Trump voters get NIGHTMARE news in deep red state
By: Brian Tyler Cohen
It truly sucks that things must grow so bad (unnecessarily) before some Trump voters break free of their cultish devotion to Trump.
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Transcript (formatted by ChatGPT):
I want you to take a look at what's happening in Iowa right now because it perfectly encapsulates the catastrophic failure of Trump's economic agenda. And the most damning part—this is happening in one of Trump's strongest states, a place that voted for him twice. So when his own voters are getting crushed by his policies, you know something has gone terribly wrong.
The New York Times did a deep dive into the Iowa economy. So let's start with the headline number here. During the first quarter of 2025, Iowa's gross domestic product—their GDP—dropped by 6.1%, more than any other state aside from neighboring Nebraska. We're talking about the worst economic collapse in the nation happening in deep red Iowa under the watch of the guy they voted for to supposedly fix the economy.
And listen to how one Iowa farming family described what they're experiencing right now:
“Right now, we're fighting different economic wars all at once. You can sustain it one at a time, but right now it's death by a thousand paper cuts.”
Death by a thousand paper cuts because Trump's economic policies are hitting Iowa from every conceivable angle.
“For Iowans, losing China's soybean market in the president's trade war was only one of the many economic shocks that have hit the state since the start of Mr. Trump's second term. The cost of tractors and fertilizers has shot up with his tariffs. Labor has grown scarcer in agribusiness. Major manufacturers have laid off workers. Even the ubiquitous wind turbines that provide income for some Iowa farmers are in the president's sights.”
So, you're getting hit with higher costs, you can't find workers, manufacturers are laying people off, and he is dismantling the wind energy sector. Tell me, at what point does this start to look like winning?
Now, here's where it gets devastating. Iowa is the country's largest corn producer and second-largest soybean producer. America exports as much as half of its soybeans, and the vast majority have gone to China—$12.6 billion worth last year. But this year, China has stopped purchasing soybeans from the United States to retaliate against Trump's tariffs altogether, meaning that number is now zero.
American producers have spent decades building up these relationships. The Iowa Soybean Association chief has traveled to China 25 times, and here's his assessment:
“I'm not exactly sure how we repair some of these relationships. This is as challenging as I've seen it. We've got uncertainties beyond compare.”
But here's where it gets really insane. When Trump announced a $20 billion bailout for Argentina, China immediately locked up Argentina's soybean exports to fill the gap. Donald Trump is literally funding Iowa's competitors, which leaves Iowa farmers rightfully asking the question:
“Who are you subsidizing—our competitors or us?”
And it's not just soybeans, either. After Trump suggested importing more beef from Argentina, the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association chief said:
“Trump's comments roil cattle markets, and a volatile market provides less of an opportunity for our producers to make decisions that are going to help keep them profitable and viable.”
And yet still, Trump won't relent, with his administration actually doubling down. Just today, Trump's Treasury Secretary—who also, by the way, owns farmland—explained that he was supportive of using taxpayer funds to bail out a foreign country:
“The Trump administration recently extended a $20 billion lifeline to Argentina that has gotten some bipartisan criticism, Mr. Secretary, including from Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia. I'll read you a little bit of what she wrote. She says, quote, ‘Americans are getting decimated with high cost of living and skyrocketing insurance costs. Many of them have zero savings, and some are maxing out credit cards to survive. Tell me how it's America First to bail out a foreign country with 20 or even 40 billion taxpayer dollars. How is this move America First, Mr. Secretary?’”
“Well, uh, Kristen, it is America First because we are supporting a U.S. ally. Uh, there will be no taxpayer losses. This is a swap line. This is not a bailout, and it is from the Exchange Stabilization Fund, which Treasury—I control at Treasury. It has never registered a loss. It is not going to register a loss this time. We are supporting a U.S. ally in Latin America, and we want to set the tone in Latin America.”
So if you think that this administration is capable of learning any lesson, you clearly thought wrong.
So what's the fix here? Well, given the damage that he himself has caused, Trump says that he'll bail out the farmers with tariff money. The problem is they don't want temporary bailouts. That's not a sustainable business model. It is a band-aid.
Here's what one Iowa farmer who voted for Trump said:
“We would much rather farm with no federal assistance whatsoever. We want to be able to sell our products for a good value, and normally we can.”
Again, they want markets, not handouts. But even if bailouts happen, farmers note the payments are skewed toward the bigger guys. In other words, these bailouts will just accelerate consolidation that is already squeezing out family farms. And that's how Trump likes it.
In 2019, Trump's first Agriculture Secretary, Sonny Perdue, defended farmland consolidation, telling dairy farmers:
“In America, the big get bigger and the small go out. I don't think in America we have, for any small business, a guaranteed income or guaranteed profitability.”
That right there is the ethos of Donald Trump and the people he surrounds himself with.
Meanwhile, manufacturing—which drives 17% of Iowa's economic output—is also getting crushed. John Deere has laid off hundreds of workers as tariffs on steel and aluminum cost the company more than $300 million in additional costs.
Then there's the immigration issue. Meatpacking plants, which help make Iowa the nation's leading pork producer, rely heavily on foreign-born workers, hundreds of thousands of whom saw their legal status stripped away by the president. One plant laid off approximately 200 workers from Haiti, Cuba, El Salvador, and Honduras in June.
An Iowa state economist noted it's not costless to replace that number of workers. It's difficult to find domestic workers who take these jobs. Fertilizer prices are up 14%. Equipment costs have skyrocketed. And the Iowa Farmers Union president said our farms—and lots of farms—are having to assess if there's real opportunity for years down the road. Fifth-generation farmers are questioning whether there's even a future in agriculture.
Next year's midterm elections will be telling, though. Iowa has competitive House races. Plus, they're replacing their retiring governor and senator—all Republicans. As one Democratic Senate candidate put it:
“People are hurting everywhere in Iowa, and they're looking for something different.”
The bottom line: Iowa voted for Trump because he promised to fight for them. And yet, instead, their GDP dropped 6.1%—worse than the nation. Their $12.6 billion export market disappeared. Their costs skyrocketed, their workers were deported, and their competitors got subsidized with American taxpayer dollars.
If that's what America First looks like, Iowa has every right to ask: Where exactly do we fit in? And more importantly, what steps can we take to avoid empowering the same people who've landed us in this position that we find ourselves in now?
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What does it take for Trump supporters to catch on to the unnecessary damage Trump is doing to our nation?
it's unfortunate that all americans have to suffer the consequences resulting from the poor choices made by trump supporters.
igknorantzrulez
We, as a country, are facing CRISIS as subvere as WWII!
Do Not Let the "Orange Buffoon" destroy our country to feed his gluttonous ego.
VOTE EVERY DAMN "ARSE LICKING" ReThug OUT of Office. The Life you SAVE may be your own.
We cannot wait on the John Roberts Supreme Court to administer JUSTICE. We must do it ourself.
So due to Trump it's no Field of Dreams in Iowa.
Actually, due to numerous members of NT, Trump is the fault with everything, everywhere, all the time - not just in Iowa.
Love ya man but repubs are still blaming Clinton..... Just sayin.
There is always someone else to blame but themselves.
Thing is, blame is irrelevant. Trump continues to damage this nation yet they continue to support/defend him. This is not just harming the ' evil Left ', it is harming the nation as a whole and much of it will persist long after Trump is gone.
Supporting Trump is irrational, irresponsible, and unpatriotic.
They deny reality and take the spin as gospel. More and more people are choosing to see what's really happening, but not enough of them yet.
Observing those posting here and what we can tell from news, my view is that most know what is going on. They may not fully realize how this affects them, but they surely understand that Trump's tariffs are brain-dead stupid and damaging, that he should never send the national guard into cities for partisan reasons, that he should not abuse the power of the presidency to coerce private enterprises, that he should not be lining his pockets through the presidency, that he should not abuse the DoJ to go after political opponents, that he should not extort $230 million from the treasury, that he should not have demolished the East Wing, etc.
They can see this. So it seems that they will allow the trashing of the CotUS, the rule of law, etc. because they are so driven to give the '~~evil Left~~' hell that damaging our nation is a price they will pay.
If this is what is happening, this is a sick level of unpatriotic thinking driven by blind, irrational partisanship and extreme ideology.
To wit, supporting Trump is irrational, irresponsible, and unpatriotic.
And it makes no sense. Once trmp is done owning the libs who do they think he's going to turn on next?
They don't see. They are on Fox News, NewsMax and ONN. They are on conspiracy sites and down YouTube rabbit holes. Modern technology has made it easy to surround oneself with misinformation.
True for some, but look at the pitiful ‘rebuttals’ made here trying to defend Trump. Mostly it is deflection and absurd exaggeration. When one must resort to such dishonest, pathetic tactics, how can one not realize (privately) that they are wrong and their defense attempts are laughable bullshit?
How many are so deluded that they think it proper for Trump to unilaterally demolish the East Wing, for example?
I know what you're saying, but look at the twisted logic they use to justify their defense. They are willfully obtuse and constant bring up debunked sources as if that's somehow magically makes sense. They will not see reason because they don't want to. Everything not confirmation bias is fake news.
That is what I mean, willful obtuseness and laughably unsound arguments suggest they know they are on the wrong side of truth.
Trump and MAGA supporters do not see themselves on the wrong side of the truth. Case in point: The SCOTUS conservative majority.
It was a 'revelation' to me when I came to the realization that this conservative 6 member Supreme Court majority. . . is not interested in doing what is right for the citizens of this country. . . they, agree with their own worldview ("majority") that might makes right.
That is, power is to be wielded by a national leader to accomplish his or her will-whether the efforts bring about good or bad results for the citizenry.
It is a sad realization that SCOTUS conservatives are not interested in national efficiency or justice. They see their roles as stewards of a conservative constitution expressing itself. . . and themselves as sustainers of whatsoever laws Congress yields (or not yield).
Interesting how right wingers don't understand that even in red states Trump is destroying his followers just as much, if not more, than as he is hurting liberals.
Red states aren't all red just like blue states aren't all blue. We have mostly all lived together in harmony until Trump decided that he wanted to kill all liberals.
We, the PEOPLE, must shake off the illusion that TRUMP is anything other than the MOST CORRUPT politician in the history of our country.
VOTE his patsies out!
First, they need to develop some intellect. Then rational and critical thinking skills. Then have enough self awareness to see they are sycophants in a cult of personality. But I have doubts any of that will actually happen. My doubt is only reinforced by the fact people voted Trump in for a second term.
unobtainable by most in the maga cult ...
Indeed.
The WORLD is awakening to the impending disaster that awaits us, if we do NOT ACT NOW, we, as a NATION, and, perhaps, the WORLD, are doomed.
VOTE!
As I remember, Bessant blamed it all on communists. /s
Funny how voting for fire folk and cops makes us commies.
The "Cribbled, Undereducated Trump Dummies", sucking at T-Rump's Tit must WAKE THE FUGAZI UP.
Trump is not your "Big Daddy", he is the DESTROYER!
Trump stopped caring about Iowa about 5 minutes after polls closed in his last election.
True for every state. People are nothing more than discardable resources to Trump. He is a psychopath.
Sociopath might be closer with an order of malignant narcissism on the side.
He is a fine example of both.
Prior to the polls closing it was just lip service anyway. He NEVER cared.
trump couldn't find iowa on a US map.
And he definitely couldn't spell it.
Most Americans couldn't find most states on a US map. Back in the day when I was driving OTR semi, met a republican girl who didn't know that her state's capital was just down the street.
There should be a test of competence and knowledge of issues before being allowed to vote.
I find most MAGA folk to be ignorant of everything except what Trump last said.
Trump is also ignorant of whatever he last said.
Sad that America has come so low.
Sad that fox and Trump fascism now rules.
Were I a younger man, I'd fight tooth and nail!
Fighting against Nam just wore me out.
I leave it to the next generation to save America from Trump's fascism.
Arvo CJ...
But you have got so many of them...sigh..
Maybe they should amalgamate some States as they are so small...
my favorite type back in the 70's ...
I would add a test of competence, IQ, or psychological profile for any Presidential candidate before they take office too.
As George Carlin one said, "In America, anyone can be President. That's the problem."
Amen, Brother, Amen!
So the Troller is getting just desserts, eh?
DO NOT BE "FOOLED" BY THE ORANGE BUFFOON!
Well, JD Vance and company are all chomping at the bit to buy up failed farms and sell them at a profit. Maybe they'll let the farmers rent the farms they used to own at a fair rate. That way, they can enjoy the profits of the farmers' hard work without getting their hands dirty. It's fine. It's all fine.
So they want to go back to sharecropping do they?
White sharecroppers in Iowa, put there by their own votes. Didn't have that on my Bingo card.
I have always said that they want serfs not slaves....serfs pay taxes.
The "Sellout" JD Vance is a threat to our democracy. Do not this sellout collapse our country.
VOTE!
Here's a thought aka conspiracy theory. trmp is bailing out Argentina so he can put military bases there which will make them closer to Venezuela so he can bomb the shit out of them
T-Rump is too stupid to have a plan. It is all impulses that drive his insane decisions.
Donnie has convinced himself that he is a "GENIUS". He isn't!
He is a "Geni Arse"!
Don't cry for Trump, Argentina. The Truth is, he'll never leave you.
Perspective: Earl Butz, Agriculture Secretary under Nixon/Ford said "get big or get out".
This new announcement pushes those economies of scale along a little further.
I wonder if the smaller farmers could use some of the 30,000 people laid off at Amazon...? /s
domination of all the primary sectors is their goal. food, energy, shelter, healthcare, education, and media.
How many are going to lose their health insurance along with their farms? How many of their local hospitals are going to shut down?
They voted for Trump. They vote for Republicans. How many will vote for them again?
In more ways than one, they are going to reap what they've sown.
The electorate did not learn from his first term. They did not learn from his attempt to steal the 2020 election with fraud, coercion, lying, and incitement. They did not learn from the crazy talk on the campaign trail.
I do seriously wonder what it will take for them to break free of whatever spell they are under and recognize Trump for what he is.
There is a Trumpist among my group of old friends who thinks Trump is saving the country and that the majority of Americans agree with him, which interesting because in this group of friends, who have known each other for 60+ years, the rest of us think he's out of his mind. His wife also happens to disagree with him. It's definitely a sickness.
... attending funerals.
maga mass hysteria.
The betrayal of MAGA supporters seems to be happening in bits and spurts now. . . as Trump gets deeper into his second presidency and a realization comes over him that as a 'tough guy' he will have to buck some of the requests (soon to come at him from his supporters) which are not in his best interests. Also, as citizens PRAY for Trump and his supporters and 'turn them all over' to an awesome God for proper 'analysis' and redemption. . . change can manifest 'all around.' Just watch and see.
Or, to look at it from a materialist perspective: Trump and MAGA supporters will get sick and tired of each other after they are 'full' of their agenda items. Either due to failure of any grouping of items or overreach and (my goodness) potentially, REGRET. One way or another the 'drug' - the 'high' can wear off.
I don't know CB, the cultish tie to Trump seems to run very deep. Well beyond any semblance of reason and reality.
It is deep. A lyrical line from a Patty Labelle song comes to mind: "You give me everything I need. . . you feed my spirit."
Going Down To Your River_Pattie Labelle
So yes, Trump/Administration/MAGA supporters are enamored with each other right now. But, what will happen when they of necessity 'get out' of bed?
Brian Tyler Cohen was on cable news the other day and it was a brilliant moment of television. It was my first time seeing him "live." He was brilliant. He was opposite a republican woman and he was articulate and quick-witted. It was a pleasure to hear him.
I had a local farmer in my office today. He raises beef cattle. He said words to the effect of "I hope Trump stops messing with the beef market and buying beef from Argentina. It's already hard enough to make a living raising beef." He lost 5 of his hundred head of cattle this summer. He's not sure what happened; just found them dead in the pasture. We're in a severe drought, so we're lucky we had a rainy spring to make some hay, but that won't last forever. His son, who majored in agribusiness and loved farming, now lives in Texas and refuses to farm, because it's too risky. And now they have to compete with other countries whose farmers we are propping up.