Of interest, free market touting jocks aiming to subsidize where, coincidently Trump polled ahead of Clinton, November, 2016 - opening paragraphs:
April 6, 2018 11:58 AM
To shield farmers from feeling the brunt of China’s tariff action, the Trump administration is considering direct payments through the Commodity Credit Corporation analysts say.
In tit for tat action between President Trump and China’s President Xi on Thursday night, President Trump announced that he is considering another $100 billion of additional tariffs against China.
"Rather than remedy its misconduct, China has chosen to harm our farmers and manufacturers. In light of China’s unfair retaliation, I have instructed the USTR to consider whether $100 billion of additional tariffs would be appropriate under section 301 and, if so, to identify the products upon which to impose such tariffs," Trump said.
In addition he has “instructed” Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to “use his broad authority to implement a plan to protect our farmers and agricultural interests.”
According to Pro Farmer’s Jim Wiesemeyer, USDA has been instructed to come up with a plan. “Details are sparse, but if any plan is implemented, it will likely rely largely on the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) Charter Act, which could mean direct payments for some producers,” he explains.
The CCC is able to assist through loans, purchases, payments and other operations, Wiesemeyer explains.
“The Act also authorizes the sale of agricultural commodities to other government agencies and to foreign governments and the donation of food to domestic, foreign, or international relief agencies,” he says.
Urban Democratic voters can feel trade war pain; rural Trmpsters, pat 'em on the back and consider giving 'em free money? Is that sound policy? Will it skew crop plantings? Is it an honest embrace of market principles, or a turn to politics as usual reward and punish voting segments?
UPDATE: Tofu eaters rejoice? Or as that one Mondale ad ran years ago, "Where's the beef?" Are callous and calculating appropriate words?
FURTHER: The poor, they are not going without Trump-Pence-Ryan consideration. Children can go malnourished if unfortunately having parents with a Ryan-deficient work ethic? Let 'em eat cake? What?