud In an interview(https://bit.ly/41rrNPb )with Greg Sargent over at the New Republic political theorist Alan Elrod makes the point that an electorate that votes an immoral cretin like Cheeto twice into office has something seriously wrong with it

As Elrod points out, "No morally healthy country would put this man in power twice," adding, "We have become a morally insane, civically disordered, and self-regardingly decadent country."

Yes, it’s hard to be introspective Hungary found this out with Orban and shows that democratic countries can right themselves Interviews with on the street Hungarians several months ago in one MSNOW segment showed the resolve to right the ship of state after having been oppressed for 16y In those interviews those interviewed spoke to Americans directly saying, “don’t make the same mistake we made”

So Hungary is leading the way to show America how to end strongman autocracy….how and what it will be done to “redemocratize” the US, as Maddow relates, after Cheeto and his Nazi Republicans are thrown out of office and never to return again These efforts to right the ship will have to be concerted and well planned and thought out in order to correct the autocratic damage that has been done

But yet here we are Some of the electorate believed absent mindedly all the Cheeto campaign lies but there is always another day and come November it’ll be a new dawn and a new day