Trump's Legacy

Given my impotence, I've ignored politics. But it was impossible to ignore Shreve Stockton's mention in her book Meditations With Cows (pp. 143-148) of President Trump's gift to farmers in 2019 to compensate them for losses incurred when his tariff increases prompted China to buy their commodities from elsewhere.

(As a johnnie-come-lately, this post is no diff from any others; it's a means of keeping track.)

Here's what Rueter's had to say.

The above story inna nut shell...

After a series of tariff increases on Chinese imports, the government of China retaliated against U.S. exporters, as predicted by trade analysts outside of the administration. As a result, U.S. exports, particularly of agricultural goods, dropped significantly. “Losing the world’s most populous country as an export market has been a major blow to the [U.S.] agriculture industry,” reported the New York Times in August 2019. “Total American agricultural exports to China were $24 billion in 2014 and fell to $9.1 billion last year, according to the American Farm Bureau.” (the article with the quote disappeared from The Farm Bureau website on 22.Sept.24. This article states that China's latest retaliation covers nearly 90% of America's agricultural exports!!!)  In 2018, U.S. farmers’ soybean exports to China declined by 75%, according to the U.S. International Trade Commission.

Politico.com's article on the farm bailout

Prompted by the above articles to look further into Trump's legacy, I found this article from The Pew Research Center that lists some items clearly. Below are the main points.

"Trump’s policy record included major changes at home and abroad. He achieved a string of long-sought conservative victories domestically, including the biggest corporate tax cuts on record, the elimination of scores of environmental regulations and a reshaping of the federal judiciary. In the international arena, he imposed tough new immigration restrictions, withdrew from several multilateral agreements, forged closer ties with Israel and launched a tit-for-tat trade dispute with China as part of a wider effort to address what he saw as glaring imbalances in America’s economic relationship with other countries."

Delving the archives, I read of the revolving door of his cabinet along with Mr. Tillerson's seeming disatisfaction.

Oct 4, 2017 - NBC News article about Rex Tillerson

Asked whether the president still has confidence in Tillerson, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said Monday that he does.

Trump has already seen an unusually high level of turnover in his administration, with the departures of his national security adviser, deputy national security adviser, his chief of staff, press secretary, communications director — twice — his chief strategist, the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the acting head of the Justice Department. Last Friday Trump accepted the resignation of Tom Price, the Health and Human Services secretary.

Slate's comment on "the Tillerson" name-calling.

August, 2, 2024 - Los Angeles Times

By M.L. Cavanaugh

When I was an officer in the U.S. military, I abstained from voting in national elections, one small way to keep the armed forces nonpartisan. Now, to uphold that same value and prevent the military from becoming a political tool, I believe that in November, everyone — civilians, service members, veterans, everyone — should vote for whoever has the best chance to keep Donald Trump out of office.

This is not a political statement. This is a strategic judgment based on fitness to lead — both to defend the United States and to protect the civilian-military balance that has enabled our nation to become the greatest in history.

Today’s U.S. military is the world’s most powerful weapon, and in the wrong hands it could become a potent political tool as well. This weapon must not be placed under an unfit commander in chief, as the former president showed himself to be during the previous administration and as he has vowed to be again if he regains power.

I am neither a Democrat nor a Republican, but an American who has fought in the forces that guard our country and our way of life, in the words of our military’s Code of Conduct. I fought in Iraq, earned two Bronze Stars and taught military strategy at West Point. My commitment to military values and nonpartisanship hasn’t changed since I rejoined civilian life. What’s changed is the choice presented in American politics. There really isn’t one, because one of the two major-party presidential candidates is clearly, demonstrably, irredeemably unfit to serve as commander in chief.

THE BROOKINGS INSTITUTION

Tracking turnover in the Trump administration by Kathryn Dunn Tempas

A Trump compatriot - Guo Wengui  (see section: G News and GTV)

A former compatriot & friend of Guo's - Steve Bannon

Bannon's involvement with the We Build the Wall gofundme & Trump's pardon