Kansans now confront a “big, beautiful bill” approved by 218 Republican puppets in the U.S. House, and then signed into law by a convicted felon who was found guilty of sexual abuse, and who has faced multiple criminal cases over the past few years. Many of his indictments went to the core principles of our democracy. Unlike the average American, he has been given free pass after free pass by a Supreme Court that exists primarily to do his bidding — never mind right and wrong.

Is all of this part of a bad dream? If only that were the case.

We are bombarded by distortions perpetuated by hundreds of millions of dollars of “dark money” used via social media. Our reliance on that device in the palm of our hands has become a seductive tool to manipulate the masses. It’s how our president was bought and sold. Those devices supposedly foster connections, but the reality seems to be that they fuel isolation, especially at a time when we need to talk to each other.

How to make sense of the absurd? How to square any of this with the founding principles of this country, or with the role that the United States has come to play in an increasingly troubled world? I am not certain that Camus and Kafka, working in collaboration, could put all of this madness into words.

We now confront darkness.

For those of us old enough to remember, words from one of the most memorable Simon and Garfunkel songs come to mind: “Hello, darkness, my old friend, I’ve come to talk to you again.” Darkness leads to isolation, and that leads to lack of communication, along with feelings of hopelessness. There is much darkness now among a large segment of the population as we see actions, and hear words, that we know reveal a lack of morality, of decency, among many of our elected officials.

How to cope with these feelings? How to figure out how to make a difference?

For me, strength comes from being in a place that brings good memories, comfort and perspective. That place is in the midst of an ocean of wheat on one of our farms. I stand alone with my thoughts, in the presence of earth and sky as far as my eyes can see. I realize that I am but a speck in the universe, but I gain strength in knowing that, by my actions, I can make a difference.

Darkness is countered by light. By speaking out, and speaking the truth, we can begin to bring about change. There is fear among the populace about speaking out, because we have already seen some actions from this administration that are eerily reminiscent of tactics used by prior and current fascist regimes.

A student whom I am mentoring asked me about taking a summer job with a law firm that had caved into demands from the Trump administration.

She asked: “How do I decide?”

I said the answer is simple — look in the mirror and ask yourself if you are doing the right thing. Your conscience will be your guide. That basic idea applies here, too. My mirror is my wheat field. For others, it may be an actual mirror, or it could be some other place, another person or a certain event in your life.

Just remember that, in these dark times, silence in the midst of what you know is wrong will lead only to more darkness. Remember that we have a limited number of days. Why speak out? Because it matters.

Ben Palen is a Kansas native and a fifth-generation farmer and agriculture consultant in Colorado and Kansas. Through its opinion section, Kansas Reflector works to amplify the voices of people who are affected by public policies or excluded from public debate. Find information, including how to submit your own commentary, here.

Kansas Reflector is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Kansas Reflector maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Sherman Smith for questions: info@kansasreflector.com.

Back in November, I wrote a column for Kansas Reflector that discussed the likely adverse effects of President Trump’s proposed tariffs on U.S. farmers.

The piece noted that 398 million acres of cropland has been added to the mix around the world since the start of this century, notably in tropical regions such as Brazil and India. There is increasing competition for U.S. farmers in export markets. The United States alone cannot absorb all that we produce here.

Many farmers voted for Trump because he promised less regulation and greater prosperity for America’s farmers. The hard truth is that, like most of the folks who voted for Trump, farmers failed to do their homework about the reality of the new administration. All of this has occurred in the context of higher input costs and tight margins for virtually all crops.

We are now living and working in an environment where the only constant is chaos. Chaos produces uncertainty, and that leads to loss of trust. The buyers of U.S. farm products are not going to deal with nations that cannot be trusted. There are plenty of options in today’s world for those buyers to bypass the United States. Why on God’s green earth would they put up with the insanity that we have in Washington now?

It is almost laughable that some Republicans have come to the defense of Trump’s proposed tariffs, and that some of those same Republicans have promised to help the farmers who feel the impact.

Really?

We have an unelected multibillionaire who in effect bought the Trump presidency now running amok in Washington. On the one hand, we see unprecedented efforts (that is, without the advice and consent of the Congress) by some entity called DOGE to slash government spending, and on the other we hear some of Trump’s cronies promise aid for farmers. The two cannot be squared. Setting aside your political views, this is an unprecedented assault on the Constitution and the separation of powers.

Take your pick of programs. The Climate Smart programs designed to help farmers monetize carbon reduction practices on their farms are going away. The future of the 45Z tax credit is, well, who knows? What about export assistance programs urgently needed to help U.S. farmers counter the effects of the Trump tariffs and the rise of our global competitors, such as Brazil and India? And how about the price subsidies that featured prominently in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s farm support programs? What happens when NOAA is defunded?

How about the effect of “soft power” from the programs that USAID has provided in many impoverished parts of the world? By some accounts, USAID buys about $2 billion dollars of US farm products annually. USAID is being dismantled by the dodgy group. To his credit, Sen. Jerry Moran has spoken loudly about this travesty. Others must do the same, or our political and economic competitors will fill the gap.

Who suffers? Most certainly not Trump and his band of billionaires. Farmers, small towns and Main Street businesses bear the brunt of this ill-conceived approach.

Don’t bet the farm on help coming your way from this administration. Remember the old saying: Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. My fellow farmers — you’ve been played. This nation cannot exist as an island. But that is the path that this administration is on, and the onus is on responsible folks from all political persuasions to find common ground to stop this madness.

Farmers, are you listening? These fundamental questions go to the heart of our democracy. From what we have seen this far, this nation is on a path that is at odds with our established role in the world, and the economic and social consequences could be unprecedented.

Like Minnesota Reformer, Kansas Reflector is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Kansas Reflector maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Sherman Smith for questions: info@kansasreflector.com.

Minnesota Reformer is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Minnesota Reformer maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor J. Patrick Coolican for questions: info@minnesotareformer.com.