People called last week’s Emmy’s a “snoozefest.” Many consider this month’s run-up to the Presidential election a rival to the Emmy’s in its excitement as very few people seem to be undecided. At this stage in the Presidential Race, let’s take a look at a few of the more outrageous statements to date. To keep this fun, let’s call it the Prezzies:
Nominees in the Category, Best Lie:
Joe Biden for his statement that the Romney corporate tax plan that would create 800,000 jobs overseas. A fact check shows that Romney’s plan to lower the US corporate tax rate would most likely attract foreign investment and import jobs to the United States.
San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro for saying that Romney would raise taxes on the middle class. A fact check shows no evidence supporting this claim.
Mitt Romney for his statement that he had truly wished for President Obama to succeed because Obama’s success would have been good for the country. Given that Romney chose to run and attempt to beat Obama before he was sworn in, this statement seems unlikely.
And the winner is…Julian Castro. Looking at the other two choices, Biden stated a half- truth as Romney’s job creation plan could help the US and that could result in more jobs overseas. Romney could have also wanted Obama to succeed to some degree to lessen the suffering of all Americans…and their investment portfolios.
Nominees in the Category, Biggest Gaffe:
Biden for the statement, “They’re going to put y’all back in chains.”
Obama for the quote, “If you’ve got a small business — you didn’t build that!”
Romney for the quote, “I like to be able to fire people.”
And the winner is…chains down…Joe Biden. He made his inflammatory and untrue statement to a heavily African-American audience. Romney was actually saying that he likes living in a society where he can fire his insurance company if they are doing a bad job while Obama said, “Somebody helped to create this unbelievable American system that we have that allows you to thrive. Somebody invested in roads and bridges. If you’ve got a business, that — you didn’t build that.” Obama is talking about the roads, not your business.
Nominees in the Category, Biggest Lie About the US Debt:
Obama for saying that he will pay down the $16 trillion national debt. “I will use the money we’re no longer spending on war to pay down our debt and put more people back to work,” In truth, there are no credible plans that show debt decreasing at any point in a second Obama term.
Romney for the statement, “I will lead us out of this debt and spending inferno. We will stop borrowing unfathomable sums of money we can’t even imagine, from foreign countries we’ll never even visit. I will bring us together to put out the fire.” Unless his tax cuts on business and the affluent result in explosive economic growth that few economists expect, his budget is about as truthful as Obama.
And the winner is…we will have to give this to Obama as the government currently spends 40% more than it takes in and the money saved by the end of the wars was never in the budget. How can you use money that you never expected to spend to reduce a massive budget gap that actually exists? I feel like I’m in the Abbott and Costello skit, “Who’s On First?” If he is relying on that savings to pay down the debt and create jobs then we can expect four more years of 17% true (U-6) unemployment.
Only in government can people make such outrageous statements and receive the enthusiastic support of millions of people. I wonder what would happen if you made such statements in your job?
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