With all the scandals Donald Trump is connected to, none affects us like the tariffs.
Not to get personal, but does it really affect your life to know who an elected official had sex with many years before holding public office? Or how much she charged? Is it important to know if a candidate for President paid someone to dig up dirt in Russia on their opponent?
Why President Trump jumped on the tariff bandwagon is a puzzle because every other president with âpolitical knowledgeâ was against âem (see quote below). Trump has also said he wants zero tariffs worldwide. So are the tariffs on steel, aluminum and other imports a bargaining ploy? He even got the European Union to agree on the idea of no tariffs on automobiles, and to buy our soybeans.
Farmers hope Europe and other countries follow up and buy the excess of whatever they produce. Thatâs a whole lot easier than figuring a fair way to divide up $12 Billion as kind of a refund from the tariff (a sales tax) our federal government might collect on imports.
Of course that $12 Billion donât seem so massive when you consider that Facebook dropped $120 Billion in one day. Our farmers have a whole lot less invested in Facebook (if anything) than they do in corn, soybeans and other crops and livestock. All that Facebook has available to sell is ad space on a screen. But with farm products, you get to eat it, wear it, or use it to help fuel your car.
Itâs State Fair time in Ohio. A few thousand 4-H youth come to Columbus to compete in various events, including engineering related projects. A lot of photos are being posted on a Facebook page (Facebook.com/Ohio4HEngineering). And in an ironic twist, Facebook charges us nothing.
Now whether this State Fair, or any other State Fair, can match the âState Fairâ movie in 1933, I got my doubts. Blue Boy (a 900 pound hog) was my co-star, the best ham actor in Hollywood.
Historic quotes by Will Rogers:
âWe have made [China] keep what we call the âOpen Door.â That meant that they wasnât allowed to charge too much tariff on our stuff coming in.â WA #346, Aug. 11, 1929
âThe United States Senate passed the Tariff Bill⊠Of course Tariff has been to a Politician about what a bone is to a Dog, and a fixed jury is to a Los Angeles Culprit. Itâs not only his bread and butter, but itâs his desert and toothpick. Any President with Political knowledge always fights (any) Tariff coming up during his Administration.â WA #380, Apr. 6, 1930
âI lost old Blue Boy⊠Going to miss him, for I got along with him better than any actor I ever played with. He was just 900 pounds of harmony. Me losing him would be just like Laurel and Hardy splitting.â WA #548, June 25, 1933