#TBT: Cramer Calls Farmers’ Concerns Over Trade Fight “Hysteria,” Says They Need Higher “Pain Threshold”

As threats of a trade war heighten – with real, dire consequences for North Dakota farmers – Kevin Cramer calls concerns “hysteria,” telling farmers they “don’t have a high enough pain threshold.”

Cramer has pledged to be a rubber stamp for the President and vote with him 100 percent of the time and, when confronted with the harmful effects Trump’s trade fight is having on North Dakotans, Cramer has, at best, only given mealy-mouthed answers. Now we’re seeing what the consequences of Cramer’s reckless promise to vote with Trump all the time would entail:

WHSV: North Dakota farmers looking for answers amid tariff uncertainty.
“North Dakota farmers are scrambling for answers in Washington. As a trade war brews between the U.S. and its partners, an atmosphere of uncertainty looms. North Dakota agriculture leaders say can’t afford to lose these relationships.
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With commodity prices already low, Mertz is fearful his industry could tank if a trade war with Mexico happens. He says they use North Dakota barley to make Corona. He doesn’t like being used as a negotiating tool.”

Washington Examiner: “But if the White House has found ways to shelter red-state farmers… they’ve been keeping it to themselves. On Thursday, China announced retaliatory tariffs on soybeans — a move that will disproportionately harm North Dakota.”

Wall Street Journal: Trade Fight Threatens Farm Belt Businesses.
“The president’s global trade offensive is threatening the livelihoods of many farmers. Mounting trade disputes, spurred by U.S. threats to withdraw from the North American Free Trade Agreement and tariffs on billions of dollars’ worth of goods from key trading partners, have cut U.S. agricultural exports and sent commodity prices tumbling. Many farmers, who depend on shipments overseas for one-fifth of the goods they produce, say they are anxious, especially because they are already expecting bumper harvests or grappling with a dairy glut.
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Some farmers fear trade battles will jeopardize foreign markets for U.S. agricultural products that took decades to establish.
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Others worry another bumper harvest this fall will compound pain inflicted by tariffs. The USDA expects farmers to reap the fourth-largest corn crop and third-biggest soybean crop in history.”

“It’s no surprise that someone who likened voting against Trump’s agenda to cheating on your wife would blindly follow such an ill-conceived policy, even when it’s detrimental to North Dakotans,” said Scott McNeil, Executive Director of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL. “North Dakota farmers are already experiencing devastating pocketbook consequences from Cramer’s inaction. It’s clear that his blind loyalty and his political ambitions are more important to him than standing up for North Dakota farmers and businesses.”

Background:

Cramer Asked North Dakotans To Blindly Trust Trump’s Actions On Trade:

  • Cramer On Trade: “President Trump Is Asking For Something That We Are To Give Him And That Is Patience […] The Longer Time We Give Him I Think The Better The Trade Deal Is At The End Of It.” CRAMER: “President Trump is asking for something that we are to give him and that is patience. And the longer that we, the longer time we give him I think the better the trade deal is at the end of it.” [Breitbart News Daily – Interview with Kevin Cramer – 6/29/18]
  • Cramer Claimed The Trade Negotiation Would End Quicker If “We” Stand With Trump And Help Him. CRAMER: “Right now, while we’re in the middle of a negotiation, I think if we want this to end quickly what we are to be doing is standing with our president and help him.” [NPR – Interview with Kevin Cramer – 6/15/18]
  • Cramer Claimed A Soybean Tariff Would Cause “Short-Term Pain,” But That Pain Did Not Change “The Long Term Goal.” According to NBC News, Cramer stated, “‘North Dakotans are sophisticated people and with a soybean tariff, it’s gonna be short-term pain, but that doesn’t change the long term goal.’” [NBC News, 4/8/18]

Cramer Refused To Acknowledge The Negative Effects Of Trump’s Trade Policies:

  • Amid Soybean Tariffs, Cramer Claimed It Was Not “All Doom And Gloom” For North Dakota Producers. According to KNOX-AM, “Many in the farm sector are concerned about a possible trade war with China having a negative impact on North Dakota soybean growers. But Congressman Kevin Cramer says he doesn’t believe it’s all doom and gloom.” [KNOX-AM, 1:04PM, 5/17/18]

Cramer Claimed Concern Over Trade Policies Was “Hysteria.”

  • Prairie Public HEADLINE: “Cramer: Cool The ‘Hysteria’ Over Chinese Tariffs.” [Prairie Public, 4/9/18]
  • On Tariffs, Cramer Claimed He Did Not “Fall For The Hysteria Thing.” According to Bismarck Tribune, “With that, he said the situation is ‘not without risk’ and ‘it causes me some concern’ but ‘I don’t fall for the hysteria thing.’” [Bismarck Tribune, 6/1/18]