Tomato Sandwiches, Cane Sugar and Fox’s Trump Apologists

Tomato Sandwiches, Cane Sugar and Fox’s Trump Apologists

I have said before that I had never heard of tomato sandwiches until recently. I read where they were a southern staple which was a surprise to this son of southern red clay, born and raised in Georgia. Not to sound like Al Sharpton but I guess that it was a white southern thing, since confirmed by my white friends. The absence of meat baffled me so I assumed that the sandwiches were eaten by the poorer folk on the paler skin side of town. But I was told that no, it was a favorite at tea parties held by genteel southern matriarchs. One writer even romanticizes the simple concoction. “The tomato sandwich, a seemingly simple culinary creation, holds a special place in the hearts (and stomachs) of many. It’s more than just sliced tomatoes between bread; it’s a nostalgic bite of summer, a taste of home, and a testament to the beauty of fresh, seasonal ingredients.” Oh please!  Well what is going to happen to the consumption of tomato sandwiches when Trump’s 17 percent tariffs on Mexican tomatoes kicks in? Is the demand elastic or inelastic?  BTW they made with white bread and mayonnaise (which of course is also white).

Seventy percent of tomatoes consumed in this country are grown in Mexico. Most US tomatoes are grown in Florida. One wonders if this is Trump handing out a favor to Ron Desantis? There is something called the Tomato Suspension Agreement (of course there is) that stipulates not to place anti-dumping fines on Mexican tomatoes if the growers agree to price minimums. Mexico did not violate the deal but with Donald Trump, no excuse is necessary to slap on a tariff. Florida growers say that Mexico’s lower labor costs and less stringent regulations have created an uneven playing field. But of course, they are just making an excuse. The Wall Street Journal says “Mexico’s tomato boom is driven by technology. Growers south of the border have adopted greenhouses that carefully control water, temperature and nutrition, usually located at high altitudes. Much of this tech was developed in Canada, but American growers have been slow to deploy it. The Agriculture Department found in 2023 that 88% of greenhouse tomatoes consumed in the U.S. were shipped from Mexico.” 

I have no idea why US tomato growers have been slow to innovate. Now they have even less incentive to do so. With less competition expect the price of tomatoes to go up. Mexican greenhouses specialize in vine-ripened tomatoes, while Florida tomatoes are typically grown in fields and picked green. I don’t buy tomatoes and I am wondering if American tomatoes are labelled “Produce of USA”? Whether prices will go up enough to reduce the consumption of tomato sandwiches is an empirical question. If there is a blowback on an increase in the price of tomatoes the surest way to get Trump to rescind the tariff will be for a bunch of irate elderly stately white women to picket the White House. Trump would fold like a house of cards. 

But I am confused. Almost on the day that Trump hits Mexican tomatoes with a tariff, he waxes rhapsodic about Mexican Coca Cola which is made with cane sugar. Trump says that Coke with cane sugar tastes better than Coke made with high fructose sugar. Mind you Trump drinks up to 12 Diet Cokes a day so what does he care about the taste of regular coke? Coke responds that it will introduce a separate line of sodas that will substitute cane sugar for high fructose sugar. The US sugar growers – mostly in Louisiana – are ecstatic with vision of seeing increased demand and higher prices.  

Did you know that some Costcos sell Mexican Coke (at almost $40 for a 12 pack)? A cheaper alternative would be Jones soda which is available at most grocery stores.

When I was young we used to be able to get sugar cane from Cuba in the grocery stores. I have fond memories of chewing sugar cane. It was one of the joys of summer. I guess the sugar growers in Louisiana don’t produce enough product to replace the Cuban sugar cane now missing from our stores. Currently the US puts a quota on imported sugar – to the chagrin of the Brazilians. Will Trump lift that quota if the demand for cane sugar soars? While the Louisiana sugar growers are giving each other high fives, the corn growers are grumbling. They say eliminating corn fructose sugar will eliminate thousands of US jobs. The Corn Refiners Association (yes there is such a thing) says to no one’s surprise “President Trump stands for American manufacturing jobs, American farmers and reducing the trade deficit.” “Replacing high fructose corn syrup with cane sugar would cost thousands of American food manufacturing jobs, depress farm income, and boost imports of foreign sugar, all with no nutritional benefit.” 

Chill corn growers. No one is talking about replacing high fructose sugar. The US does not produce enough cane sugar to replace the corn based stuff. Trump would have to exempt Mexican sugar from tariffs and possibly the quota on Brazilian sugar. So both sugars will be available with additional demand by producers for the sugar cane growers. Personally I don’t care since I do not drink soft drinks, diet or otherwise. But I do read labels and won’t buy a product with high fructose sugar. Maybe that is why at age 80 I have only had two filings.

Trump versus Rupert Murdock and the Wall Street Journal

Fox is so full of Trump apologists it is downright embarrassing. What are they all going to say now that Trump is suing their boss after praising him only a few months ago? Then Trump said “We’re bringing in the most talented people in the world. By the way, we just– unrelated, but we have two of the most talented people in the world, the legendary Rupert Murdoch and Larry Ellison.” Trump said Murdock was “an amazing guy” and in a “class by himself.” That was in February. Now its July and Trump is suing Murdock and the Wall Street Journal for $10 billion over a rauchy 50^th birthday card published by the Journal that allegedly Trump sent to Epstein. Trump never a fan of the Journal tweeted “We have just filed a POWERHOUSE Lawsuit against everyone involved in publishing the false, malicious, defamatory, FAKE NEWS ‘article’ in the useless ‘rag’ that is, The Wall Street Journal.” In addition, as the president eloquently put it “The Wall Street Journal printed a FAKE letter, supposedly to Epstein. These are not my words, not the way I talk. Also, I don’t draw pictures. I told Rupert Murdoch it was a Scam, that he shouldn’t print this Fake Story. But he did, and now I’m going to sue his ass off, and that of his third rate newspaper.” I guess Murdock is no longer “amazing” and in a “class by himself.” Now what are the Trump praisers on Fox now going to say? Would Murdoch fire them if they keep making excuses for Trump and praising his every deed – no matter how dumb?Should be interesting.