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U.S. President Donald Trump (C) breaks ground with Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (2nd L), Foxconn CEO Terry Gou (2nd R), U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) (R) and Christopher “Tank” Murdock (L), the first Wisconsin Foxconn employee, at a ceremony for the Foxconn Technology Group computer screen plant on June 28, 2018 in Mt Pleasant, Wisconsin. (Photo: Andy Manis/Getty Images)

Yes. Trump's FART Act Is Now a Thing. Reportedly It Has To Do With Trade Policy.

A silent but deadly attack on the WTO? Tariffs on dutch ovens?

Common Dreams staff

Before there was a limerick written in its honor or a viral sensation on Twitter, Axios on Sunday reported on an internal White House draft bill—titled the "United States Fair and Reciprocal Tariff Act" (or the U.S. FART Act for short)—that would grant President Donald Trump enormous powers to dictate trade and tariff policy and essentially blow a hole in the rules that govern the World Trade Organization (WTO).

"The draft legislation is stunning," reported Axios' Jonathan Swan. "The bill essentially provides Trump a license to raise U.S. tariffs at will, without congressional consent and international rules be damned."

Though Swan made no mention of the bill's ridiculous acronym, it didn't take astute journalists like Splinter's Paul Blest and other online observers long to break the story:

While the White House told Swan that the draft bill is nowhere near being rolled out, it was too late. The #FartAct has been born:

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