McMinn County & Athens
Issues & Answers

Today there was a troubling editorial in the local newspaper, The Daily Post Athenian (DPA.)  The paper has seen the tariff on newsprint rise to 25% thanks to the Trump administration.  The DPA states that thus far they have managed to do without staff cuts.  The paper is not alone. Gwinnett reports  "In addition to the higher costs, newsprint has become more scarce, with some newspapers struggling to get their regular shipments. All of this adds up to many newspapers contemplating steps to offset the high costs. According to surveys by the New Media Alliance, 70 percent of newspapers say they expect to make plans to cut consumption while 38 percent say they are looking at the painful possibility of reducing staff."

The DPA editorial has the following ominous statement. "...The DPA can continue to produce a newsprint product five days per week, at least for the time being."

The Trumpians are willing to ignore the fact that a tariff is a tax on Americans.  Hopefully, as it hits home, they will begin to realize the damage which has been created.