False Speech Or Fake News? It's Your Call

Of the past 23 blog pieces I have posted none that has had anything to do with the current administration with the exception of one right after the November election. Today I feel compelled to comment on some of the many false and misleading statements we hear from politicians these days, including those found in our president's recent speech to the joint session of Congress. 

The following is a sample of such statements cited by fact-checker Glen Kessler and published in the March 9 issue of the Washington Post, now owned by a holding company of billionaire Jeff Bezos, the founder and executive chairman of Amazon and someone with increasingly close ties to Trump. 

Whatever opinions one may have about whether Bezo's newspaper is an objective news source, the Post has won the Pulitzer Prize 76 times for its work, the second highest of any newspaper in US history.

Here are a few excerpts from the speech, with my own brief summaries of Kessler's responses:

We won the popular vote by big numbers and won counties in our country 2,700 to 525.

Fact: Harris lost by a mere 1.5%, the fourth smallest margin of loss since 1960. The counties cited are ones with small populations versus densely populated ones.

Illegal border crossings last month were by far the lowest ever recorded.

Fact: There have been many years in the past in which the numbers have been well below half of the 8,300 crossings in February.

Hundreds of thousands of illegal crossings a month, and virtually all of them, including murderers, drug dealers, gang members and people from mental institutions and insane asylums, were released into our country.

Fact: There is no evidence whatsoever of any countries intentionally releasing such people, with the possible exception of Cuba in 1960.

I withdrew from the unfair climate accord, which was costing us trillions of dollars.

Fact: The agreement was non-binding, and studies on costs have not factored in any benefits from reducing climate change.

We ended the last administration's insane electric vehicle mandate, saving our auto workers and companies from economic destruction.

Fact: While there have been incentives offered for purchasing electric vehicles, there have been no mandates, and the United Auto Workers Union has stated, "We reject the fear mongering that says that tackling the climate crisis must come at the cost of union jobs."

These are but the first five of 26 examples of false or misleading statements cited in the article, suggesting that when in doubt, any speech or article should be checked for accuracy.

It behooves all of us to observe the commandment against bearing false witness against anyone or for any reason. No community or nation can thrive without trust, and there can be no trust without truth.

I welcome any correction or response to any of the above.

P.S. As to the claims of widespread fraud in the Social Security system, the rate is less than 1% in this gigantic agency, and funeral directors risk huge consequences for failing to fax an SSA-721 form certifying every individual death. Yet the majority of lawmakers in the chamber gave repeated standing ovations in response to such outright falsehoods.

Sobering.