Last night Donald Trump addressed Congress for the first time. His lack luster speech was big on rhetoric but uncomfortably short on substance and truth.
Former Secretary of Labor, Robert Reich breaks it down perfectly in his Facebook blog.
Robert Reich
“Trump's address to Congress this evening was chock full of lies. Here's a sample:
1."Obamacare premiums nationwide have increased by double and triple digits," Trump said, citing a 116 percent increase in Arizona as an example.
Wrong. Most people get their health care through the employer, and those premiums haven't spiked by nearly this amount. And for many people on the health care exchanges, federal subsidies are offsetting premium increases. Overall premium increases were actually faster under President George W. Bush than under President Barack Obama.
2. “We’ve defended the borders of other nations, while leaving our own borders wide open, for anyone to cross — and for drugs to pour in at a now unprecedented rate.”
Wrong. The data are mixed on the amount of drugs coming through the borders, but illegal immigration flows across the Southern border in fiscal 2015 were at the lowest levels since 1972, except for in 2011.
3. “Since my election, Ford, Fiat-Chrysler, General Motors, Sprint, Softbank, Lockheed, Intel, Walmart, and many others, have announced that they will invest billions of dollars in the United States and will create tens of thousands of new American jobs.”
Rubbish. Trump is taking credit for business decisions made before his election.
4. “As we speak, we are removing gang members, drug dealers and criminals that threaten our communities and prey on our citizens. Bad ones are going out as I speak and as I have promised throughout the campaign.”
More rubbish. About a quarter of the arrests that grabbed headlines in early February were of people who had lesser charges and noncriminal convictions. According to anecdotes of recent arrests, undocumented people with traffic violations were subject to arrest.
5. “By finally enforcing our immigration laws we will raise wages, help the unemployed, save billions and billions of dollars and make our communities safer for everyone.”
Baloney. Research shows noncitizens are less prone to criminality than U.S.-born citizens. The vast majority of unauthorized immigrants are not criminal aliens or aggravated felons. And there’s no evidence that reducing immigration “saves” America any money at all.”
Continue Reading:
https://www.facebook.com/RBReich/posts/1488566467822611
Fact Checking Trump:
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2017/feb/28/fact-checking-donald-trumps-address-congress/