Jon Klimstra is not a high-value target in the war that Donald Trump and Elon Musk are waging on the imperfect but mostly successful post-war, liberal consensus on how to expand freedom, equality, and prosperity in America and around the world. He and his wife are just apple farmers.
But here they are in the midst of it all. In this episode, Jon and I talk about how he’s being affected by the cuts to the Department of Agriculture, and why everyone in the county should be worried.
Further reading
Climate project cuts:
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/12/climate/epa-climate-grants-canceled.html
ICE kidnapping:
https://apnews.com/article/tufts-student-detained-massachusetts-immigration-6c3978da98a8d0f39ab311e092ffd892
Department of Education elimination:
https://thehill.com/homenews/education/5179987-trump-executive-order-department-of-education-linda-mcmahon/
Elite capitulation:
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/03/31/trump-institutions-grovel-law-media-business-028840
Health and Human Services cuts:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/rfk-jr-to-gut-vaccine-promotion-and-hiv-prevention-office-sources-say/
SNAP program ROI:
https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2019/july/quantifying-the-impact-of-snap-benefits-on-the-u-s-economy-and-jobs
