August 14, 2019

Trump Backs Down on Chinese Tariffs

Terry Pierson/SCNG via ZUMA

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This headline probably deserves a Pulitzer prize:

Wiping out America’s soybean farmers? Sure, not a problem. Increasing the price of Christmas gadgets a few percent? No can do.

The political calculation here is pretty transparent. Trump figures that Midwest farmers are going to vote for him no matter what. What’s more, they can be bought off with some targeted subsidies. But suburban soccer moms forced to pay more for their kids’ presents? They were already on the fence and this might push them right over.

Besides, the economy is looking a little iffy these days. A bad holiday selling season is the last thing Trump needs. Once again, it looks like winning trade wars isn’t quite as simple as Trump thought. Who knew?

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WE CAME UP SHORT.

We just wrapped up a shorter-than-normal, urgent-as-ever fundraising drive and we came up about $45,000 short of our $300,000 goal.

That means we're going to have upwards of $350,000, maybe more, to raise in online donations between now and June 30, when our fiscal year ends and we have to get to break-even. And even though there's zero cushion to miss the mark, we won't be all that in your face about our fundraising again until June.

So we urgently need this specific ask, what you're reading right now, to start bringing in more donations than it ever has. The reality, for these next few months and next few years, is that we have to start finding ways to grow our online supporter base in a big way—and we're optimistic we can keep making real headway by being real with you about this.

Because the bottom line: Corporations and powerful people with deep pockets will never sustain the type of journalism Mother Jones exists to do. The only investors who won’t let independent, investigative journalism down are the people who actually care about its future—you.

And we hope you might consider pitching in before moving on to whatever it is you're about to do next. We really need to see if we'll be able to raise more with this real estate on a daily basis than we have been, so we're hoping to see a promising start.

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