Originally Posted By: L Brown
As for it being "the economy, stupid" . . . do you raise any corn or soybeans down there in GA? Lots of that grown up this way in the Midwest. And that segment of the economy--have you looked at the futures lately?--has taken a sharp nosedive since Trump started messing around with tariffs. Causing many farmers who voted for Trump to wonder whether those tariffs are going to hurt China worse than they'll hurt American farmers. And ag-related industries in general. My father put food on our table making John Deere tractors. Wonder how tractor and combine sales will look this year.


Let's get this done, now. Do we raise any corn or soybeans down here?................funny question coming from a former spook analyst, but yes, we do. We raise more cotton and peanuts, however. Cotton was trading the highest in many years prior to the tariff "fright", at almost $.94. It fell to about $.82 in a week, and has already recovered to $.88, halfway back to it's original high, and in a short time. Why?.... fundamentals. Supply and demand, not deterred by unsubstantiated fears. Corn and beans have yet to recover. Lest you misunderstand, cotton is an overseas traded crop just like corn and beans.

As for how farmers vote........well, I can't say what motivates any individual except me. I vote guided by my morals and ethics, not my pocketbook. What I mean is, if I had always voted for the ticket that would have put the most money in my banking accounts I would have voted Democratic, for a long, long time. The Dems have had a history of putting more money into the Farm Bill for agriculture than the Repubs. But, I didn't. I voted the moral high ground, and doing so I knew I was voting against higher subsidies and deficiency payments. Money isn't the sole driver of all the farm vote. Some in ag have a conscience, and follow it, subsidies be damned. Just as a reminder, every major tariff on sales of US grains have been placed by the Repubs.

I'm good friends with all the owners and managers of the JD, Case and New Holland dealerships in this part of the country. If you think they're wishing, right now, that Hillary had been elected instead of Trump you'd be bad wrong. They, like I, understand that everyone has to take a hit occasionally to help get things straightened out. And, want to believe it or not, our trading "partners" need our produce a lot more than we need theirs. Time will straighten it all out, and we'll be much better off for it. I'm staking my business on my belief of that. Are you?

SRH

May God bless America and those who defend her.