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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)
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:
#FARTact- No joke 'It stinks': Twitter gets wind of oddly named Trump tariff bill draft https://t.co/8AseKNu58j
-- Geo Steve (@StephenGlahn) July 2, 2018
\u201cThe POTUS would like, for a start,\nMore power to rip trade apart,\nReported the press\nUpon its success\nIn catching a draft of his FART.\u201d— Limericking (@Limericking) 1530494325
\u201ctaking on the @WTO is actually a good thing (in principal)\n\n\u201cfree trade\u201d agreements that have been the norm, negotiated in total secrecy.. aren\u2019t in the public good - NeoLiberalism \u26a0\ufe0f\n\nbut who in the hell thought up the name #FARTact \ud83e\udd26\ud83c\udffb\u200d\u2642\ufe0f doesn\u2019t White House have advisors?\u201d— \u2651\ufe0f Mark \ud83d\udc4a\ud83c\udffb \ud83c\udfb6\ud83c\udf7d\ud83d\udc7d\ud83c\udf0b\ud83c\udfc9 (@\u2651\ufe0f Mark \ud83d\udc4a\ud83c\udffb \ud83c\udfb6\ud83c\udf7d\ud83d\udc7d\ud83c\udf0b\ud83c\udfc9) 1530541707
#FARTact- No joke 'It stinks': Twitter gets wind of oddly named Trump tariff bill draft https://t.co/8AseKNu58j
-- Geo Steve (@StephenGlahn) July 2, 2018
\u201cWill the US FART Act impose tariffs on dutch ovens? #FARTAct\u201d— R.J. Maratea (@R.J. Maratea) 1530493071
Trump and Musk are on an unconstitutional rampage, aiming for virtually every corner of the federal government. These two right-wing billionaires are targeting nurses, scientists, teachers, daycare providers, judges, veterans, air traffic controllers, and nuclear safety inspectors. No one is safe. The food stamps program, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are next. It’s an unprecedented disaster and a five-alarm fire, but there will be a reckoning. The people did not vote for this. The American people do not want this dystopian hellscape that hides behind claims of “efficiency.” Still, in reality, it is all a giveaway to corporate interests and the libertarian dreams of far-right oligarchs like Musk. Common Dreams is playing a vital role by reporting day and night on this orgy of corruption and greed, as well as what everyday people can do to organize and fight back. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover issues the corporate media never will, but we can only continue with our readers’ support. |
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:
#FARTact- No joke 'It stinks': Twitter gets wind of oddly named Trump tariff bill draft https://t.co/8AseKNu58j
-- Geo Steve (@StephenGlahn) July 2, 2018
\u201cThe POTUS would like, for a start,\nMore power to rip trade apart,\nReported the press\nUpon its success\nIn catching a draft of his FART.\u201d— Limericking (@Limericking) 1530494325
\u201ctaking on the @WTO is actually a good thing (in principal)\n\n\u201cfree trade\u201d agreements that have been the norm, negotiated in total secrecy.. aren\u2019t in the public good - NeoLiberalism \u26a0\ufe0f\n\nbut who in the hell thought up the name #FARTact \ud83e\udd26\ud83c\udffb\u200d\u2642\ufe0f doesn\u2019t White House have advisors?\u201d— \u2651\ufe0f Mark \ud83d\udc4a\ud83c\udffb \ud83c\udfb6\ud83c\udf7d\ud83d\udc7d\ud83c\udf0b\ud83c\udfc9 (@\u2651\ufe0f Mark \ud83d\udc4a\ud83c\udffb \ud83c\udfb6\ud83c\udf7d\ud83d\udc7d\ud83c\udf0b\ud83c\udfc9) 1530541707
#FARTact- No joke 'It stinks': Twitter gets wind of oddly named Trump tariff bill draft https://t.co/8AseKNu58j
-- Geo Steve (@StephenGlahn) July 2, 2018
\u201cWill the US FART Act impose tariffs on dutch ovens? #FARTAct\u201d— R.J. Maratea (@R.J. Maratea) 1530493071
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:
#FARTact- No joke 'It stinks': Twitter gets wind of oddly named Trump tariff bill draft https://t.co/8AseKNu58j
-- Geo Steve (@StephenGlahn) July 2, 2018
\u201cThe POTUS would like, for a start,\nMore power to rip trade apart,\nReported the press\nUpon its success\nIn catching a draft of his FART.\u201d— Limericking (@Limericking) 1530494325
\u201ctaking on the @WTO is actually a good thing (in principal)\n\n\u201cfree trade\u201d agreements that have been the norm, negotiated in total secrecy.. aren\u2019t in the public good - NeoLiberalism \u26a0\ufe0f\n\nbut who in the hell thought up the name #FARTact \ud83e\udd26\ud83c\udffb\u200d\u2642\ufe0f doesn\u2019t White House have advisors?\u201d— \u2651\ufe0f Mark \ud83d\udc4a\ud83c\udffb \ud83c\udfb6\ud83c\udf7d\ud83d\udc7d\ud83c\udf0b\ud83c\udfc9 (@\u2651\ufe0f Mark \ud83d\udc4a\ud83c\udffb \ud83c\udfb6\ud83c\udf7d\ud83d\udc7d\ud83c\udf0b\ud83c\udfc9) 1530541707
#FARTact- No joke 'It stinks': Twitter gets wind of oddly named Trump tariff bill draft https://t.co/8AseKNu58j
-- Geo Steve (@StephenGlahn) July 2, 2018
\u201cWill the US FART Act impose tariffs on dutch ovens? #FARTAct\u201d— R.J. Maratea (@R.J. Maratea) 1530493071
