I imagine the April Fools Gods were snickering at us residents of northern New Jersey over the weekend. They lulled us into a false sense of security by allowing a twitter storm to bypass to the Midwest where it settled in, destroying the livelihood of pig farmers in Iowa because China will boycott their pork exports, and worrying grain farmers because tinkering with NAFTA is prompting Mexico to rethink where to buy its corn and wheat.

Before the day was out, however, the fifth major winter storm in the past four weeks arrived. We woke up to this view.

Since it is April, our snow quickly melted, leaving only a white slushy residue by the next day. The remains of the twitter storm, however, continue to threaten. I worry about the sturdy folk in the farm belt who chose to be led by someone who denies climate change, believes in the trickle down fairy, only likes immigrants who will marry him, and thinks a trade war is easy to win. I can dismiss his peckerdillos, but fear that ignorant meddling with the fabric of our economy will have devastating consequences for those who placed the most hope in his ascendancy.

Let’s hope that the April Fools Gods will be disappointed, that so many will  not have voted against their self interests. May is coming, when the April Fools Gods disappear for another year. May it be a good one.