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GOP candidates face backlash as workers squeezed out of jobs by Trump's tariffs
Nelson Vandermeer voted Republican for decades but balked at supporting President Donald Trump, fearing that the Republican’s plan for tariffs on imports would hurt workers more than help.Last year, Vandermeer’s premonition came true in a very personal way. The 62-year-old lost his job as a product designer at Howard Miller, a clockmaker that relied on parts produced overseas. After a century in business, the company in Zeeland, Michigan, closed its factory, sold off its inventory and brand name and laid off nearly 200 workers."So much for bringing jobs back," Vandermeer said. Next month, he plans to vote straight Democrat in the midterms.As if an unpopular war with Iran and persistent inflation were not enough trouble for Republicans, they are confronting a backlash over the tariffs that Trump made a cornerstone of his economic agenda. He promised that charging higher taxes on imports would spur a factory renaissance in the United States, but that has not come to pass. Although the country has added manufacturing jobs so far this year, the sector has fewer employees than when Trump returned to the White House in January 2025.White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers insisted that a factory boom is underway, citing increases in manufacturing output and more work in certain nonresidential construction trades. "Factory construction jobs of today mean more manufacturing jobs down the road once those factories come online," she said.Even before the tariffs, Howard Miller struggled as Americans lost their taste for fancy timepieces such as its signature grandfather and mantel clocks. So the company broadened its offerings years ago to include bar carts, cabinets and consoles.But those products also depended on glass and other parts from abroad, and diversification did not ensure survival. "I could still have a job, but now I don't because of tariffs," Vandermeer said. "It was like taking a knife to the back."Job losses pile up in battleground statesVandermeer lives in Michigan’s 4th Congressional District, which is represented by Republican Bill Huizenga, who is running for a ninth term in the Nov. 3 election. Before Trump implemented his broadest set of tariffs last year, on what the president called "Liberation Day," Huizenga was supportive. "Is it going to be easy? Not necessarily. Is it the right thing to do? Absolutely it is," he told reporters at the time.A spokesperson for Huizenga said last week that the congressman "sees a potential role for tariffs" for boosting domestic manufacturing “while recognizing the need to address their broader economic effects." His Democratic opponent, state Sen. Sean McCann, has criticized the incumbent for opposing legislation that would rein in tariffs that Trump imposed unilaterally. There are similar issues in competitive races in Kansas, Iowa and Ohio, where Republican acquiescence could hurt the party on Election Day as their constituents face factory layoffs, farm foreclosures and higher prices. Tracy Chew, 55, voted for Trump in 2016, then for Democrat Joe Biden in 2020 and Democrat Kamala Harris in 2024.She used to work for Case, a backhoe manufacturer, but the company announced before the tariffs that it would close its plant in Burlington, Iowa. She lost her job in April, as did her daughter, followed by husband and son-in-law over the next few weeks. Chew is leaning toward voting for Democrats again this year, feeling that Trump let them down."I'm furious he isn't doing enough,” she said. "Tariffs are not targeting the right companies, the right amount.”Layoffs in Iowa have piled up elsewhere. Winnebago Industries, which produces recreational vehicles like campers, cut 200 jobs last year after the cost of importing aluminum, steel and electronics increased by tens of millions of dollars. "It's a day to day battle," said Michael Happe, the company’s chief executive.In the tight race for an open U.S. Senate seat in Iowa, U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson faces Democratic state Rep. Josh Turek. There is a close contest, too, in Kansas, where Democrat Adam Hamilton, the pastor of the largest United Methodist Church in the U.S., is trying to unseat Republican Roger Marshall. Cole Hoppock, chief executive of appliance maker Vornado Air in Wichita, Kansas, said Trump’s tariffs "impacted virtually everything." The company known for its retro household fans laid off more than 70 factory workers in February, blaming higher prices for imported parts.Trump’s trade policy could force cutbacks soon at another Kansas employer, Canadian jet manufacturer Bombardier. Trump has threatened to ban the company’s sales in the U.S. if Bombardier does not start making all its planes in the U.S. Bombardier said it buys parts from 2,800 companies in 47 states, including in Kansas, where it employs more than 1,000 people Trump’s approach to trade is unpopularTrump has spent years complaining that other countries are ripping off the U.S. when it comes to trade. Most economists say he is wrong and that his remedy — broad universal tariffs — would cause more pain than help.Now most Americans disagree with Trump’s approach, according to The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. A September poll showed only about 3 in 10 U.S. adults approve of Trump’s handling of trade negotiations, compared with 4 in 10 in March.Some of Trump’s tariffs have been haphazard. He targeted Brazil because of political differences and he jacked up tariffs on China to levels so extreme that they risked a recession and forced the president to retreat. The Supreme Court in February ruled against Trump’s declaration of an emergency to roll out his "Liberation Day" tariffs last year, leaving foreign trade unsettled as the administration continues to adjust with new levies and threats. Tariffs are far from the only reason for the lost of manufacturing jobs, and factories have cut workers for decades with or without them. Even some Republicans who dislike Trump’s approach will not split with the party. Bicycle Corp. of America, which closed its factory in South Carolina last year, blamed rising prices for imported parts. Koby Bird, who retired after working in quality control, likes tariffs but was frustrated by Trump’s habit of raising and lowering them seemingly at whim."It was all over the place," Bird said. "Businesses couldn’t plan."Next month, Bird is likely to stick with Republicans, including U.S. Sen. Darline Graham, because tariffs are only one issue and he believes Democrats would spend too much money on the wrong things.Ernie Goss, an economist at Creighton University in Nebraska, said manufacturing woes may not convert to Democratic victories. He said some people may "think the tariffs in the long run will work."Some workers may be turning on TrumpWendell Young, a union leader in Pennsylvania, where several factories have had layoffs, said he senses a backlash among workers. Last summer, Young said he got a firestorm of angry responses to his email blaming tariffs for a decision by Post Holdings to cut 160 jobs at a local pet food factory. "Keep politics out of this,” wrote one of workers at the plant in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. “President Trump isn't the reason.""People used to beat me up for not supporting Trump. I haven't heard that in a year,” said Young, president of Local 1776 of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union. "Some of these people are red Republicans and they are shocked. They expected more jobs.”Post Holdings ultimately agreed to reduce the head count by offering severance for people to leave, but lower production had a ripple effect. Local can manufacturer Trivium Packaging decided to cut several jobs because they were getting less orders from Post and other companies, according to Young’s union. "I understand the mindset behind tariffs, but I just don’t know if it’s working,” said former Trivium worker Heather Kingston. She left for another company before the layoffs, and her husband is still working at Trivium. "There doesn't seem to be many manufacturing jobs moving into the area," she said.Kingston said she voted for Republican Dan Meuser in the 9th District last time but is having doubts this year. Meuser’s seat is considered safe, but other races in the state are up for grabs, including in the 7th and 8th districts, which are near the Post and Trivium factories.
Pope Leo to have surgery to remove nodule on his lung
Pontiff says it was detected at an early stage and procedure will take place in the coming daysPope Leo XIV has said he will undergo surgery in the coming days to remove a nodular lesion on his lung that was recently discovered during medical checks.The 71-year-old said the nodule was found at an early stage and was "circumscribed" or well localised. The Vatican later said Leo would undergo surgery in the first days of this week, with an expected recovery time of a week. Continue reading...
Middle East crisis: Riyadh airport hit again as Houthis claim attacks, including strike that killed 12 – as it happened
This live blog is now closed. You can read our latest full report here:Riyadh airport hit again after deadly Houthi missile attack, Saudi authorities saySome more Gulf reaction to Houthi's deadly airport attack and continued threats to target Saudi airspace. In a significant message, the United Arab Emirates has issued a statement in solidarity with Saudi Arabia – expressing support for "all measures aimed at safeguarding the kingdom's security and stability".The UAE message is improtant given the major rupture in relations this year between the two oil-rich kingdoms, first sparked by lingering divisions in Yemen, and made worse by the Iran War and arguments over oil prices which led to the UAE quitting OPEC (currently led by the Saudis) after six decades of membership.Saturday's incident comes amid an escalation of missile strikes by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis ⁠on the kingdom. The airport has already been attacked twice this ​week, leaving four people dead and ‌others wounded, and ‌badly damaging an aircraft.The Houthis have repeatedly attacked Saudi airports, oil facilities and tankers after a truce in their long-running war with Yemen's Riyadh-backed government unravelled in July. Continue reading...
Trump sticks with tariffs even as U.S. voters turn against them before the midterms
Maybe President Donald Trump really does believe that "tariff" is the most beautiful word in the dictionary.Despite higher prices, criticism from trade experts and displeasure among voters, Trump holds fast to his belief that imposing the highest import duties on U.S. trading partners since the Great Depression is a winner.A recent poll suggests that is a big gamble with less than a month before the Nov. 3 midterms. Most U.S. adults disapprove of his trade policies, with more than 64% saying he has gone too far with his latest tariffs, compared with 58% in January.A look at the political, legal and economic challenges to the Republican president’s approach to trade.Where Trump’s ever-changing tariffs stand todayThe United States has set taxes on imports from most countries in the low double digits, although the rates have gone up and down because of legal setbacks as well as Trump’s habit of changing them seemingly on a whim.In the biggest round last year, Trump levied what he called "reciprocal" tariffs and other duties on dozens of countries. He cited a 1977 law that he said allowed him to act without congressional approval in an economic emergency.After the Supreme Court struck that down in February, Trump turned to an array of other trade laws to accomplish his goals.The primary one he is using now, Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, allows him to impose tariffs on countries that he believes are engaging in unfair trade practices, such as not adequately enforcing a ban on forced labor. The new duties range from 10% to 12.5% on imports from 60 economies, including big U.S. trading partners such as the European Union, India, Japan, Canada and Mexico.Why trade experts think Trump is causing more damage than goodTrump is taking a sledgehammer to a relatively open global trading system that many mainstream economists think has benefited the U.S. enormously. It has helped boost growth, keep prices low and make U.S. businesses more competitive and often dominant in global industries.The U.S. is the second-largest exporter in the world, after China. It exported $3.4 trillion in goods and services last year, far ahead of third place Germany's $2.3 trillion.Although Trump claims foreign exporters are paying tariffs, it is mostly Americans who are footing the bill. Studies, including ones from New York Fed and Harvard, have shown that overseas companies have largely not lowered their prices to offset the tariffs that U.S. businesses pay at the border. Those businesses are absorbing the added costs or passing them along to consumers through higher prices.The White House responds that the factory boom is already underway and points to statistics showing that manufacturing jobs, after falling last year, are on the upswing and work in certain nonresidential construction trades is rising, too."Factory construction jobs of today mean more manufacturing jobs down the road once those factories come online," said White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers. U.S. & World Trump administration 6 hours ago GOP candidates face backlash as workers squeezed out of jobs by Trump's tariffs China Sep 28 U.S., China release $60 billion product lists for tariff cuts after Trump-Xi meeting China Sep 23 Trump welcomes China's Xi to D.C. with planeside ceremony, extension of trade truce Mixed evidence that countries are 'ripping off' the USIn the four years after China joined the World Trade Organization in 2001, nearly 3 million U.S. manufacturing jobs were lost, accelerating a shift away from factory work. Even global trade enthusiasts recognize the damage. Many U.S. companies struggled to compete with an influx of discounted products from China, which has suppressed consumption to encourage exportsIt also is true that some countries have higher tariffs than the U.S., manipulate their currencies lower to ensure to make their exports to the U.S. cheaper and help industries with subsidies.But tariffs among U.S. major trading partners are low, often comparable to U.S. rates and sometimes lower.Before the trade war, the U.S. rate averaged 1.47% for goods from the European Union, slightly above the average 1.35% imposed by the EU on American products, according to the Brussels think tank Bruegel. Europeans are big buyers of what America wants to sell. About 30% of European imports are from U.S.-owned companies, according to the European Central Bank.The relationship with Canada, America’s big trading partner to the north, was also similar before trade talks broke down this summer. Canada’s effective tariff rate on U.S. imports was about 2.4%, less than half the 5% that the U.S. had on Canadian imports, according to calculations by Oxford Economics.Now the countries are mired in a tit-for-tat dispute, with both countries escalating tariffs on each other.
Houthi attack on Riyadh airport forces swift rethink of Trump's new strategy
US president's plan to park the wars in Iran and Yemen, while blaming Ukraine for diesel prices, looks unsustainableMiddle East crisis live - latest updatesThe reckless missile attack on King Khalid international airport in Riyadh on Saturday did not just export the death and misery inside Yemen to Saudi Arabia, it also left Donald Trump forced to reconsider his diplomatic and political strategy designed to take him into the midterm elections next month.The US president's plan had only been unveiled on Friday. He said it was the result of "a world problem" – spiralling diesel prices – which he blamed on Volodymyr Zelenskyy's attacks on Russian oil refineries. He was going to keep the political temperature down on his war of choice in Iran and its spillover in Yemen until after the midterms. Continue reading...
Trump claims Russia and Ukraine agree to energy ceasefire, but Zelenskyy says this is 'news for me'
President Donald Trump claimed Sunday that Ukraine and Russia have agreed to an "energy ceasefire" as part of the ongoing conflict. There was no immediate confirmation from Moscow, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reportedly said this "was news for me."Trump made a similar announcement a month ago, only for the two sides to continue their aerial attacks on each other's energy facilities."Effective immediately, there is an ENERGY CEASEFIRE in the War between Russia and Ukraine," Trump posted on Truth Social on Sunday morning. "Both parties have agreed. Do not break it!" He did not elaborate further on what the ceasefire might include.Zelenskyy told Axios that he knew nothing about a ceasefire deal."But if Russians agree to an energy ceasefire Ukraine will agree," Zelenskyy said, according to Axios. "If President Trump negotiated it with [Russian President Vladimir] Putin — please tell us when the ceasefire begins — we are ready and we will accept it."NBC News has reached out to Zelenskyy's office for further comment.It follows a dramatic few days in which Trump agreed to a diesel deal with the Kremlin, demanded Kyiv halt attacks on Russian oil refineries and called for Zelenskyy to be replaced. The shift left Kyiv and its European allies reeling. U.S. & World Donald Trump 22 hours ago Trump says Ukraine should get a new president as he blames Zelenskyy for U.S. diesel prices Russia Oct 9 Trump eases Russia sanctions to allow Putin to release diesel fuel onto the global market amid price spike Russia Oct 6 Trump says he plans to speak with Putin about possible pneumonic plague case The U.S. agreed Friday to lift sanctions on Russian fuel in a deal that Trump said would see Russia "immediately" release 300,000 tons of diesel "to the American and global marketplace," followed by 500,000 tons in November and another million after that.After strong criticism from Zelenskyy, Trump said Saturday: "I suggest they get a new leader who can make a deal, because he could have made many deals."Trump has sought to blame the Ukraine conflict, rather than his own assault on Iran, for a global fuel shortage that has driven diesel prices to record highs since the U.S. launched the Middle East war in February.Zelenskyy reiterated Sunday that he was ready to halt strikes on Russian refineries if the Kremlin halts its own attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure. He also told ABC News he would hold elections if Russia agreed to a 60-day ceasefire.Zelenskyy said "it's up to Ukrainians" to choose their leader and noted that Putin would also like to ​change who is ​leading Ukraine.He ⁠said it is easy for Ukraine to be blamed for higher fuel ​prices "when everybody in the world understands [that] ​because ⁠of the war in [the] Middle East, the prices are rising."Reuters contributed.
A Trump impersonator and opera singers: CPAC was a spectacle, but the right still can't agree how to take down Labor
Preferences proved the sticking point at the conference as conservatives face the prospect of a third successive election defeatGet our new political email, free app or daily news podcastMany mainstream Australians would feel as if they'd been dropped in a foreign country at the Conservative Political Action Conference, lost amid oblique references to transgender swimmers, blue hair, women's bathrooms, jokes about falling off stages and Matt Canavan in hi-vis and speed dealer sunnies.It's an interesting spectacle. At this year's conference in Brisbane, rightwing campaigner Monica Smit was deep in conversation with a Donald Trump impersonator, opera singers belted out the national anthem (the first verse, twice, for unknown reasons), senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price and her folk singer husband sang the anthem again, and Karl Stefanovic jokingly thanking CPAC for "rudely interrupting my unemployment".Sign up for Guardian Australia's Politics, really newsletter here Continue reading...
Delhi cops release video when they told Dipke in detention of grandmother's death - watch
Delhi Police released a video showing officers informing Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke about his grandmother's death in detention and offering help with travel arrangements for her last rites, which he declined. The release followed his mother's allegation that police had failed to inform him. Dipke was detained ahead of a proposed protest demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation and later released on an undertaking to maintain public order.
'Your confidence is most vital': Supreme Court to Kapil Sibal after his 'no faith' remark
The Supreme Court on Sunday directed authorities to prevent illegal detention of people participating in peaceful gatherings amid the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protests in Delhi. It also asked the Centre to ensure that metro services operate normally and internet access remains uninterrupted, subject to law and order requirements. Sibal welcomed the court's order in connection with the restrictions imposed in Delhi amid protests, saying it restores faith in the country's justice system.
Trump announces partial ceasefire in Ukraine war as Zelenskyy says deal is 'news to me'
Ukrainian president earlier rejected US call for Kyiv to stop bombing oil refineries, saying Moscow must first end attacks on energy infrastructureUS politics – live updatesDonald Trump has announced an energy ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia, apparently without consulting Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who said the deal to stop long-range attacks was "news to me".In a social media post, the US president claimed the two sides had reached an agreement. "Effective immediately, there is an ENERGY CEASEFIRE in the War between Russia and Ukraine. Both parties have agreed. Do not break it!" he wrote on Truth Social. Continue reading...
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Tracker — 4x2: "Switchback" (CBS)

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Today In History
2002 — U.S. Congress Authorizes Force Against Iraq
The U.S. Congress passed a bill in 2002 granting broad authority to President George W. Bush to use force against Iraq.
2000 — Valentina Tereshkova Awarded Greatest Woman Achiever
In a ceremony in London, the International Women of the Year Association awarded the title Greatest Woman Achiever of the Century to Russian cosmonaut Valentina V. Tereshkova, the first woman in space
1991 — Clarence Thomas Supreme Court Confirmation Controversy
During the confirmation hearings of Clarence Thomas—who had been nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court—American lawyer Anita Hill testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee and accused him of sexual harassment; her allegations polarized Americans, and Thomas was narrowly confirmed, 52–48
1984 — Kathryn Sullivan's Historic Spacewalk
American astronaut Kathryn Sullivan became the first woman to walk in space
1975 — Saturday Night Live Debuts on NBC
The TV sketch comedy and variety show Saturday Night Live debuted on NBC and became a landmark in American television
1974 — NRC Established by President Ford
In 1974, President Gerald R. Ford established the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to oversee the civilian use of nuclear materials in the United States. The NRC was created to ensure the safe and responsible utilization of nuclear power and materials for the benefit of the American people.
1971 — John Lennon's "Imagine" Single Release
British musician John Lennon's Imagine was released as a single; an iconic song of hope and peace, it is arguably the best-known work of his solo career
1962 — Opening of the Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council, announced by Pope John XXIII in 1959, opened this day in 1962, lasted for three years, and remains a symbol (controversial to some) of the church's readiness to adapt to modern life
1958 — U.S. Probe Pioneer1 Launched into Lunar Orbit
The unmanned U.S. deep-space probe Pioneer 1 was launched into lunar orbit
1944 — Film Noir Classic "Laura" Premieres in New York
The 1944 film noir classic "Laura", directed by Otto Preminger and starring Gene Tierney and Dana Andrews, premiered in New York City.
1899 — Outbreak of the Second Boer War
The Second Boer War began in 1899 between Great Britain and the Boer republics of the South African Republic (Transvaal) and the Orange Free State. This conflict was the result of rising tensions over the discovery of gold in the Boer republics and the desire of the British to control the region.
1890 — Founding of the Daughters of the American Revolution
The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) was organized in 1890 to promote historic preservation, education, and patriotism.
1531 — Battle of Kappel: Protestant defeat in Swiss Reformation
Protestant troops under Jörg Göldli were defeated by Roman Catholic troops at the Battle of Kappel during the Swiss Reformation

This is today, boiled down to the essentials. The full stash lives at logicalchaos.ca. Go get lost in it.