Here we go again!

Here we go again! Farmers await bailout payments brought on by President Donald Trump's manufactured farm market crisis.

Call it what you wish, this recurring dilemma exists because the Trump administration has again chosen to pick fights with worldwide trading partners through tariff threat.

This is not a market economy based on the "Art of the Deal." This is the "Art of intimidation, short-term thinking and market loss."

What do we expect other countries to do? Roll over and play dead. No, they find ways to retaliate and seek markets elsewhere. Can we be this naive?

One would hope the Farm Bureau knows better as markets lost do not easily recover. Turmoil and chaos are neither the friend of markets or the farmer.

But can we be so sure market strategy is based on this knowledge?

After all, Farm Bureau and powerful mega-ag political operatives told farmers to vote Trump — again. Are there no lessons learned?

With this question in mind let's consider it through the lens of conspiracy theory. The theory goes like this:

If farming suffers as a result of tariff war intervention, the President will bail us out. In effect, Trump bailouts become an insurance policy.

Think about it. Is this the new strategy? Is this the American way?

To be sure, farmers have little time to ponder conspiracy theory. But, it is time they become more suspicious.

In the meantime Mr. Trump plays Santa Claus in response to the mess he created.

David Helman, Salem