President Joe Biden said he is ending his bid for reelection

[Rideback]

fact checking Trump vs Biden economies
https://www.dw.com/en/fact-check-is-bid ... 6DeDAMPWWg


'The opinion research institute YouGov has found that, with regard to the economy, a majority of the US population has greater faith in Donald Trump than in the incumbent president, Joe Biden. Only 26% of the voters canvassed by the institute in February of this year considered Biden a capable economic policymaker. By contrast, Trump reaches approval ratings of 47%.

But do the survey results align with US economic data?

Booming economy?
Claim: "Biden is destroying law and order, and our economy is in a free fall. Under Donald Trump … our economy was strong. We need four more years of Donald J. Trump," US Senator Tim Scott wrote on X on March 28. Other X users also hark back to the "booming economy" under Trump.

DW Fact Check: Misleading

The first three years under Donald Trump were economically promising, with growth rates of over 2% (see graph). This does not, however, constitute a sustained "boom". The definition of a boom is a period characterized by "a pronounced increase in economic activity, reflected in high growth rates, significantly above-normal capacity utilization, noticeable employment growth, and a bullish stock market."

Trump started his first term in office on January 20, 2017, with US economic growth at 2.4%. In 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the economy declined by 2.2%, then recovered in the final quarter, surging to 5.8%.

The economy is not "in free fall" under Biden, as US Senator Scott has claimed. It has stabilized at a growth rate of around 2% (see graph), with growth of 2.1% predicted for 2024.

Conclusion: The comparison shows that the US has not experienced an economic boom under either Trump or Biden. Rather, it has been struggling to deal with the economic consequences of severe crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine.


Rising national debt
Claim: "In the last four years, reckless spending has driven the national debt past $34 trillion." This accusation was made by the Trump-aligned organization Americans for Prosperity, whose website supposedly offers a "fact check" of Biden's economic policy.

DW Fact Check: Misleading

It is true that, according to official sources, US public debt rose to a historic high of 34 trillion dollars in the fourth quarter of 2023. This corresponds to 124% of US GDP.

However, it is also true that, proportionally, the national debt increased more under Trump's presidency than under Biden. Between 2017 and 2021, under Trump, outstanding debt rose from $19.84 trillion to $28.13 trillion — an increase of 41.62%.

Under Biden, debt rose from $28.13 trillion to $34 trillion in December 2023 — an increase of 20.86%.

Contrary to the claim of Americans for Prosperity, which accuses Biden of "reckless spending," the US Department of the Treasury blames two main factors for this development: additional spending as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, as well as a simultaneous drop in tax revenues.

Tax revenues decreased not only because of the economic downturn during the pandemic, but also as a result of Trump's 2018 tax reform. This is a fact his followers like to suppress.

The reform reduced corporate taxes from an average of 35% to 21%. Income tax rates were also lowered. The increase in government spending was financed by taking on debt.

Conclusion: Trump shares the responsibility for the rising national debt.

Biden and inflation
Claim: "Joe Biden unleashed inflation on America, at record levels, and it doesn't go away." This accusation was made by Glenn Allen Youngkin, governor of the US state of Virginia, in an interview with the broadcaster Fox News on March 21, 2024.

DW Fact Check: False

The statement ignores important statistical data, because it fails to mention that the inflation rate in the United States has been steadily dropping for a year (see graph).

According to the White House, the rate in 2023 was 3.4%. In February, it dropped to 3.2% compared to the same month last year. After the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the rate stood at 8%.

When Trump took office in 2017, inflation was at 2.1%. It dropped to 1.2% in 2020, but rose during the COVID-19 pandemic to 4.6% in 2021.

Conclusion: The real causes of rising inflation are COVID-19 and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which caused energy prices to explode — not Biden's economic policy.

Stock market high
Claim: "This is the Trump stock market because my polls against Biden are so good that investors are projecting that I will win, and that will drive the market up." Trump made this claim on his network Truth Social on January 29, 2024, in response to a US stock market high.

DW Fact Check: False

In fact, over the past year, between April 2023 and April 2024, the S&P 500 stock index rose by 27 percent.

Along with the Dow Jones and Nasdaq, the S&P 500 is the third major US stock market indicator. It includes the 500 largest stock-exchange-listed companies in the United States.

The boom in the US stock market has less to do with Trump's poll ratings and more with the interest rate policy of the Federal Reserve (FED). The US stock market recovery began in late 2023, when the FED chairman, Jerome Powell, hinted that the historic tightening of monetary policy was probably over, as inflation was falling faster than expected.

On April 3, 2024, Powell stated that, given the good development of the US economy, and "if the economy evolves broadly as we expect," a rate cut could be forthcoming at some point this year.

According to analysts, other factors have also contributed to the stock market high, such as "optimism with regard to artificial intelligence."

Conclusion: Trump's post indicates inflated self-esteem rather than economic competence.'

[mister_coffee]

So far the R attacks on Harris basically tell us more about them than they do about Harris. And they are doing a good job defining Rs as misogynistic racist trash.

They really can't help themselves at it, either. A lot of the more vile corners of the filth pit that the R party has became are even attacking their own VP candidate. Because his wife isn't white.

Trigger warning: have a wastebasket handy so you don't vomit all over your computer when you watch this video of Sebastian Gorka going after Harris. And remember the expression on his face when he does.

https://www.times-georgian.com/news/nat ... ef338.html

About JD Vance:

https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4 ... t-attacks/

I'm sorry to pollute this board with such foul garbage. But we need to really see who these people are when the filters are off.

[dorankj]

Did I say something untrue Ray? Pretty sure ‘bearing false witness’ is un-Christian! You enjoy your den of vipers.

[pasayten]

I am wondering who the "we have her record" are that Ken talks about??? Some cult somewhere?

"A crazy San Francisco liberal with a horrible record and zero accomplishments (except sleeping with important people)" ahh... Ken, a "Christian" showing his true character... Good Grief

[PAL]

Freakin'.

[dorankj]

Funny she couldn’t do well enough to beat Joe Biden who she just accused of racism! She couldn’t even get a majority vote from California! You knuckleheads know we actually have her record? Right? Right?

[just-jim]

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Fatso, FELON, donnie would be incredibly stoopid to engage Harris in a debate! She should/will clean his clock. She’s smarter, a better speaker and debater and has a platform to speak to.

Pee-pants aint got nothing other than project 2025.
.

[mister_coffee]

Every accomplished woman in history has had accusations about their sex life. Most women and even some men are smart enough to know that. It is a way vicious misogynists try to keep women down.

By throwing out that sleazy attack Rs are alienating millions of voters that they'll need to win in November. Just keep it up.

I know Rs are p*ss-poor at math, but seriously. More women vote than men.

[PAL]

If she has such a bad record, how did she get elected by the people for those positions she held.
So she slept with someone. Did she make it known she grabbed him by the....fill in the blank. Does she make fun of the physically challenged and call people names?

[Rideback]

Harris's accomplishments are deep, you just need to stop looking at the denier's channel.

[dorankj]

Sure she will! Haha, she’s more crazy than supposedly moderate Joe. A crazy San Francisco liberal with a horrible record and zero accomplishments (except sleeping with important people) is not going to do well.

[Rideback]

No current polling has her even or 2 pts ahead of Trump.
With the momentum building now she'll gain even more.

https://statuskuo.substack.com/p/the-ha ... irect=true

[dorankj]

https://babylonbee.com/news/we-applaud- ... oody-knife

[dorankj]

She polls LOWER than Dementia Joe! Isn’t this ‘response’ just your hated and completely unacceptable ‘whataboutism’? Utter hypocrites.

[just-jim]

.

.

[PAL]

And look at her now, she has enough delegates. Who is the old coot now who lies?

[Rideback]

You're actually pretty funny Ken.
So Shillbilly Vance now has the lowest polling in decades, in the minus 6 territory, and Trump's only policy paper is the Project 25.

[dorankj]

The difference is you here and your ‘party’ are utter abject and unabashed liars! Biden was told to be perfectly fine and absolutely the candidate for the next 4 years (after lying about being a one term “transitional “ president to get elected). Joe didn’t suddenly become senile and unable to do the job, you guys would have run this bull*** all the way through November if your totally undemocratic party elite hadn’t knifed the old coot in the back! Now you’re going to lie through your teeth about kackles, saying how wonderful she is, historic and how everyone always knew how excellent a president she would be! She couldn’t even get a single delegate when she ran as president and had to quit as an utter failure with dems (and calling Joe a complete racist which is true!) So keep promoting your disgusting lies without any shame, it’s completely how your party and it’s overlords operate.

[PAL]

I saw a photo on some news show that showed Harris, Biden and Trump. Harris was smiling(she is a happy person, yet they try to demean her smile)
Biden was a bit somber, Trump had his scowl and narrowed eyes. What a difference.

[mister_coffee]

If Kamala Harris can keep giving speeches like she gave yesterday and can campaign at a high level of intensity I think the Rs are dog meat.

One has to give credit. This handoff was wicked smooth and executed flawlessly. And they had to be working on it for weeks and kept it dead quiet. Both the execution and avoiding leaks should terrify the Rs.

[just-jim]

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This is what the MAGA cvrod have come up with, so far…..
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.

[mister_coffee]

[PAL]

Jingles you have no integrity just like incoherent and old, old Trump.
You can believe what you want, not to knock your belief in Trump, but for you to do the name calling, just like Trump, shows a lack. Yeah, a lack, leave it at that.

[mister_coffee]

You can always count on conservatives to stand up for pervert sex criminals. Kamala Harris has prosecuted them (pervert sex criminals).

[Rideback]

Looking at the recaps by historians of the successes of his administration, he's looking to land in the upper levels of best presidents. Trump, of course is either dead last or 2nd to last.

Kamala's prosecutorial background and now a full term as VP, as well as her role as CA Senator, give her the chops to step in.

Trump's dementia and age have caught up with him, he can't string a whole sentence together anymore or talk coherently about any subject. Good luck trying to elect a convicted criminal con man with dementia that is so old he can't walk down a ramp. Remind me again the benefits of having a criminal as president?