Fact checking the presidential debate:Trump wins the liar prize

 If the future of democracy were not at stake, I would not be in dismay this morning. Trump was a lying A-hole blowhard; Biden gave evidence he was too old. Aide from Biden's poor performance last night, nearly every word coming out of Trump's mouth was a lie.  Let us not lose sight of the fact that democracy is on the ballot, and that is the fundamental issue before the voters in November 2024.  Within that issue, the real decider may be women's freedom and rights in a democracy to control their own health instead of being controlled by a central autocratic government. 

The string of Lies on June 27 qualifies Turmp for the first prize as the greatest liar since Pinocchio. Voters are asked to trust one whose words have no root in evidence, facts, or data.

This vote in 2024 is about a choice of a team,  between those dedicated to following the rule of law through layers of government, down and up the ballot, and those loyal to Donald Trump, who lusts to be the ruler of law. Team Biden is for democracy,  honoring and observing the rule of law. The MAGA GOP wants to replace it with a strong-man autocracy in practice with government employees and appointees, including Supreme Court members and election officials, chosen for loyalty to Trump who rules what the law is. (Project 2025) Trump has made it clear through his actions and words that fair elections are those that  only declare him a winner and give him the advantage and power.  

https://www.factcheck.org/2024/06/factchecking-the-biden-trump-debate/

https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/27/politics/fact-checking-the-cnn-presidential-debate/index.html

One issue Trump was the champion liar of all time was how the world viewed him. This was not cited in the fact-checking I have of the scene. This is from a prior posting on this blog earlier in June:

Biden is the leader of the democracies in the world and beats Trump by a mile.

For those who think Biden's bumbling age is an embarrassment abroad, the embarrassment is all theirs. In Germany, where my son now lives, even before the announcement today at the G7 on funding Ukraine using interest from Russian Western banking deposits, there was a 40 percent gap in approval of Biden over Trump. That holds true for the rest of Europe. Biden is respected; Trump is not elsewhere as well. https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2024/06/11/globally-biden-receives-higher-ratings-than-trump/ " Across the 34 nations polled, a median of 43% have confidence in Biden to do the right thing regarding world affairs, while just 28% have confidence in Trump.

The gap between ratings is quite wide in many countries, especially in Europe. Biden’s confidence rating is at least 40 percentage points higher than Trump’s in Germany, the Netherlands, Poland and Sweden."

If Europe had a vote, Trump would be toast.

More messaging: A theme to consider: Biden delivers

With update 5/18/24

 Listening to the reports of Biden in Racine, Wisconsin, yesterday reminded me of the need for an overarching theme ordinary people can remember. Polls show he has failed to make that contrast. It is often lost in too much context. It needs a theme, a punch line repeated often.  It should be a way to emphasize the contrast between Trump, the con man, and Biden, the real man, who got it done with a phrase that sticks in people's minds.  It should be used in this context where Trump promised something that voters wanted but failed.   Biden said it in Racine with a clever joke about Trump's empty hole, but there is a concept that  could and should be applied to many other key issues.  Trump conned you with promises; Biden delivered....or just Biden delivers. 

Update 5 18 2024 Biden still needs to make his case on many issues where is is tied or underwater, per a recent YouGov poll: This poll explains much and gives a glimmer of hope to Democrats. "In contrast, a full 50% of Americans (and 53% of registered voters) agree with Biden that “Donald Trump's campaign is about him, not America. He's willing to sacrifice our democracy to put himself in power.” Few, if any, of them are likely to vote for Trump in November." https://www.yahoo.com/news/new-yahoo-newsyougov-poll-shows-why-biden-trump-rematch-is-still-neck-and-neck-193252126.html  A two person debate gives Biden a chance to make his case to a huge audience which is why it is likely  Trump may try to get out of the debates on some excuse or other.

Update May 26, 2024 from my Facebook posting:

For those who love to say the good old times happened when Trump was president, let us do some bubble -bursting...and call out those who keep on BSing. https://abcnews.go.com/.../remember-solid-economy-trump...

From the article:

"But the economic numbers expose a far more complicated reality during Trump's time in the White House. His tax cuts never delivered the promised growth. His budget deficits surged and then stayed relatively high under Biden. His tariffs and trade deals never brought back all of the lost factory jobs.

And there was the pandemic, an event that caused historic job losses for which Trump accepts no responsibility as well as low inflation — for which Trump takes full credit.

If anything, the economy during Trump's presidency never lived up to his own hype."........

From the ABC article: "Inflation was much lower under Trump, never topping an annual rate of 2.4%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The annual rate reached as high as 8% in 2022 under Biden and is currently at 3.4%.

There were three big reasons why inflation was low during Trump's presidency: the legacy of the 2008 financial crisis, Federal Reserve actions and the coronavirus pandemic."

Original post continues: 

Biden has just challenged Trump to a debate on the issues that "matter to people."  He feels confident the debates will help him publicize a favorable contrast to Donald Trump's policies. However, Biden still has a hill to climb on issues. Data may be one thing, but public perception is another. He is underwater for most issues or tied as the YouGov poll recently indicated. (above) It is linked to partisan identification and loyalty. He still has an advantage on the issue of choice/abortion and  is firmly ahead on Biden's position of democracy.  Both of those advantages appear to be unshakeable.

There is also a way to emphasize Trump's character flaw:   he is a con man. Courts have found him to be a committer of fraud at least twice. (both the most recent case where he took the worth of his property to cheat taxpayers and Trump University) .What he promises to deliver, ordinary voters will not be helped but hurt, favoring America's oligarchs, removing environmental and safety regulatory protections, taking the breaks off of inflation by destroying the Federal Reserve and high tariffs on imports passed onto consumers. He promises to keep their tax breaks for them, not ordinary. people while running up the deficit.  The case is there to be made, but the non-MAGA undecided are not getting it.   By putting Biden Delivers in the context of Trump's failures or empty promises or harmful policy, he pre-empts Trump's best attack lines..that only he can get it done as a strong man(only if he gets immunity from breaking the law?) and the fact that consumers think he can fix high prices and interest when what he promises does neither.  

Here is how it could be used:

Trump promised Foxx Conn. He failed. Biden brought  Microsoft: he delivered

Trump promised you a dictatorship and he has a plan to deliver.it in place of democracy. Biden promises you a continuation of democracy, and he has delivered and will deliver.

Trump promises violence if he loses in 2024. Biden promises peaceful transitions. Trump delivered violence on January 6. Biden has delivered bipartisan legislation helping people's safety and lives.

Trump denies climate change and touts drill baby drill. Biden directed resources to renewables and job-creating industries but also made the US energy independent and an exporter of gas as bridges to greater use of renewables. Biden has delivered.

Trump promised you the Wall to end the "border crisis"; he failed. Biden brought you a bipartisan, very conservative solution;  he delivered, but Trump sabotaged it

Trump promised Mexico would pay for the wall. Biden created legislation to address the border problem, providing personnel to enforce immigration laws and paying for more of the wall. Trump sabotaged it.

Trump promised you "made in America," but he failed to get more jobs. He failed even before COVID-19. Biden: I delivered after COVID-19 x number of jobs, even above pre-COVID levels.

Trump promised you infrastructure funding and brought you nothing but Infrastructure Day. Biden delivered.

Trump promised to make America's economy great again. Biden delivered.  Even before COVID-19, Trump rode the coattails of what those before had done. After COVID's worldwide blow, Biden's economy is the world's envy, with the lowest inflation rate and the highest growth.  Biden delivered much and knows there is more to do.

 Trump claims he, only he, can lower inflation by destroying the brakes on it. Biden brought inflation down from 10 to under 4% and knows how to keep working on it himself by cracking down on monopolies. Trump promises to raise tariffs on all imports by 10%, which will be passed on to consumers, raising inflation, not lowering it. In the meantime, Trump promises to destroy the only tool that can put the brakes on inflation: the Federal Reserve. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1317878/inflation-rate-interest-rate-by-country/  If it ain't very broke, don't very break it.

If Trump claims he can reduce grocery prices, he is a con man. Trump cannot set grocery prices and interest rates. Neither can Biden. Trump cons you into saying he can fix it, but he does not tell you how. Neither Trump nor Biden could deliver a return to prices and interest rates of four years ago, but Trump would deliver out-of-control inflation by taking the brakes off the Fed and raising prices on imports. Consumer price increases are coming down to the same rate of inflation as before COVID and while Trump was in office.. Why don't consumers see it? Now what?  This one is not simple, so to be precise, go to https://mufticforumblog.blogspot.com/2024/05/consumer-prices-are-coming-down-why.html

For years, Trump promised a better replacement for Obamacare. All Trump delivered were promises. In fact, he has never even provided a plan. Biden has even lowered Medicare medication costs to government by forcing competitive bidding.

 Biden lowered health care costs for millions on prescription drugs and diabetes meds. Obamacare has only gotten more popular doubling beneficiaries and participants. Biden delivered; Trump did nothing but back big Pharma.  

Trump opposes lowering student debt. They signed the papers, and they owe it, accumulated interest and all. Biden promised and is delivering relief to millions. 

 Trump promised you a dictatorship, and he has a plan to deliver. Biden promised you a continuation of democracy, and he has delivered and will deliver.

Trump promises you violence if he loses in 2024. Biden promises you peaceful transitions. Trump delivered his promise on January 6 and promised violence if he lost in November 2024. 

Trump ridicules and criticizes national security, the military, the CIA, and more, and praises and supports Russian national security goals and aggressions.  Biden delivers on national security and acknowledges and works to defend us from obvious adversaries who want to do us harm.

Trump tries to get himself immune from criminal acts. Biden abides by the rule of law and delivers daily.

Trump promises states' rights to control women's health; Biden supports and will support making Roe v Wade-type legislation for all in America.  Biden is committed to delivering it. Trump delivers a record of infidelity, sexual abuse, and rape and boasts about setting in motion the end of Roe v Wade.  

Trump only wants those around him to say yes to whatever he wants and plans. Biden treasures aides who tell him both the good and bad news. Biden delivers reality and pragmatism with decisions that are based on reality and pragmatism. (Obama had a team of rivals because he wanted a good debate before he made a judgment call.) Neither Obama nor Biden schemed to see how they could break the law to stay in power after losing the election

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/trump-tells-billionaires-ll-keep-taxes-low-50-million-fundraising-gala-rcna146748

https://www.msnbc.com/the-reidout/watch/trump-promises-to-undo-biden-s-environmental-agenda-if-oil-company-ceo-s-raise-1-billion-for-his-campaign-the-washington-post-reports-210627141698

What Obama should do Tuesday

What President Obama should  do Tuesday:

1.       Paint Romney as a radical…not a moderate at all. Is the real Romney the one in the room behind closed doors in Florida or the one in the last debate.  The real Romney has now stood up.

Steve Rattner, writing in the New York Times today and appearing  on MSNBC Morning Joe a couple of days ago, presented an eye opening  analysis:  Mitt Romney’s budget proposal  is more radical than Paul Ryan’s.  He centers this around  Romney proposal to add $2 trillion to the Pentagon budget that was not even requested by the Pentagon.  In order to pay for it, Romney proposes to slash discretionary spending by 40%,  including cutting Medicaid 20-30% , school lunches and other safety net programs.  This draconian impact falls most harshly on both the young and the elderly. If the Ryan   budget was judged by the Catholic Church leaders as immoral, then where does that put Romney? Heartless and uncaring about the 47%.

Rattner: “Mr. Romney is calling for a huge increase in defense spending — roughly $2 trillion more over the next decade than Mr. Ryan wants to spend, which is only $400 billion above Mr. Obama’s budget — even though the military is not asking for such an increase. Such an increase would force giant reductions, about 40 percent, in everything that’s left.
“Everything else” isn’t some catchall of small items, like feeding Big Bird. We’re talking about a vast array of programs including civilian and military pensions, food stamps, unemployment and disability compensation, the earned income and child tax credits, family support and nutrition, K-12 education, transportation, public safety and disaster relief. And on and on. “

Include in  painting Romney as the radical,   Romney’s pledge to overturn  Roe v Wade and  defunding  Planned Parenthood.  It is still a crucial issue  for women and an unacceptable trade off for Romney’s questionable claim he can improve the economy better.

2.       Connect personally with the questioners and  show he, Obama,  is the one to trust that he will work on behalf of them and that the real Romney will not.   While we know what he wants to do with Medicaid and “everything else”, his $5 trillion tax gift…to those who itemize deductions  or depend on loopholes, is a pig in the poke left up to Congress to work it out. What? Those guys?. “ Preferring” not to cut middle class deductions for mortgages, charity, health care is no assurance, especially  when it is not “revenue neutral” and to make it so requires the middle class taking a hit or exploding the deficit.

3.       Counter  Romney’s  foreign policy by asserting he would most likely drag us into war 1) because of his bellicose position (Romney’s position that he would be a stronger leader is confusing  leadership with bellicosity)  2) his advisers  are the same ones who dragged us into Iraq…3) at the same time he is proposing to differ little from Obama on most issues , just carrying the same big stick, but speaking loudly.  If “hope is not a plan”, rhetoric is not a plan either .In fact, rhetoric can get us into trouble having to make good on threats or arming dangerous people in the middle of a civil war. 

4.       Remind voters that what Romney is proposing to do is to use the same philosophy and governance that got us into the mess and detail it briefly....the failure of trickle down, the Wall Street crash because of lax laws and lax regulators.

5.       Toot his horn and remind voters how far we have come from the disaster he was handed and what he has done in spite of a stonewalling Congress.   It is time for Obama to stop agreeing he has failed.  The statistics are there to back him up and he should use them.

The figures...from the time Pres. Obama was sworn in to today. Jobs are up by 325,000 and unemployment rate fell from 10 to 7.8%. S&P (best indicator of where your 401 K has gone ) up 81%, Manufacturing index is up 48%, Consumer confidence

 index up 86%, Us Drilling rigs in operation up 23%, wind and solar power up 116%, petroleum imports down -23%.

 Perhaps he should refer to the  12 million job creation as what will happen if he continues on course per Moody’s etc.. Funny that Romney says he will achieve the same with his 5 point plan. Romney is a rooster trying to claim credit for causing the sun to rise.

 Obama should say what he is going to do in the next four years as part of this segment…stay the course? Do more?  He has not yet been clear.

Romney's Big Bird moment and what it symbolizes

The Denver Presidential Debate on Oct. 3 left us with some hangovers including Mitt Romney's proposed defunding of Big Bird.

You may smile, but that may have way more importance to the outcome of the campaign than the minuscule impact Public Broadcasting has on the debt. It symbolizes Romney's detail deficit, his insensitivity to women's interests, and accounting practices for the birds.

Passions are high in this campaign, but the reaction to defunding Big Bird was sheer outrage. I got heated calls from suburban moms, late-40-year-olds who grew up with Sesame Street, and even grandmothers. Romney is further cementing the gender gap he already created by his move to the right on women's health issues.

The Gallup Poll Monday showed Romney bumped up to a tie, but “the impact was not so strong that it changed the race to the point where Romney emerged as the leader among registered voters.” In Colorado a Denver University poll showed Obama still ahead and a Gravis Poll showed the opposite. Three media run focus groups of undecided voters post-debate remained undecided, saying they wanted more details.

Romney's Big Bird moment was his opportunity to give us more details, but he limited his list to one yellow feathered beloved icon and left troubling questions on the table. Would deductions for home mortgages, education and charity, health care and education be reduced, too? The answer is “yes.” Pre-debate Romney said deductions could be capped to total $17,000 or removed line by line.

Defunding Big Bird was Romney's tacit admission more cuts are needed. If we believe the unbelievable that closing loopholes funds his proposed $5 trillion tax cuts, to avoid exploding the deficit, who pays for the $1 trillion for extension of the Bush tax cuts plus $2 trillion more for the Pentagon? Still the 47 percent ...

Agreeing with His running mate, Paul Ryan, Romney had indicated earlier he had no plans to provide affordable health insurance for the 30 million currently uninsured. They proposed a 30 percent cut in Medicaid to pay for Grandma's nursing home and a less than sufficient cap on future senior's health care coverage. Other than coverage of pre-existing conditions for those who already have insurance, his debate performance changed nothing.

Incredibly, Romney denied he was even cutting taxes to the rich. Obama scrambled to counter this major flip-flop from Romney's earlier campaign promises to lower taxes on the “job creators.” Oh no, Romney said. Now he proposes to cut taxes the same amount across the board and pay for it by closing loopholes. His logic and math are for the birds.

While fact-checkers criticized both candidates, they called Romney out for claiming the $5 trillion dollar figure was no tax cut when it was, and for providing no specifics to pay for them. Non-partisan, non-ideological respected observers concluded closing loopholes would not offset Romney's planned loss of tax income and it would result in either increasing middle class taxes or increasing the debt. Obama pointed it out, too. Bill Clinton would have said Romney had an “addition” problem. “Snake oil” describes the Romney plan best.

Disheartened Democrats cheered up two days later. Unemployment dropped to 7.8 percent, obsoleting the 8 percent number the GOP used to make their case that the president had failed. An incredulous GOP fumbled a response: “It doesn't look like a recovery” — yet other indicators were up, too, including stock markets and housing prices, or someone was cooking the books.

Romney cooked his books himself, claiming the “real” unemployment rate was 11 percent because job seekers decreased, but he counted retiring baby boomers as unemployed and economists said in September “a significant number” had rejoined the work force and the unemployment rate still dropped.

The above is my column in the Sky Hi Daily News today.