Ahead of Congressman Cramer’s trade town hall today, here are five fast facts to know about Cramer and the trade war he’s endorsed.

1. THE TRADE WAR IS JEOPARDIZING THE LIVELIHOOD OF NORTH DAKOTA’S FARMERS, RANCHERS, AND BUSINESSES: 111,100 JOBS AND OVER $60 MILLION IN EXPORTS ARE THREATENED.

Forum: North Dakota agribusinessman tells Pence he can’t sell enough grain.

Forum: Commentary from 4th generation farmer: Trade wars are economic self-mutilation.

“Agriculture will be the casualty in a trade war. […] The tariffs on steel and aluminum will greatly affect Dakota farmers, especially corn and soybean farmers. […] Trade wars are economic self-mutilation.”

WDAY: ‘We feel like we’re a bargaining chip’: N.D. soybean farmers fear trade war after Trump announces tariffs.

“‘There is no doubt that it will affect our bottom line,’ if there is a trade war, he said. ‘North Dakota is a producing state, not a consuming state, so we need free trade.’”

Bismarck Tribune: North Dakota to lose a lot in trade war.

Grand Forks Herald: North Dakota manufacturers left to weather uncertainty of trade war.

2. CRAMER FLIPPED AND FLOPPED AND FLIPPED AGAIN ON THE TRADE WAR, PLAYING GAMES WITH PRODUCERS’ LIVELIHOODS, ALL TO UP HIS POLITICAL CAPITAL WITH WASHINGTON.

Read more on his flip flop here.

3. CRAMER IS NOW A RUBBER STAMP FOR THIS DISASTROUS TRADE WAR. IN FACT, HE’S ONE OF ITS BIGGEST CHEERLEADERS – TO THE DETRIMENT OF NORTH DAKOTANS.

Cramer’s campaign said he will “support” the president’s position on the trade war in the Senate.

Cramer encouraged other D.C. politicians to “rally behind the administration[‘s]” trade war.

Bismarck Tribune: LTE: Farmers in state need some loyalty.
“Farmers and ranchers face enough uncertainty with the weather — we don’t need any more caused by politicians in Washington. That’s why along with so many farmers across North Dakota and the nation, I’ve been deeply concerned by the president’s proposed tariffs. […] I was disappointed that Rep. Kevin Cramer has refused to stand up to the president on this issue. I understand that they’re both from the same party — but that shouldn’t stop Cramer from doing what’s right and standing up for North Dakota.”

Forum: Letter: Cramer’s blind allegiance to Trump’s tariffs bad for ND farmers.
“Congressman Kevin Cramer certainly pledges his allegiance to the Trump administration every time I listen to his interviews. Cramer is wrong to embrace the Trump tariffs as they are going to have a serious negative impact on middle America and looking at the economic numbers, we cannot afford a set back. […] Congressman Cramer’s blind allegiance to Trump is letting our farmers and ranchers down.”

4. CRAMER HAS REPEATEDLY UNDERESTIMATED THE ECONOMY-KILLING CONSEQUENCES OF THE TRADE WAR, PROVING JUST HOW OUT OF TOUCH HE IS WITH NORTH DAKOTANS.

Amid trade war threats using soybeans as collateral, Cramer claimed it was not all doom and gloom for North Dakota producers.

Cramer dismissed farmers’ concerns over the trade war as “hysteria” and told them they “don’t have a very high pain threshold.”

After Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue said the $12 billion government bailout is “obviously… not going to make farmers whole,” Cramer claimed farmers may not “need all 12 billion [in trade aid], if we need any of it.”

5. CRAMER CREATED A SELF-IMPOSED DEADLINE FOR WHEN HE’LL FINALLY STAND UP FOR NORTH DAKOTA AGAINST THIS TRADE WAR: SEPTEMBER.

And he’s got less than a month to go. See the countdown clock here.

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(BISMARCK, ND) – With farmers “getting hit on all sides” by the escalating trade war, they’re more dependent than ever on the passage of a strong, bipartisan Farm Bill. Now that Heidi and the North Dakota congressional delegation have been named to the Conference Committee, it’s a real chance to deliver for our farmers and producers. But if history is any indication, Cramer will take this opportunity to play politics – and hurt our farmers in the process.

Since the early days of the trade war, Cramer has been dismissive of farmers’ suggestions, saying “I’m just not sure the Farm Bill is the vehicle for that” and calling it “an already far too-complicated bill.” On top of that, he’s been vocally supportive of extreme provisions in the House bill that jeopardized its passage.

Courtney Rice, Press Secretary for the North Dakota Democratic-NPL asked: “Cramer’s history of playing politics with the Farm Bill is well-documented. Will this time be any different?”

A Brief History of Cramer Playing Politics with the Farm Bill

• In his 1996 campaign, Cramer praised a bill that cut farm funding by an estimated $2 billion, saying that it was “fairly clear” that taxpayers wouldn’t “sit back and fund” federal crop price subsidies “into infinity.”
• In that same unsuccessful bid, Cramer promised to restore millions of acres to the Conservation Reserve Program. By the time he was running in 2010, Cramer had reversed his position.
• Cramer blamed everyone but himself for the initial failure of the 2013 farm bill, taking aim at both Democrats and Republicans before later complaining at a closed-door GOP meeting that failure to pass the legislation would end his congressional career.
• Cramer voted for a Farm Bill that did not reauthorize nutrition assistance programs that lifted 4.7 million Americans out of poverty in 2011.
• In 2013, the Williston Herald called on Cramer to “take a lesson from Hoeven and Sen. Heidi Heitkamp” and round up Republican support for the Farm Bill, saying it was “a chance to redeem knocks on his leadership.”
• That same year, the Grand Forks Herald Editorial Board slammed Cramer and House Republicans for carving food stamps out of the Farm Bill, saying the move was a “sign of ideologues who value purity above results.”
• This year, Cramer enthusiastically voted for the initial House Farm Bill which enjoyed zero bipartisan support because of its huge cuts to SNAP, threatening food support for millions of Americans.

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(BISMARCK, ND) – Today rules were finalized to expand skimpy, short-term health plans – the kind that don’t protect coverage for pre-existing conditions like asthma, diabetes, or depression and that the CBO has estimated would cause premiums to rise. These plans have been criticized by health advocacy groups and insurance companies because they have “the potential to harm consumers, both by making comprehensive coverage more expensive and by leaving some consumers unaware of the risks of these policies.”

It’s a reminder that Kevin Cramer pushed for a hyper-partisan health care agenda that could have harmed those with pre-existing conditions by increasing the cost of their care, imposed an age tax on older North Dakotans, and spiked health care costs.

Last week, the Dem-NPL launched Google search ads to remind North Dakotans about Cramer’s dangerous health care agenda and how, if it had passed, they would be paying the price. Read more here.

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(BISMARCK, ND) – Access to rural areas is critical to rural economic development. But apparently, that’s not a concept Congressman Cramer understands. If Cramer had his way, the Essential Air Service (EAS) Program – which provides critical funding to small community airports in North Dakota cities from Dickinson to Devils Lake – would be on the chopping block. Cuts to EAS would create a “real risk of these communities losing commercial service,”according to the Dickinson Theodore Roosevelt Regional airport director, and would threaten job creation and economic growth in these communities.

While Devils Lake Airport, Dickinson Airport, and Jamestown Airport all receive funding from this program, Cramer supported cuts to EAS funding that was included in the president’s budget proposal. In fact, Cramer has gone so far as to suggest that he would be willing to support “eliminating” the service.

“North Dakotans know how vital the Essential Air Service Program is to providing the access rural North Dakota towns need to build strong economies, grow jobs, and to keep our communities strong and safe,” said Scott McNeil, Executive Director of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL. “Unfortunately, Congressman Cramer’s repeated willingness to cut this critical program is just one in a heap of examples of him valuing Washington party bosses ahead of what’s best for North Dakota.”

Additional Background: 

Essential Air Service Gives $11 Million To North Dakota’s Airports, Including $4.2 Million To Dickinson Airport, $4 Million To Devils Lake Airport, And $2.8 Million To Jamestown Airport. [The Bismarck Tribune, 3/25/17]

Cramer Expressed An Openness To Cutting The Essential Air Services Program, Which Provides Subsidies To Small Community Airports. [The Dickinson Press, 12/6/17]

Heitkamp Joins Push To Save EA. [The Bismarck Tribune, 4/12/17]

Trump’s Budget Proposal Cuts Funding For Devils Lake Airport. [Devils Lake Journal, 4/3/17]

(BISMARCK, ND) – Kevin Cramer is getting desperate. After his record of disrespecting veterans was put in the spotlight, Cramer went into damage control mode – and apparently the best he could come up with was using a California stock photo of a veteran in a paid social ad.

See Cramer’s ad and the stock photo on Getty Images side-by-side:

This isn’t the first time Cramer has used stock photos or North Dakotans’ images without permission in his campaign ads.

• In April, Cramer used photos of North Dakotans in prominent campaign material without their permission and was admonished for doing so.
• During his 2014 campaign, Cramer was criticized for using footage of a VA cemetery in an ad without seeking permission from the VA or the fallen service members’ families. Cramer refused to take the ad off YouTube, and actually doubled down – encouraging folks to watch the ad on that platform despite the criticism – and drawing condemnation from veterans across North Dakota.

“It’s unfortunate that Cramer had to resort to a stock photo to demonstrate his support from veterans – but it’s no surprise given his disrespectful comments about their service and his reluctance to adequately fund their pay,” said Courtney Rice, Press Secretary for the North Dakota Democratic-NPL. “

(BISMARCK, ND) – On the 53rd anniversary of Medicare, here’s a non-comprehensive list of the times Cramer has jeopardized Medicare – from calling for “means testing” to suggesting that Congress had to “get after”Medicare in order to balance the budget after voting for a budget-busting tax cut for the wealthy.

“Congressman Cramer can’t fool North Dakota’s seniors with his election year pandering – they’ve heard his repeated signals that call for cuts to Medicare and know he’d get rid of their hard-earned benefits to pay for his massive tax cut to the wealthy. Come November, they’ll hold Cramer accountable.”

1. Cramer claimed Congress had to “get after entitlement reform” to deal with the debt and deficit – after he voted for a $2 trillion budget-busting tax cut for the wealthy [Dec. 19, 2017].
2. Cramer voted for a budget that would have begun the privatization of Medicare [March 25, 2015].
3. Cramer suggested implementing “means testing” so that some would “pay a little more of a premium for their Medicare” [July 19, 2018].
4. Cramer refused to fully protect Medicare that folks 50 to 55 have earned, saying they would either face “small” cuts with “policy changes today,” or face Medicare that is “cut dramatically” [July 19, 2018].
5. Cramer claimed he thought Medicare could use “some means testing” [February 14, 2018].
6. Cramer called for “little things like indexing, for example,” and “maybe a little means testing” for Medicare and Social Security [April 25, 2018].
7. Cramer claimed means testing for Social Security and Medicare could have “a huge impact” on balancing the federal budget [April 25, 2018].
8. Cramer claimed changes to Medicare were necessary [February 14, 15, 17, 2018].
9. Cramer clearly specified wanting to “do some things” with Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, suggesting “means testing”” and “changing age a little bit in the out years” [February 13, 2018].
10. Cramer claimed “entitlement” spending had to be dealt with [February 15, 2018].
11. Cramer wanted “entitlement reform” to come after passing his massive tax cut for the wealthy – in order to pay for the cut[September 7, 2017].
12. Cramer would not commit to protecting Social Security or Medicare from cuts in order to deal with the debt created by tax reform [December 20, 2017].