Staying Power
Reciprocal tariffs and more are now in place. The stock market has engaged in a major multi-day sell-off. Obviously, all that turns around with development of the latest news on some other topic, but it hasn’t happened yet.
Now we will see just how strong support is for the President’s policies. Keep in mind, nothing he has done since January 20—on any topic, really—should have been a surprise, since he promised all of it during the campaign, right down to reciprocal tariffs.
Various national media outlets have come to the Midwest in the past few days to interview folks in the ag community, since producers of perishable farm products will be adversely affected first by tariffs. Even the liberal outlets have found it hard to get anyone to say they are against them. Farmers I’ve seen be interviewed note that it might pinch a bit, but that they are tired of being taken advantage of, and if anyone can stand up to pressure, it’s President Trump.
And in fact, if anyone understands patience and playing the long game, it’s a farmer. Folks who trade stocks on a whim can’t understand a business where you are completely dependent on other factors, over a multi-month process, and your results are not based solely on your own efforts and hard work, but every variable from weather to government, how your neighbor down the road is doing as well as someone doing the same job you are a continent away.
Once campaign slogans start being put into practice—that’s the real test of support. This will be a challenge for a while, hopefully not too many months. We’ll see who has staying power, and who is willing to jump off the bandwagon just because the road got bumpy.
