America needs and has always welcomed legal immigrants. You make no distinction between legal and illegal immigrants. How convenient. Flush your TDS down the drain. It’s sad, depressing and unneeded. You’ll sleep better. PS, the economy hasn’t been this good since 47’s first term. Choke that truth down.
As to farm program benefits, farm state Republicans seem to have understood that things are looking really bad, and, so far, they have not supported the Project 2025 approach that ends all Price Loss Coverage(PLC) and Agricultural Risk Coverage subsidies. At the same time, however, they have called for further cuts to the PLC program, cutting Reference Price levels, in the big ugly House Reconciliation bill. This has become confusing, however, because FarmDoc Daily, (Land Grant Agricultural Economists from Illinois and Ohio,) has claimed that Republicans have increased, (rather than decreased,) Reference Prices, (subsidy triggers). As it turns out, that conclusion came because they didn't adjust for inflation. Adjusted for inflation, the program has gone down hill every year. The House "increases" make reference prices higher than 2024, to then be lowered even more, but lower than 2014, and also lower than full costs, even for peanuts and rice, which fared better than the other crops. I've made a 2-part slide show telling this story of Republican reductions to PLC, which is available here. https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1_AYKC9ICqz7vb5jfAQNmVjCQ3jVZbinN
The saddest and most disheartening thing about this story is it only scratches the surface of how much damage has been inflicted or expected. It’s taken 158 days. Look in any direction and what do you see? Everything’s broken. And, what’s left has, or is in the process of being stolen, destroyed or diminished. The certainties of law, justice and social order are all in question. The requisites for stability in any economic system or our personal lives are, too. Sadly, cynicism and pessimism are unstable foundations for optimism and change. If we are to overcome these challenges, it’s going to take a whole generation of devoted, committed, unflappably dedicated leaders and common people. Just like it did the first time.
What’s broken, destroyed and diminished? America’s economy hasn’t been this good since 47’s first term, inflation is flat and peace is breaking out all over the world.
I fully respect your right to your opinion. I appreciate people taking time to comment on my posts. However, believing something to be true doesn't make it so. There is no objective metric of scale that supports that Trump 47 has been successful with anything but advancing a radical, ideological, and anti-democratic vision for our country. Trump has not only slowed the growth of the US Economy, there is growing concern that the world economy is also being negatively impacted by Trump 47.
Thank you for this piece which puts together a big complex picture that makes understanding our current situation easier and more accessible for the less informed. These hard facts feel so divorced from the ego driven show happening at the top.
America needs and has always welcomed legal immigrants. You make no distinction between legal and illegal immigrants. How convenient. Flush your TDS down the drain. It’s sad, depressing and unneeded. You’ll sleep better. PS, the economy hasn’t been this good since 47’s first term. Choke that truth down.
Great article Gentlemen!
I hope 2026 brings us a change of direction for our country 😊.
RINO -- Ed (calling myself a RINO has become a stretch -- LOL)!
As to farm program benefits, farm state Republicans seem to have understood that things are looking really bad, and, so far, they have not supported the Project 2025 approach that ends all Price Loss Coverage(PLC) and Agricultural Risk Coverage subsidies. At the same time, however, they have called for further cuts to the PLC program, cutting Reference Price levels, in the big ugly House Reconciliation bill. This has become confusing, however, because FarmDoc Daily, (Land Grant Agricultural Economists from Illinois and Ohio,) has claimed that Republicans have increased, (rather than decreased,) Reference Prices, (subsidy triggers). As it turns out, that conclusion came because they didn't adjust for inflation. Adjusted for inflation, the program has gone down hill every year. The House "increases" make reference prices higher than 2024, to then be lowered even more, but lower than 2014, and also lower than full costs, even for peanuts and rice, which fared better than the other crops. I've made a 2-part slide show telling this story of Republican reductions to PLC, which is available here. https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1_AYKC9ICqz7vb5jfAQNmVjCQ3jVZbinN
The saddest and most disheartening thing about this story is it only scratches the surface of how much damage has been inflicted or expected. It’s taken 158 days. Look in any direction and what do you see? Everything’s broken. And, what’s left has, or is in the process of being stolen, destroyed or diminished. The certainties of law, justice and social order are all in question. The requisites for stability in any economic system or our personal lives are, too. Sadly, cynicism and pessimism are unstable foundations for optimism and change. If we are to overcome these challenges, it’s going to take a whole generation of devoted, committed, unflappably dedicated leaders and common people. Just like it did the first time.
What’s broken, destroyed and diminished? America’s economy hasn’t been this good since 47’s first term, inflation is flat and peace is breaking out all over the world.
Satire is akin to sarcasm. Both are free and seldom assuage the aggrieved.
I fully respect your right to your opinion. I appreciate people taking time to comment on my posts. However, believing something to be true doesn't make it so. There is no objective metric of scale that supports that Trump 47 has been successful with anything but advancing a radical, ideological, and anti-democratic vision for our country. Trump has not only slowed the growth of the US Economy, there is growing concern that the world economy is also being negatively impacted by Trump 47.
Great Article…🙏💙🥲
Thank you for this piece which puts together a big complex picture that makes understanding our current situation easier and more accessible for the less informed. These hard facts feel so divorced from the ego driven show happening at the top.
"from the ego driven show happening at the top." Now that's well said!
Thank you guys! So much happening and things to pay attention to. I wonder when/if the bloom for Trump will be off around here. And nice photos, Bob.
Bob has a great eye for capturing the moment. A great ear for hearing the moment. And an awesome voice for telling the story.