Wisconsin House Democrats condemn Donald Trump for economic turbulence

Riley Vetterkind, Wisconsin State Journal

Wisconsin’s three Democratic House members are blaming President Donald Trump’s policies for harming Wisconsin businesses and putting the American economy at risk of recession.

In a joint statement Monday, U.S. Reps. Gwen Moore, of Milwaukee; Mark Pocan, of Madison; and Ron Kind, of La Crosse; blasted the Republican tax cut bill Congress passed and the president signed for only benefiting the wealthy, and for his trade war they say is damaging working families.

“Ever since President Trump passed his tax-scam bill, we’ve been bracing for an economic downturn,” they wrote. “Three years in, it’s clear that the policies of this President are not working for Wisconsin workers, farmers, business, and families.”

They wrote the threat of a recession grows by the day due to the president’s “chaotic” trade war with China, and underscored the pain they say Wisconsinites are already feeling as a result of Trump’s trade policies.

The joint statement from Wisconsin’s three House Democrats comes after Democratic Gov. Tony Evers penned a letter to Trump last week urging him to end the nation’s trade dispute with China and other nations, citing harm to several Wisconsin industries.

Wisconsin farmers have been hit particularly hard in recent years following a slump in milk prices, bad weather and fallout from Trump’s tariffs, which have prompted retaliatory tariffs targeting Wisconsin agricultural products. One example is a 25% tariff on cheese Mexico slapped on the United States. About 90% of Wisconsin’s milk is made into cheese.

The Trump administration has defended its trade policies as a way to counter unfair trade practices by China and other countries. The trade war worsened on Friday after China imposed tariffs on another $75 billion in American goods, mostly auto products. The tariffs come as as investors and economists increasingly fear a coming recession.