So, the Trump administration has set aside $12 billion for farmers who are being affected by the trade war, but they aren't the only ones being impacted by the situation. The question then becomes who else will the administration add to its new welfare rolls?
Now overall the economy does remain strong (while government borrowing is back to great recession levels), the stories of companies that are suffering because of the trade war are growing in number. That shouldn't be much of a surprise, and the farmer welfare program is a sign of the government picking specific groups to help out (the old picking winners and losers problem).
But here's a thought. With the lack of specifics that surround the idea of the current trade situation, and what the goals are, what would happen if Trump managed to arrange for some high profile trade summit, have a closed door meeting, and then go to the a status quo ante bellum? Maybe shuffle a few winners and losers for American industries, so it's not too transparent, and then declare that he's gotten a great new deal? That he has managed the art of the deal so well, that things are great?
In the short term though, the question is going to be whether any other groups get some sort of bailout money, and if they do, who will they be? And if the bailouts expand, will more attention get drawn to government borrowing?
My guess is that if the trade war does go on for the next few months, there will be more federal welfare recipients in the name of trade war collateral damage.
- Trump Charity lawsuit by New York Attorney General
- FBI investigation (it keeps being called a Russian Collusion investigation, but I'm pretty sure more to it than that at this point)
- North Korea
- The Space Force
- The Border Wall
- Alien Children Detention/family separation
- Presidential Pardons
- Civil War Monuments
- Muslim Travel Ban
- China Tariffs/Trade
- Canada-G7 Tariffs/Trade
- NAFTA
- Puerto Rico response
- Military Parade in Washington
- World Trade Organization
- Covfefe Syndrome
- NATO
- Russia/Putin relationship
Giuliani still there as Lawyer
John F. Kelly still there as Chief of Staff - 6-29-2018 Trump says "Things Happen."
Jeff Sessions still there as Attorney General
Sarah Huckabee Sanders still there as Press Secretary, rumors continue to be denied.
Mike Pompeo - Secretary of State
John Bolton - National Security Advisor
Marc Short - White House Legislative Affairs Director - no denial of plans regarding his departure prior to the 2018 midterms.
Kirstjen Nielsen - Homeland Security Secretary
Joe Hagin - White House deputy Chief of Staff is resigning.- reported June 19th
Scott Pruitt - EPA Director - Resigned 7-5-2018
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