Did you know that the Small Business Administration is closed too? And as a result loan applications for small business owners and startups has ceased.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development is shuttered. New housing development grants and loans for new homebuyers and housing inspections has ceased.
That is just the tip of the iceberg. How about hard-working and beleaguered American farmers and ranchers?
About half of USDA's employees are working without pay and almost all of the FSA (Farm Service Agency) county offices are closed.
Farmers and ranchers are already feeling real financial pain as a consequence of the dramatic drop in commodity prices brought on by Republican tax increases (tariffs) and this has left large numbers of producers to rely on the USDA as their lender of last resort to help pay bills and stay afloat over the winter. The banks won’t lend and the FSA office doors are locked. Farmers and ranchers cannot even speak with staff to learn answers to questions about the 2018 farm bill and plan for the 2019 planting season.
And while the president has loudly boasted that the Republicans will make welfare payments to help mitigate the financial losses caused by their increased trade taxes - as of December 28 there isn’t anyone left at the USDA to process the Republican welfare applications.
I may be nothing more than a lowly tree farmer but I have a very clear recollection that Mr. Trump made a solemn promise that a certain neighbor south of the border was going to pay for his wall. Nevertheless, after a voice vote last month agreeing to a clean Continuing Resolution with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell now we have a genuine Tariff Man tantrum. Good Old Mitch got cut-off at the knees.
You can learn more about all of this winning here.
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