President Donald Trump has taken a hard line on trade. He’s imposed tariffs on steel, aluminum, and on a wide variety of Chinese products. In response, China has slapped tariffs on American products. If Trump’s trade strategy poses risks for the economy, it also poses risks for his reelection strategy. […] Read more »
With 2020 near, Trump finds good economy is hard to deliver
Friday brought some good economic news for President Donald Trump, 136,000 new jobs and a new low in unemployment at 3.5 percent in September. Those are numbers he can point to in his reelection campaign. But two-plus years into Trump’s presidency, there’s also a set of numbers that indicate some […] Read more »
Iowa: A shakeup among the Democratic presidential contenders
In the post-debate poll in Iowa, Focus on Rural America found some shakeups among the Democratic presidential contenders and some key takeaways for the field. Iowa Democrats are focused on electability and they see rural issues and a rural strategy as key to that end. CONT. Focus on Rural America Read more »
Ag barometer declines sharply as commodity prices weaken
After rising sharply two months in a row, the Ag Economy Barometer weakened significantly in August falling back to a reading of 124, down 29 points compared to a month earlier and just slightly below the June reading of 126. The barometer’s decline was attributable to declines in both the […] Read more »
Big Pharma Sinks to the Bottom of U.S. Industry Rankings
The pharmaceutical industry is now the most poorly regarded industry in Americans’ eyes, ranking last on a list of 25 industries that Gallup tests annually. Americans are more than twice as likely to rate the pharmaceutical industry negatively (58%) as positively (27%), giving it a net-positive score of -31. The […] Read more »
Dems fear another rural wipeout will reelect Trump
As Democratic presidential candidates descended on the Iowa State Fair, a plane buzzed overhead, an ominous warning fluttering behind it on a banner: “Focus on Rural America.” Democrats hoping to win the White House in 2020 recognize how critical that advice is after 2016, when Hillary Clinton turned in strong […] Read more »