Letters submitted by BDN readers are verified by BDN Opinion Page staff. Send your letters to letters@bangordailynews.com
Donald Trump swept into office for a second term two years ago on promises that he would reduce Americans’ economic pain, particularly at the grocery checkout line. The promise to help our pocketbooks was a pledge millions of voters banked on.
So what happened under Trump?
Take the price of beef. Cattle herds in the U.S. are at a 75-year-low with no way to quickly turn that around, which is why so much of our beef is imported. Trump’s tariffs only add to problems that caused our beef prices to jump 20% since January of last year.
And your morning coffee? Virtually all of it is imported since we don’t have the climate to produce it. That didn’t stop Trump from slapping on tariffs, contributing to a 35% surge in prices after he took office.
The price of cocoa and imported chocolate was already rising because of climate-related problems and aging trees in cocoa regions. So those with a sweet tooth felt extra pain when Trump put tariffs on cocoa products. Chocolate prices were up more than 14% on his watch.
Trump ended up rolling back some of the tariffs, but the damage was done.
Meantime, his immigration dragnets have affected farms across the country. In a recent study by the United Farm Workers Foundation, 92% of the more than 2,000 farmworkers surveyed said raids and deportations had affected their employment. When crops go unpicked you pay more for your produce.
We need a return to sensible policies and representatives whose priorities are on working Americans. Please support Troy Jackson, Matt Dunlap, Hannah Pingree and your local Democrats.
Marcia Myers
Deer Isle