Page 4 - ARUBA TODAY

A4 U.S. NEWS
Friday 6 april 2018

Trump trade moves rattle GOP in rural America

By NICK GERANIOS, STEVE for farmers like him to mar- matching the American an Associated Press analy- coming from counties that
PEOPLES and STEVE KAR- ket their crop and lock in tariffs with plans to tax $50 sis of Agriculture Depart- Trump won in 2016, ac-
NOWSKI profitability. The state is billion of U.S. products, in- ment and election data. cording to an analysis by
SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — the country's fourth-largest cluding soybeans, corn In those counties, on aver- Mark Muro, a senior fellow
Gary Bailey is certain China exporting state, and the and wheat. China had pre- age, two out of three voters at the Metropolitan Policy
is trying to rattle Trump vot- Program at the Brookings
ers with its threat to slap tar- Institution.
iffs on soybeans and other "We're in kind of a farm cri-
agriculture staples grown sis," said Bob Worth, who
in rural America. The wheat grows soybeans, corn and
farmer in eastern Washing- spring wheat with his son on
ton, a state that exports $4 2,200 acres near Lake Ben-
billion a year in farm prod- ton in southwestern Minne-
ucts, is also certain of the sota. He wouldn't say how
result. he voted in 2016, but he
"It's a strategy that's work- offered kind, if measured,
ing," he said. words for Trump.
If farmers are worried, so are "I'm going to believe in
Republican politicians, who the man," added Worth,
depended on small-town who's also on the board
America to hand them of the Minnesota Soybean
control of Congress and Growers Association. "He's
know how quickly those doing this for business rea-
voters could take it away. sons only. I don't know if he
Just seven months before knows how much he's hurt-
the 2018 midterm elections, ing agriculture."
Trump's faceoff with China Matt Aultman, a grain
over trade has exposed A flag flies over the Heartland Co-op grain elevator, Thursday, April 5, 2018, in Dallas Center, Iowa. salesman and feed nutri-
an unexpected political Associated Press tionist in Greenville, Ohio,
vulnerability in what was west of Columbus, said
supposed to be the Repub- farmers there are keep-
lican Party's strongest re- state's top farm export mar- viously released plans to supported Trump in 2016. ing a close watch on the
gion: rural America. ket is China. impose retaliatory tariffs on Many Republican candi- talk in Washington. Farmers
The clash with China poses A Trump voter, Gordon said frozen pork, nuts and wine dates who represent rural pay attention to two things:
a direct threat to the econ- right now he's disappoint- in response to Trump's intent areas Trump won in 2016 prices and weather. And a
omies in both red and blue ed, not angry with what's to apply duties to imported are being forced to choose trade fight that affects pric-
states, from California's happening. But the trade aluminum and steel. between his trade policies es won't go unnoticed.
central valley to eastern tensions could affect his The soybean industry, per- and community interests. "It directly affects our pock-
Washington through Min- vote in the open race for haps more than any oth- Vulnerable Republicans etbooks and the way we
nesota's plains and across the region's congressional er, illustrates the potential are walking a tightrope. plan for the following years,"
Missouri, Indiana and into seat, where the farm vote is harm to Republican candi- In eastern Washington, sev- he said. "Are we going to
Ohio. significant. dates in the fall. en-term Republican Rep. pay all the bills this year?
They are regions in which "I vote for the people who Soy production is concen- Cathy McMorris Rodgers Are we going to buy a new
the GOP's quest to retain represent rural America," trated in the Midwest. Il- had already found herself piece of equipment? Do
its House and Senate ma- he said. "It's not a party linois, Iowa, Minnesota, in an unexpectedly tight you get your kids a couple
jorities this fall is tied directly line." Nebraska, Indiana and Mis- race. She has urged the new pair of shoes?"
to Republican voters' views President Donald Trump souri account for over half White House to "reverse In California's central val-
about their pocketbooks says he's simply fighting of all soy produced in the course" on the Chinese tar- ley, Republican Rep. Jeff
and Trump's job perfor- against unfair business United States. And more iffs in recent days. She did Denham has avoided
mance. The signs of fear practices with a geopo- than 60 percent of U.S. soy not respond publicly to this the issue altogether in re-
and frustration about both litical rival. After the Trump exports have been sent to week's dramatic develop- cent days. His opponent,
are easy to find. administration announced mainland China in recent ments, however. Democrat and longtime
In southwestern Minnesota, plans to impose tariffs years. Overall, an estimated 2.1 family farmer Michael Egg-
soybean farmer Bill Gor- on $50 billion in Chinese Trump won 89 percent of million jobs could be af- man said Trump's trade
don says the volatility in the imports Tuesday, China America's counties that fected by the trade dispute policies would shatter his
markets makes it harder lashed back within hours, produce soy, according to nationally, with a majority community.q