Biden’s claims vs. reality

(And this is just some — we lost count!)

CLAIM

“Some Republicans want Medicare and Social Security to sunset.”

TRUTH

The biggest lie of the night. No one has proposed this. Republicans want the promise of less spending tied to the debt ceiling, they have not said Medicare or Social Security will sunset.

CLAIM

“We have created a record 12 million new jobs, more jobs created in two years than any president has ever created in four years.”

TRUTH

No jobs were “created.” After the vaccine was developed and COVID lockdowns lifted, businesses sprang back and rehired many who were laid off. Biden had nothing to do with it.

CLAIM

“Inflation has been a global problem because of the pandemic that disrupted supply chains and Putin’s war that disrupted energy and food supplies.”

TRUTH

Yes, but it was particularly bad here because of the massive spending by the government.

CLAIM

“The Inflation Reduction Act is also the most significant investment ever to tackle the climate crisis . . . Lowering utility bills.”

TRUTH

Con Edison in New York alone says gas bills will be up 20% this year. Renewables have not been able to keep up with demand, and regulations have only driven up the cost of fossil fuels.

CLAIM

“They invested too little of that profit to increase domestic production and keep gas prices down.”

TRUTH

It takes a lot of chutzpah for Biden to claim oil companies haven’t drilled enough! He canceled pipelines, would not sign new drilling licenses and made no secret of the fact that he wanted to drive oil companies out of business. And they didn’t drill enough?

CLAIM

“We pay more for prescription drugs than any major nation on Earth.”

TRUTH

We also have the most innovation of any nation, with access to the latest treatments first.

CLAIM

“Under my plan, nobody earning less than $400,000 a year will pay an additional penny in taxes. Not one penny.”

TRUTH

With the increase in the number of IRS agents they certainly will. And new “minimum” rates for corporations will be passed along to all of us. Not to mention inflation as a tax.

CLAIM

“Because no billionaire should pay a lower tax rate than a school teacher or a firefighter.”

TRUTH

The White House claimed in a fact sheet that “In a typical year, billionaires pay an average tax rate of just 8%.” To get to that number, the White House includes unsold stock owned by the 400 wealthiest families as “income.” They would pay taxes on it if they sold it! Independent tax analysis show that the wealthiest pay 22%-25% a year in income taxes -- not lower than a schoolteacher or firefighter, who pay much less. The rich paid a whopping 42.3% of all federal income taxes last year.

CLAIM

“In the last two years, my administration cut the deficit by more than $1.7 trillion — the largest deficit reduction in American history.”

TRUTH

That’s only because the deficit dropped when temporary COVID stimulus spending lapsed. The national debt was roughly $27.75 trillion when Biden took office, according to the Congressional Research Service, now it’s $31.43 trillion. He grew the deficit by more than $3.6 trillion — but less than was originally projected.

CLAIM

“In the midst of the COVID crisis when schools were closed, let’s also recognize how far we’ve come.”

TRUTH

They were closed for far too long because teacher’s unions were allowed to dictate government policy. And Biden’s response to the education crisis? Not more charter schools, not a focus on the fundamentals, but more money.

CLAIM

“Public safety depends on public trust. But too often that trust is violated . . . . imagine what it’s like to lose a child at the hands of the law.”

TRUTH

While Tyre Nichols is a tragedy, the number of people killed by law enforcement in any year is very small — and almost all of them are armed and in the process of committing a crime. Far more young black men die from gang shootings, something Biden did not mention.

CLAIM

“Since we launched our new border plan last month, unlawful migration from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela has come down 97%.”

TRUTH

That number is questionable because it just looked at one week after the new year, but crossings overall are still at record highs.

CLAIM

“Today, we’re in the strongest position in decades to compete with China or anyone else in the world.”

TRUTH

Except when a balloon sails over the whole United States.