From his trade wars to his response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Trump has continuously failed to stand up to China.
Farmers, from dairy to produce, have been devastated by Trump’s trade war with China
- More than 2,000 dairy farms have closed in Wisconsin since Trump took office, with a record 818 shutting down in 2019.
- Wisconsin continues to lead the nation in farm bankruptcies.
- Trump farm bailouts, which cost billions of taxpayer dollars, were a drop in the bucket for the small and medium sized farms that needed the aid most and largely went to the large agriculture companies that could weather his trade wars.
- Wisconsin grows 95% of the United States ginseng and sells 85% of their produce to China. These farmers saw their businesses plummet because of the trade war.
Farmers got virtually nothing for what the trade war has cost them.
- After promising roughly $50 billion in purchases from China in Phase One, the USDA predicted China would only purchase $14 billion in agriculture products.
- Trump’s farm-aid packages have done little to make up for what small and medium-size family farms have lost as a result of Trump’s trade war with China.
- In the lastest farm bailout, the top 10% received 2/3s of the bailout money.
- The top half of recipients received 95% of the $28 billion that was administered through the Market Facilitation Program.
- Trump pushed for a grand photo of the signing of Phase One at the same time he was ignoring the warnings of COVID-19 from his intelligence community.
Manufacturers have also felt the burden of Trump’s trade war and his kowtowing to the Chinese government in the early months of the pandemic.
- In July, Harley Davidson announced they were laying off 700 workers. Trump previously called for a boycott of the Milwaukee based motorcycle manufacturing company.
- Briggs & Stratton, a small engine manufacturer, filed for bankruptcy and plans to sell its assets.
- Verso Papers announced it was firing 900 of its employees from the Wisconsin Rapids plant because of the COVID-19 pandemic.