Trump destroying Midwest economy: Goss

Creighton University's Ernie Goss follows the economies of nine midwestern states including South Dakota's and April found the regional manufacturing economy is slowing down due to the Trump tariffs and volatility in the markets. 

Goss' Mid-America Business Conditions Index came in at 53.3 for April, down from March’s 56.7; the employment index at 44.9 was down from 67.6 in March and one supply manager surveyed said the uncertainty of Trump's tariff war is "paralyzing.” The six month economic optimism sank to 35.3, its lowest reading since September 2024 and new export orders dropped to 46.2 from 52.6 in March. After record imports for the first two months of 2025, supply managers pulled back on purchasing from abroad in March and April. The April wholesale price index rose to 65.0, its highest reading since May 2024 up from 63.7 in March and only one in four of supply managers expect improving business conditions over the next six months.

In South Dakota, the April import index fell to a record low of 12.5 from March’s 32.6 and the horrible red state recorded the largest loss with a 24.5% reduction in the export of manufactured goods. South Dakota's employment index in April was measured at 49.3 just below the growth neutral mark of 50. South Dakota’s April Business Conditions Index fell to 55.8 from March’s 61.6 and according to WalletHub South Dakota is 49th in financial literacy.

A cynical observer might suspect bankers provided gloomy outlooks to the Index in 2024 especially in midwestern swing states to sink Democratic Party prospects just as Republicans in congress stalled immigration reform because it makes sense to Earth haters that after he was elected again the Orange Julius would run America into the dirt so banks can foreclose on the whole dealio then massage auction price points.