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This is it. This is the “perfect storm” that has been brewing over Iowa since @realDonaldTrump decided to start a trade war over twitter for political reasons 5 days before Connor Lamb’s special election in PA. Steele tariffs. Remember? Do you know what happened next? #IA01
Connor Lamb won & the President started a trade war on Twitter with China without a damn plan and MY FAMILY & NEIGHBORS were used as poker chips that he was willing to bet and lose. A month later, the retaliation hit. China placed tariffs on corn, soybeans, pork. #ia01
And boy have our farmers taken a hit. The stories I’ve heard running and now that I’m a Congresswoman from neighbors & family who farm, will break your heart. They’ve broken mine. I had a woman testify in my subcommittee telling me she has told her 3 sons not to go into farming
I had a 16 year old in my office with his parents and friends throughout the district that farm, that he was scared bout the future of the town he grew up in and what his friends would do and when they’d leave...
I had a farmer look me in the eye telling me he’s dipped into his 401K to stay afloat... his wife luckily wouldn’t let him touch hers.
I had another farmer testify in committee saying that he took over the family farm in the 80s, when his Dad was telling him to get out. He didn’t listen then and he made it through, but he’s now looking at his two sons 24 & 26, and feels history repeating itself.
I had one farmer at a listening session in Manly, IA pop. 1,300 - tell me about friends going into banks (stories we’ve heard before) trying to get loans then seeing another @realDonaldTrump trade war tweet literally sitting in the chair.
They’ve told me some farmers have been able to get credit because they’ve known their bankers for decades, they told me they couldn’t go back for more with where we are now...
I had a @UAW Representative testify in front of my subcommittee with two of my farmers to show how closely our ag & manufacturing were tied together and our farmers & working family labor advocates could find common ground. It’s my entire state on the line here..
I’ve gone to bed thinking about trade & the stories I’ve heard, I wake up thinking about trade and the consequences of continued delays from the administration & the childish way we’ve seen this play out over tariff announcements on Twitter,
In the middle of the day I’m thinking about the long term consequences... the new China & Brazil soybean contracts, detracting from years of our farmers working to open those markets for Iowa & the fact those Brazil contracts just wont disappear.
I’m thinking of our corn growers who are getting hit on all sides w/ the trade war yet @realDonaldTrump seemed cool with issuing refinery waivers undermining RFS & costing our corn growers at a time they sure as hell cant afford it, over a BILLION bushels of corn
I’m thinking of our small towns, places where I grew up like Sherrill... so many folks with big hearts who work their tails off, love their homes, and at the end of the day just want to see their kids do better than they did
I’m thinking of our working families in Iowa, like the family I grew up in (proud daughter of union pipefitter welder) who were sold a lot of promises like our farmers & over the last 3 years in our state have had their rights gutted at every turn and now worried about their jobs
Before anyone says a word about “well who did they vote for in 16?” I’m going to tell you I don’t give a damn. Folks were promised a hell of a lot. I don’t even know who I’ve talked to voted for me in 18, and I also don’t care.
They are my neighbors. They are Iowans & I’ll fight like hell for them every day especially when @realDonaldTrump has left them behind . I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I’ll work with anyone when it helps Iowa & I’ll sure as hell stand up to anyone who hurts us. #ia01
