We read with amazement Alex Foryan’s Editorial. It contained a number of misconceptions and falsehoods that sadly, many Americans were led to believe by Trump’s campaign lies.
“They saw how the Democrats were destroying our country from within.”
During his campaign, Trump repeatedly characterized the US as a ‘failing nation’ and ‘third world country’. But anyone who is honest knows the stock market had reached its highest peak in 2024. Those who are investors or have a 401(k) know their accounts did the best ever. The Dow’s all-time high was 45,014.00 on December 4, 2024 but has dropped over 3,000 points to 41,938.45 since news of Trump’s re-election. (Link)
“For starters, our economy will be better.”
Former Trump economic adviser Stephen Moore said there is “no question” the U.S. has the strongest economy in the world, and which Trump will inherit. Employment is way up, unemployment is way down, wages are up, inflation is down, personal spending is up. The US has had a better post-Covid recovery by far than any other industrialized nation. (Link)
“We will be drilling for more of our own oil and natural gas, which will lower fuel prices and have a positive ripple effect on the cost of goods and services.”
The US has reached its highest amount of drilling ever and is already the largest producer of oil in the world, making us energy independent for a number of years. Nothing Biden did stifled this. We produce 9 billion more barrels of oil per day than the Saudis. Interestingly, when demand was so low during COVID, oil companies lost profits. In order to recoup those profits, Trump asked the Saudis to CUT production so they could raise prices. So Trump actually caused that rise in price. (Link)
“Trump will place tariffs on the goods coming into the United States from foreign countries. This will help our own businesses compete and it will create incentives for businesses to locate here.”
The idea that tariffs will help lower the cost of food and goods we do not produce here is just wrong. There are many items we cannot grow or make here and the cost of the tariff will simply be added the cost to the final price, which Americans will be forced to pay. According to the Tax Foundation, the Trump administration imposed nearly $80 billion worth of new taxes on Americans by levying tariffs on thousands of products valued at approximately $380 billion in 2018 and 2019, amounting to one of the largest tax increases in decades. (Link)
“When Trump deports the illegal immigrants, that will be a huge savings for American taxpayers. For example, Denver, Colorado, estimates it has spent more than $356 million on services for illegal immigrants over the years. In New York, there is a taxpayer-funded hotel for illegal immigrants and paid for by taxpayers.”
While it’s true we spend a lot of money on illegals, those undocumented who work here paid $96.7 billion in federal, state, and local taxes in 2022 and yet are not entitled to retirement funds to which they have contributed. While we agree that illegal immigration should be stopped, mass deportations of non-criminals who work will contribute to the collapse of the Social Security system. Interestingly, Trump’s deportation czar has already walked back on the promise of mass deportations stating it cannot happen due to the cost. (Link)
“How about we direct our tax dollars to our own homeless veterans or a better mental health care system?”
Trump’s unelected DOGE has already suggested cutting benefits to veterans. Top of the list of these programs is the Veterans’ Health Care Eligibility Reform Act of 1996, costing the government $119 billion a year. This law continues to self-authorize and receive discretionary funding each year through spending bills. The law expired in 1998 but continues to provide medical benefits to veterans today. (Link)
“Trump will be tough on crime and support all of our law enforcement agencies.”
This has to be the most curious of all statements. Trump, an adjudicated sexual offender and 34-count felon himself, continues to bring other felons and sexual abusers into his political fold. He has praised and saluted the January 6th perpetrators as ‘heroes’ and has promised to pardon them. When in office, he pardoned high-profile Democrats such as Kwame Kilpatrick and Rod Blagojevich in addition to many criminals he let out of jail on advice from Kim Kardashian who are now repeating their crimes. (Link) (Link) (Link)
“We were closer to world peace when Trump was in office. Countries around the world respected us and worked with Trump. (Leaders from other countries are engaging him now and he isn’t even in office yet!)”
There were many conflicts raging around the world when Trump was in office. Trump has threatened to send missiles into Mexico, and asked if he could bomb North Korea and blame another country. Countries around the world laughed at Trump, his incoherence and his lack of knowledge. Some of his engagements with world leaders as a citizen could be a violation of the Logan Act. One country’s reaction to his re-election was a one-word profanity on the front page of their main newspaper. (Link) (Link)
“Trump is ready to work on a peace treaty with Russia and Ukraine. Biden wants to keep the war going. He gave missiles to Ukraine and authorized them to launch them into Russia. He has given billions to Ukraine, sending another $325 million there as this is written.”
Trump said he would end the war in Ukraine in 24 hours before he even took office. We all knew this was false bravado and would never happen. And during Trump’s administration he sent weapons to Ukraine. Trump appointed Sebastion Gorka who has pledged to continue helping Ukraine defeat the Russians. Trump even suggested during a fundraising event that he would have bombed Moscow in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. (Link)
“Trump will hold our government accountable on spending and slash the ludicrous waste that is currently going on with Biden’s administration. The Pentagon has failed six audits on where $800-plus billion was spent!”
The reality? Trump never vetoed a single spending bill from the Democrats in his last term and raised the debt more than any president before him. In fact, 1/4 of all our debt was incurred during his term! (Link)
“We will be a lot safer with Trump in office. He will close our borders and strengthen our military. Trump was respected in the world by all. No country would dare try to attack us or our assets overseas.”
Disagree. He failed on his promise to build the wall, only managing to erect 51 new miles and many illegals entered during that time. He will not close the border but has instead suggested erasing them and bringing in a lot more immigrants under H-1B. He’s even been promoting the very left-wing idea of a North American Union via the absorption of 3 neighboring countries. He will weaken us by his attacks on our allies in NATO. He admitted he’d never even heard of NATO before his first term and even suggested Russia would be free to attack those who did not pay! (Link)
“Under Biden nobody fears crossing our border illegally.”
In truth, illegal border crossings are down as much as 50% thanks to Biden’s policies on asylum. (Link)
“Under Trump, money will be spent on Americans. The poor people in North Carolina got only $750 million (sic?) in aid for the devastation they suffered from the hurricanes.”
It was actually under Trump that FEMA money was taken and shifted to migrant programs, something which Trump falsely accused of Biden. And to suggest that the initial emergency disbursement of $750 dollars (we think the million was a typo) was the ONLY thing the victims of the hurricane would get is just a flat-out lie that has been repeated over and over. (Link) (Link)
Trump is the most untrustworthy politician in history, having told over 30K lies in just 4 years. Psychiatrists have diagnosed him as a toxic narcissist and a sociopath. Even Jeffrey Epstein said he was a despicable person with no conscience or morals who did terrible things to his friends. He’s like the Joey Buttafuoco of politics. What makes anyone think he will be different this time? It’s very sad to think that Republicans are also willing to lie in order to promote Trump’s fake ‘conservatism’. Why can’t we support conservatism without lying?