* Press release…
Despite Enormous Trade Losses, Trump’s Aid to Illinois Farmers Cut in Half
Springfield, IL — History is repeating itself as President Donald Trump announces a tariff aid package in response to his self-manufactured trade crisis that began shortly after he took office in January.
Due to the last major trade war during Trump’s first term, U.S. agricultural export losses exceeded an estimated $27 billion from mid-2018 to the end of 2019, according to the USDA’s Economic Research Service. Then $23.1 billion in federal assistance provided a band-aid to farmers but did nothing to restore damage to international trade relationships built over decades.
The $11 billion in aid to row crop farmers announced today is less than half of the previous package resulting from Trump’s prior trade war.
“Tariffs are crushing farmers again. Financial losses are worse this time around, yet the aid package is 50% smaller,” said Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) Director Jerry Costello II. “We’re seeing repeated devastation with greater losses than Trump 1. It defies logic.”
Meanwhile, details of China’s alleged agreement to buy 12 million metric tons of soybeans this year have yet to be shared. On December 5, USDA confirmed that only 2.25 million tons of soybeans had been purchased by China to date, and the deadline has been extended to the end of February.
What is most concerning is that China has not adhered to previous purchase obligations. Reuters reported in October, “The US Trade Representative’s office … launched a new tariff investigation into China’s ‘apparent failure’ to comply with the ‘Phase One’ trade deal signed with President Donald Trump in 2020 to end his first-term US-China trade war.”
“The deadline extension is more smoke and mirrors,” Costello said. “Even if China made good on the purchase, which is proven unlikely, export totals remain far short of those prior to another manufactured trade war.”
Economists say repeated ag packages distort land values, cash rents, equipment purchases and overall decision-making.
Costello equates the farming crisis to arson.
“If someone set your house on fire and then borrowed your garden hose to attempt to extinguish the flames, would you thank them for their help? Because the expectation from Trump is that farmers should be grateful to him for offering a bailout to the crisis he created,” Costello said. “Illinois farmers want trade not aid.”
* On to the next topic…
From the DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs…
“By signing this law, Pritzker violated the Supremacy Clause, his oath he took as Governor to ‘support the Constitution of the United States’ — which itself falls under the oaths clause of the Constitution.
“We hope the headlines, social media likes, and fundraising emails he did this for are worth it!”
- Cable Line Gardener - Wednesday, Dec 10, 25 @ 2:23 pm:
I have never witnessed a government so punitive to its citizens.
- Roadrager - Wednesday, Dec 10, 25 @ 2:24 pm:
Point 1:
Trump was saying at his rally last night that the bailout money was “free” because it comes out of the tariffs, because his entire model of the economy is based on the lie that tariffs are paid by foreign countries, and are not taxes imposed on American businesses and consumers as pass-throughs. Building an economy on a lie may work great when you’re hopping from one real estate project to another on the short term, or squeezing as many marks as you can in Silicon Valley on vaporware. But when it’s the actual largest economy in the world, the lies have a way of falling apart a little more visibly.
Point 2:
Go ahead and arrest Pritzker, then. Let’s see how
that goes.
- Big Dipper - Wednesday, Dec 10, 25 @ 2:52 pm:
DHS seems to struggle as much with punctuation as following court orders.
- Steve - Wednesday, Dec 10, 25 @ 2:55 pm:
JB puts on a good performance. At the end of the day this current U.S. Supreme Court thinks things differently than the typical Illinois politician and voter when it comes to federal immigration law.
- Demoralized - Wednesday, Dec 10, 25 @ 2:59 pm:
==JB puts on a good performance==
It’s called having humanity and compassion. Something Trump and his followers do not possess. If you’re the kind of person who is ok with ICE skulking around in masks snatching people up from these places then that says a lot about you and it isn’t good.
==U.S. Supreme Court thinks things differently==
How so? I’ve not seen the Supreme Court order a state to enforce immigration law.
- zero - Wednesday, Dec 10, 25 @ 3:02 pm:
Constitution also says “No person shall … be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.”
So…
- Flyin' Elvis'-Utah Chapter - Wednesday, Dec 10, 25 @ 3:13 pm:
“JB puts on a good performance”
As opposed to the two-bit theater of orange jesus, which is basically nothing lawsuits and playground antics that make the SNL parodies about them look relatively tame.
- Roadrager - Wednesday, Dec 10, 25 @ 3:20 pm:
==At the end of the day this current U.S. Supreme Court thinks things differently than the typical Illinois politician and voter==
It also frequently thinks things differently than settled case law and/or the plain language of the United States Constitution.
- Mason County - Wednesday, Dec 10, 25 @ 3:29 pm:
Not actively participating with ICE is one thing. Not enforcing immigration law also different. This appears to be far more active. But it’s tricky.
Has JB gone too far. He might have. The DOJ will now go after him and this could lead to another, oh yes, another SCOTUS decision
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Dec 10, 25 @ 3:38 pm:
=== Not enforcing immigration law also different===
Where in federal law does it say that states must enforce federal immigrations laws, genius?
- H-W - Wednesday, Dec 10, 25 @ 3:39 pm:
=== Cut in Half ===
And not sufficiently regulated to be anymore than a buyout. It is not a solution. And again, “who gets the beans?”
- Iron Duke - Wednesday, Dec 10, 25 @ 3:46 pm:
Where in the Federal law does it state Federal Agents must submit to state laws that were passed to restrict the performance of their duties?
No where which is why this will be reversed 9-0 by the Supreme Court
- Norseman - Wednesday, Dec 10, 25 @ 3:47 pm:
Supremacy is only an issue when there’s clear law. The IL bills seek to protect people in situations where the secret police have acted with questionable legal authority using questionable tactics. The abuses by the sp are well documented.
- localgovhero - Wednesday, Dec 10, 25 @ 3:57 pm:
@Rich
Correct. Anti-commandeering. How do I know?, just walked out of my Constitutional Law final. My brain is hurting.
- Iron Duke - Wednesday, Dec 10, 25 @ 4:01 pm:
Not even close to being true, ask anyone at the Pritzker School of Law.
ICE only needs a judicial warrant to enter a private residence or business.
No Federal agency is subject to restrictions passed by individual States. It’s common sense.
- Big Dipper - Wednesday, Dec 10, 25 @ 4:05 pm:
Isn’t it convenient how when we have a Democratic President Republicans act like States’ Rights is the most important principle, condemn the use of Executive Orders, etc.? Such short memories.
- thinking - Wednesday, Dec 10, 25 @ 4:09 pm:
I wonder how many commenters have actually taken the time to read the bill that was passed or understand how law actually works in practice. A civics class might be in order.
- holdingback - Wednesday, Dec 10, 25 @ 4:15 pm:
I always feel that an Illinois citizen always comes last. However, that does not give an excuse to treat other humans without dignity.
- ChicagoVinny - Wednesday, Dec 10, 25 @ 4:22 pm:
This lawless federal administration loves to cherry pick only the parts of the Constitution it likes and ignore the rest.
- seconded - Wednesday, Dec 10, 25 @ 4:30 pm:
someone let them know the gov doesn’t do things to raise money
- btowntruth from forgottonia - Wednesday, Dec 10, 25 @ 4:51 pm:
thinking:
More here than you think have read and understand.
This isn’t Fox News or a comments section on X.
- JS Mill - Wednesday, Dec 10, 25 @ 5:35 pm:
=Where in the Federal law does it state…=
Where in federal law does it state that federal agents can can detain a US citizen without evidence of a crime?
Funny that a government led by a felon actually acts like the “law” is important to them as their agents violate the law everyday.
But please tell us more.
- H-W - Wednesday, Dec 10, 25 @ 7:08 pm:
The idea that a Governor could even “overcome” the Supremacy concept is lunny. Thank you Governor.
- Excitable Boy - Wednesday, Dec 10, 25 @ 8:02 pm:
- ICE only needs a judicial warrant to enter a private residence or business. -
Yeah, but they can’t seem to be bothered to get judicial warrants, mouthbreather.
- Tim - Wednesday, Dec 10, 25 @ 8:12 pm:
Lawyers in the state of Illinois have never been very good at writing laws that are constitutional. This is probably no exception.