Presidents always like to use the occasion of the State of the Union address to brag on their accomplishments during the previous 12 months, and President Biden is no exception.
However, he developed a reputation for playing fast and loose with the truth almost from the moment he entered public office.
Last month the Republican National Committee (RNC) compiled a list of "21 made up stories Biden has told about himself as president."
Last night he got a chance to add to that list.
Jobs Created:
Claim: "As I stand here tonight, we have created a record 12 million new jobs, more jobs created in two years than any president has ever created in four years," Biden said, according to the White House transcript.
However, these aren’t necessarily "jobs created." Many, if not most. represent employees returning to work after their pandemic benefits expire.
Also, Trading Economics reported that the labor participation rate is lagging.
"The labor force participation rate in the United States edged up to 62.4 percent in January 2023 from 62.3 percent in the previous month.” the report said. "Still, it remained below its pre-pandemic February 2020 level of 63.3 percent."
In addition, Glenn Kessler reported in The Washington Post, Biden is "comparing apples to oranges."
He compares his record for his first two years to the previous presidents’ entire four-year terms. He has no idea what will happen in the next two years.
Lower Gas Prices:
Claim: "Here at home, gas prices are down $1.50 a gallon since their peak."
This is true as far as it goes, but as the late radio commentator Paul Harvey used to say, "Now for the rest of the story."
While prices at the pump are down form their peak, they’re still not where they were when he took office. Biden was sworn in on Jan. 20, 2021.
Average gas prices the day before he took office were $2.38 a gallon, according to AAA. Yesterday’s average was $3.45 at the pump.
Additionally, some of this decrease is attributable to Biden artificially lowering prices by releasing oil from the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
Last month there GOP-controlled House approved a bill that would limit the president’s ability to withdraw from the reserve for non-emergency purposes.
Lowering Inflation:
Claim: "We have more to do, but here at home, inflation is coming down," he said. "Food inflation is coming down."
Like the fuel prices, yes, it’s "coming down," but it’s not close to where it needs to be, and it’s certainly not where it was when he took office.
At its peak, inflation was 9.1% last year.
The January 2023 Consumer Price Index was at 5.02%, which is quite an improvement, but it’s still more than three times the rate when he entered the White House.
The president was called out last week when he claimed inflation "was already there" when he came into office. It was actually at a very reasonable 1.4%.
GOP Will Cut Social Security:
Claim: "Some Republicans want Medicare and Social Security to sunset."
This one drew loud boos from the Republican side of the chamber, prompted Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., to stand and shout, "Liar!" and caused House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to shake his head.
This is a common claim made by Democrats. But it’s unfounded for one simple reason — it would be disastrous to the party.
The Wealthy Don’t Pay Their Fair Share:
Claim: "Pass my proposal for a billionaire minimum tax," he said. "Because no billionaire should pay a lower tax rate than a school teacher or a firefighter."
This is a common mantra from the Democratic Party — tax the rich.
However, a recent Heritage Foundation study showed that the top one percent of income-earners pay 21% of the total federal tax bill. Moreover, the top 10% pay nearly half of all taxes — 48%.
The bottom 50%, of income-earners, on the other hand, pay just 12% of the bill.
Even The Washington Post observed that "According to IRS data on the top 0.001% — 1,475 taxpayers with at least $77 million in adjusted gross income in 2020 — the average tax rate was 23.7 percent," which is more in line with the Heritage study.
Conclusion:
Biden barely touched on three issues that Americans are especially concerned about: crime, the border, and, after a purported surveillance balloon crossed the United States unrestricted for a week, China.
Despite all this, Biden isn’t necessarily lying, at least not according to the late President Ronald Reagan — "The Great Communicator."
"It isn't so much that liberals are ignorant," he observed. "It's just that they know so many things that aren't so."
And so it is with Biden. Everything he knows are things that just aren’t so.
Michael Dorstewitz is a retired lawyer and has been a frequent contributor to Newsmax. He is also a former U.S. Merchant Marine officer and an enthusiastic Second Amendment supporter. Read Michael Dorstewitz's Reports — More Here.
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