Repeating Debunked Accusations About Trump Doesn't Make Them True

[John Smyth]

'Repeating Debunked Accusations About Trump Doesn't Make Them True'

<https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/opinion-repeating-debunked-accusations-about-trump-doesnt-make-them-true/ar-AA1rPyrC>

'My wife was working near our Trump yard sign. It didn't take long for a
bicyclist to to yell, "Trump sucks!" At least he didn't call her a
racist, fascist, or a Nazi as he whizzed by.

The same can't be said of President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala
Harris, or any number of members of Congress and the media who disparage
Donald Trump with these insults. At a recent hearing, Congresswoman
Stacey Plaskett called Trump a "would-be Fuhrer." Some neighbors who
support Trump are afraid of putting up yard signs for fear Trump haters
will allow their dogs to poop on their lawns. Some Trump supporters
won't answer polling questions about their support for Trump; that's why
polls probably underestimate Trump's support.

There isn't room here to debunk all the false claims brought against
Trump. Some, like Russia collusion and the Steele dossier, have already
been shown to be Democratic dirty tricks. A few, however, are so untrue
that they deserve rebuttal.

In the lead-up to the 2020 election, all eyes are on Iowa. Get updates
of all things Iowa politics delivered to your inbox.

Trump did not call white supremacists "very fine people" during the
Charlottesville demonstrations about removing Robert E. Lee's statue.
Harris has made this charge so often that she must think that by
repeating it often enough it becomes true. The sad fact is that when
people keep hearing things that are demonstrably false some believe
them. Trump said there were "very fine people" on both sides of
removing Robert E Lee's statue, not that white supremacists were fine
people. Liberal-leaning fact checker Snopes reports that the charge is
false.

Similarly, the smear from a story in The Atlantic that Trump once called
U.S. troops "suckers" for their sacrifices is not credible. The article
quoted anonymous sources. Later, Trump's former chief of staff, Marine
Gen. John Kelly, repeated the charge. Again, Snopes fact-checked this
hoax: "In sum, the claim stemmed from a story by The Atlantic, which
relied on anonymous, second-hand reports of Trump's alleged words; there
was no independent footage or documented proof to substantiate the
in-question comments; and Trump vehemently denies that he once called
service members 'losers' and 'suckers.' While it was certainly possible
that he said those things, Snopes was unable to independently verify the
claim, Kelly has never claimed he heard Trump say this smear."


Former President Donald J. Trump delivers remarks at Dodge County
Airport on Sunday October 6, 2024 in Juneau, Wis.
Former President Donald J. Trump delivers remarks at Dodge County
Airport on Sunday October 6, 2024 in Juneau, Wis.
© Jovanny Hernandez / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
And the charges that Trump is fascist? Fascism is a far-right form of
government in which most of the country's power is held by one ruler or
a small group under a single party. Fascism is usually totalitarian and
includes nationalism, authoritarianism, ethnic purity, antisemitism and
militarism.

First, Trump has been a strong supporter of Israel and his daughter's
husband, Jared Kushner, is Jewish. Trump is credited with engineering
the the Abraham Accords, normalizing relations between Israel and the
United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. Comparing him with Hitler is absurd.
If anything, Trump is less militaristic in his positions than Harris,
for example, in Ukraine.

Did Trump contest the 2020 election? Yes. Did he call for an
insurrection? No. He specifically told the Jan. 6 rally at Capitol Hill
to "be peaceful." He contends he tried to get more security for the
rally before it occurred. According to the New York Times, Democrats
have been shameless about contesting presidential votes, too, objecting
to counting electoral totals in 2000, 2004 and 2016.

Trump did not act as an authoritarian in his first administration.
Despite Hillary Clinton's clear violation of U.S. law concerning
top-secret memos going to her private server, Trump declined to pursue
further investigation into her emails. Contrast that with special
counsel Jack Smith's staffers visiting the White House and meeting with
Biden staffers before Trump's indictment. Longtime Department of Justice
official Matthew Colangelo played a critical role in Trump's indictment
in New York City.

What are the facts on abortion? Harris has claimed that Trump would sign
a national abortion ban if he becomes president. To the contrary, Trump
has explicitly said that he would not sign such a bill. He personally
supports allowing abortion in cases of rape, incest and when life of the
mother is at risk. During his debate with Harris, he said, "Many states
will be different, Many will have a different number of weeks or some
will be more conservative than others and that's where they will be. At
the end of the day it's about the will of the people." In fact his
position on abortion has disappointed some in the pro-life community.

Do yard signs make a difference? Political scientists say they make
small difference and in close elections a small difference can be a
deciding factor. I put up our yard sign because I am not afraid to show
that I am voting for Trump. I supported someone else in the Iowa
Caucuses and wrote to decry the choice between Trump and Biden. As I
wrote in the Register, I find both Trump and Harris flawed.

However, I am voting for Trump because I agree with him on the issues.
Polls indicate that much of the public does, too. Harris has flipped her
positions on issues, especially the border. I take her at her word that
her "values" haven't changed. That is exactly what worries me! As Sen.
Bernie Sanders says, "I don't think she is abandoning her ideals. I
think she is trying to be pragmatic and doing what she thinks is right
in order to win the election." And if she is elected I expect her to
drop her new positions and revert to her former policies because they
are in line with her "values."

[slothe]

Post by John Smyth
'Repeating Debunked Accusations About Trump Doesn't Make Them True'
<https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/opinion-repeating-debunked-accu
sations-about-trump-doesnt-make-them-true/ar-AA1rPyrC>
'My wife was working near our Trump yard sign. It didn't take long for
a bicyclist to to yell, "Trump sucks!" At least he didn't call her a
racist, fascist, or a Nazi as he whizzed by.
The same can't be said of President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala
Harris, or any number of members of Congress and the media who
disparage Donald Trump with these insults. At a recent hearing,
Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett called Trump a "would-be Fuhrer." Some
neighbors who support Trump are afraid of putting up yard signs for
fear Trump haters will allow their dogs to poop on their lawns. Some
Trump supporters won't answer polling questions about their support
for Trump; that's why polls probably underestimate Trump's support.
There isn't room here to debunk all the false claims brought against
Trump. Some, like Russia collusion and the Steele dossier, have
already been shown to be Democratic dirty tricks. A few, however, are
so untrue that they deserve rebuttal.
In the lead-up to the 2020 election, all eyes are on Iowa. Get updates
of all things Iowa politics delivered to your inbox.
Trump did not call white supremacists "very fine people" during the
Charlottesville demonstrations about removing Robert E. Lee's statue.
Harris has made this charge so often that she must think that by
repeating it often enough it becomes true. The sad fact is that when
people keep hearing things that are demonstrably false some believe
them. Trump said there were "very fine people" on both sides of
removing Robert E Lee's statue, not that white supremacists were fine
people. Liberal-leaning fact checker Snopes reports that the charge is
false.
Similarly, the smear from a story in The Atlantic that Trump once
called U.S. troops "suckers" for their sacrifices is not credible.
The article quoted anonymous sources. Later, Trump's former chief of
staff, Marine Gen. John Kelly, repeated the charge. Again, Snopes
fact-checked this hoax: "In sum, the claim stemmed from a story by The
Atlantic, which relied on anonymous, second-hand reports of Trump's
alleged words; there was no independent footage or documented proof to
substantiate the in-question comments; and Trump vehemently denies
that he once called service members 'losers' and 'suckers.' While it
was certainly possible that he said those things, Snopes was unable to
independently verify the claim, Kelly has never claimed he heard Trump
say this smear."
Former President Donald J. Trump delivers remarks at Dodge County
Airport on Sunday October 6, 2024 in Juneau, Wis.
Former President Donald J. Trump delivers remarks at Dodge County
Airport on Sunday October 6, 2024 in Juneau, Wis.
© Jovanny Hernandez / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
And the charges that Trump is fascist? Fascism is a far-right form of
government in which most of the country's power is held by one ruler
or a small group under a single party. Fascism is usually totalitarian
and includes nationalism, authoritarianism, ethnic purity,
antisemitism and militarism.
First, Trump has been a strong supporter of Israel and his daughter's
husband, Jared Kushner, is Jewish. Trump is credited with engineering
the the Abraham Accords, normalizing relations between Israel and the
United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. Comparing him with Hitler is absurd.
If anything, Trump is less militaristic in his positions than Harris,
for example, in Ukraine.
Did Trump contest the 2020 election? Yes. Did he call for an
insurrection? No. He specifically told the Jan. 6 rally at Capitol
Hill to "be peaceful." He contends he tried to get more security for
the rally before it occurred. According to the New York Times,
Democrats have been shameless about contesting presidential votes,
too, objecting to counting electoral totals in 2000, 2004 and 2016.
Trump did not act as an authoritarian in his first administration.
Despite Hillary Clinton's clear violation of U.S. law concerning
top-secret memos going to her private server, Trump declined to pursue
further investigation into her emails. Contrast that with special
counsel Jack Smith's staffers visiting the White House and meeting
with Biden staffers before Trump's indictment. Longtime Department of
Justice official Matthew Colangelo played a critical role in Trump's
indictment in New York City.
What are the facts on abortion? Harris has claimed that Trump would
sign a national abortion ban if he becomes president. To the contrary,
Trump has explicitly said that he would not sign such a bill. He
personally supports allowing abortion in cases of rape, incest and
when life of the mother is at risk. During his debate with Harris, he
said, "Many states will be different, Many will have a different
number of weeks or some will be more conservative than others and
that's where they will be. At the end of the day it's about the will
of the people." In fact his position on abortion has disappointed some
in the pro-life community.
Do yard signs make a difference? Political scientists say they make
small difference and in close elections a small difference can be a
deciding factor. I put up our yard sign because I am not afraid to
show that I am voting for Trump. I supported someone else in the Iowa
Caucuses and wrote to decry the choice between Trump and Biden. As I
wrote in the Register, I find both Trump and Harris flawed.
However, I am voting for Trump because I agree with him on the issues.
Polls indicate that much of the public does, too. Harris has flipped
her positions on issues, especially the border. I take her at her word
that her "values" haven't changed. That is exactly what worries me!
As Sen. Bernie Sanders says, "I don't think she is abandoning her
ideals. I think she is trying to be pragmatic and doing what she
thinks is right in order to win the election." And if she is elected I
expect her to drop her new positions and revert to her former policies
because they are in line with her "values."

What values?

[Governor Swill]

Post by slothe

Post by John Smyth
'Repeating Debunked Accusations About Trump Doesn't Make Them True'
<https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/opinion-repeating-debunked-accu
sations-about-trump-doesnt-make-them-true/ar-AA1rPyrC>
'My wife was working near our Trump yard sign. It didn't take long for
a bicyclist to to yell, "Trump sucks!" At least he didn't call her a
racist, fascist, or a Nazi as he whizzed by.
The same can't be said of President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala
Harris, or any number of members of Congress and the media who
disparage Donald Trump with these insults. At a recent hearing,
Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett called Trump a "would-be Fuhrer." Some
neighbors who support Trump are afraid of putting up yard signs for
fear Trump haters will allow their dogs to poop on their lawns. Some
Trump supporters won't answer polling questions about their support
for Trump; that's why polls probably underestimate Trump's support.
There isn't room here to debunk all the false claims brought against
Trump. Some, like Russia collusion and the Steele dossier, have
already been shown to be Democratic dirty tricks. A few, however, are
so untrue that they deserve rebuttal.
In the lead-up to the 2020 election, all eyes are on Iowa. Get updates
of all things Iowa politics delivered to your inbox.
Trump did not call white supremacists "very fine people" during the
Charlottesville demonstrations about removing Robert E. Lee's statue.
Harris has made this charge so often that she must think that by
repeating it often enough it becomes true. The sad fact is that when
people keep hearing things that are demonstrably false some believe
them. Trump said there were "very fine people" on both sides of
removing Robert E Lee's statue, not that white supremacists were fine
people. Liberal-leaning fact checker Snopes reports that the charge is
false.
Similarly, the smear from a story in The Atlantic that Trump once
called U.S. troops "suckers" for their sacrifices is not credible.
The article quoted anonymous sources. Later, Trump's former chief of
staff, Marine Gen. John Kelly, repeated the charge. Again, Snopes
fact-checked this hoax: "In sum, the claim stemmed from a story by The
Atlantic, which relied on anonymous, second-hand reports of Trump's
alleged words; there was no independent footage or documented proof to
substantiate the in-question comments; and Trump vehemently denies
that he once called service members 'losers' and 'suckers.' While it
was certainly possible that he said those things, Snopes was unable to
independently verify the claim, Kelly has never claimed he heard Trump
say this smear."
Former President Donald J. Trump delivers remarks at Dodge County
Airport on Sunday October 6, 2024 in Juneau, Wis.
Former President Donald J. Trump delivers remarks at Dodge County
Airport on Sunday October 6, 2024 in Juneau, Wis.
© Jovanny Hernandez / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
And the charges that Trump is fascist? Fascism is a far-right form of
government in which most of the country's power is held by one ruler
or a small group under a single party. Fascism is usually totalitarian
and includes nationalism, authoritarianism, ethnic purity,
antisemitism and militarism.
First, Trump has been a strong supporter of Israel and his daughter's
husband, Jared Kushner, is Jewish. Trump is credited with engineering
the the Abraham Accords, normalizing relations between Israel and the
United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. Comparing him with Hitler is absurd.
If anything, Trump is less militaristic in his positions than Harris,
for example, in Ukraine.
Did Trump contest the 2020 election? Yes. Did he call for an
insurrection? No. He specifically told the Jan. 6 rally at Capitol
Hill to "be peaceful." He contends he tried to get more security for
the rally before it occurred. According to the New York Times,
Democrats have been shameless about contesting presidential votes,
too, objecting to counting electoral totals in 2000, 2004 and 2016.
Trump did not act as an authoritarian in his first administration.
Despite Hillary Clinton's clear violation of U.S. law concerning
top-secret memos going to her private server, Trump declined to pursue
further investigation into her emails. Contrast that with special
counsel Jack Smith's staffers visiting the White House and meeting
with Biden staffers before Trump's indictment. Longtime Department of
Justice official Matthew Colangelo played a critical role in Trump's
indictment in New York City.
What are the facts on abortion? Harris has claimed that Trump would
sign a national abortion ban if he becomes president. To the contrary,
Trump has explicitly said that he would not sign such a bill. He
personally supports allowing abortion in cases of rape, incest and
when life of the mother is at risk. During his debate with Harris, he
said, "Many states will be different, Many will have a different
number of weeks or some will be more conservative than others and
that's where they will be. At the end of the day it's about the will
of the people." In fact his position on abortion has disappointed some
in the pro-life community.
Do yard signs make a difference? Political scientists say they make
small difference and in close elections a small difference can be a
deciding factor. I put up our yard sign because I am not afraid to
show that I am voting for Trump. I supported someone else in the Iowa
Caucuses and wrote to decry the choice between Trump and Biden. As I
wrote in the Register, I find both Trump and Harris flawed.
However, I am voting for Trump because I agree with him on the issues.
Polls indicate that much of the public does, too. Harris has flipped
her positions on issues, especially the border. I take her at her word
that her "values" haven't changed. That is exactly what worries me!
As Sen. Bernie Sanders says, "I don't think she is abandoning her
ideals. I think she is trying to be pragmatic and doing what she
thinks is right in order to win the election." And if she is elected I
expect her to drop her new positions and revert to her former policies
because they are in line with her "values."

What values?

Trump has values?
--
Reinstate the Fairness Doctrine

Four more reasons to not vote for Trump in 21 days.

46) Trump tried to shut down the Mueller investigation by ordering
White House counsel Don McGahn to fire Mueller. McGahn refused
because that would be criminal obstruction of justice.

47) Trump ordered his staff not to turn over emails showing Don Jr.
had set up a meeting at Trump Tower before the 2016 election with
representatives of the Russian government.

48) Trump convinced Michael Cohen to lie to Congress about Trump's
plans to build a Trump Tower in Moscow, and Cohen served prison
time for lying to Congress.

49) Trump was not charged for criminal obstruction of justice
because it's the Justice Department's policy not to indict a
sitting president. But more than a thousand former federal
prosecutors who served under both Republicans and Democrats
signed a letter declaring there was more than enough evidence
to prosecute Trump.

[D. Ray]

Post by John Smyth
And if she is elected I expect her to
drop her new positions and revert to her former policies because they
are in line with her "values."

So, same as Trump? I don’t remember him keeping his promises.

[Snit]

Post by D. Ray

Post by John Smyth
And if she is elected I expect her to
drop her new positions and revert to her former policies because they
are in line with her "values."

So, same as Trump? I don’t remember him keeping his promises.

Trump made a lot of big promises during his presidency, but the reality of his
achievements was a mixed bag, with quite a few falling short. Here’s a rundown
with a sharper critique:

Promises Kept (with controversy):

1. Tax Cuts: Trump passed the 2017 tax law, which mainly benefited
corporations and the wealthy. While he claimed it would help the middle class,
the long-term benefits for average Americans were questionable, with many
seeing little change or higher deficits instead.
2. Supreme Court Appointments: Yes, he appointed three conservative
justices, but the process was highly divisive. His rush to appoint Amy Coney
Barrett right before the 2020 election especially highlighted his disregard
for consistency, considering the GOP blocked Obama’s pick in 2016 with much
more time before that election.
3. Deregulation: Trump boasted about cutting regulations, especially
environmental protections. But this deregulation often prioritized businesses
at the expense of the environment, rolling back decades of progress on climate
change and clean air protections.
4. Embassy Move to Jerusalem: Trump followed through on his promise to
move the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, but this inflamed tensions in the Middle
East without achieving any real progress toward peace.
5. Criminal Justice Reform: While the First Step Act was a genuine
success, it was a rare bipartisan effort where Trump could easily take credit.
Beyond that, he did little to address broader issues of criminal justice
reform and often resorted to harsh “law and order” rhetoric.

Promises Broken or Unfulfilled (and bigger failures):

1. Repealing and Replacing Obamacare: For all his bluster about
dismantling Obamacare, Trump failed to deliver. Multiple attempts to repeal it
went nowhere, and he never came up with a real replacement plan, leaving
millions of Americans in healthcare limbo.
2. Mexico Paying for the Wall: This was one of his most famous promises,
and it was a complete failure. Not only did Mexico not pay for the wall, but
U.S. taxpayers footed the bill for the sections that were built—many of which
replaced existing barriers.
3. Trade Deficit Reduction: His trade war with China did more harm than
good, leading to tariffs that hurt American farmers and consumers while barely
making a dent in the trade deficit. The chaos in trade policy often created
more problems than it solved.
4. Draining the Swamp: Far from “draining the swamp,” Trump filled his
administration with lobbyists, insiders, and his own family members. His
administration saw multiple scandals and resignations, further proving that
the swamp was as murky as ever under his leadership.
5. Balancing the Budget: Trump’s fiscal promises were wildly
unrealistic. Not only did he not balance the budget, but he also oversaw one
of the largest expansions of the national debt in history, even before the
pandemic hit.
6. Infrastructure Plan: Trump repeatedly promised a massive
infrastructure plan—often referred to as “Infrastructure Week”—to rebuild
America’s roads, bridges, and airports. It became a running joke because,
despite constant talk, no major infrastructure bill materialized during his
term. His administration never got past vague proposals and photo ops, leaving
America’s crumbling infrastructure largely untouched.
7. Bringing Back Manufacturing Jobs: Trump promised to revive American
manufacturing and bring jobs back from overseas. While some jobs returned, the
overall impact was limited, and many manufacturing sectors continued to
shrink. His trade wars and tariffs also hurt American farmers and
manufacturers, especially in the Midwest, resulting in layoffs and increased
costs.
8. Middle-Class Tax Relief: Trump’s 2017 tax cut disproportionately
benefited corporations and the wealthy, despite his promises of massive tax
relief for the middle class. In the end, the middle class saw limited gains,
and much of the economic windfall went to stock buybacks and executive
bonuses, rather than wage increases or job growth.
9. Defeating ISIS “Quickly”: Trump claimed he would defeat ISIS quickly,
but while the territorial caliphate was dismantled, the underlying extremist
threat remains. His hasty withdrawal from Syria created chaos, abandoned
Kurdish allies, and allowed ISIS remnants to regroup, leaving a security
vacuum in the region.
10. Fixing Veterans’ Affairs: Trump promised to overhaul the VA and
improve healthcare for veterans. While some reforms were made, many veterans
continued to report poor care and long wait times. His efforts didn’t solve
the systemic issues plaguing the department, and his administration was rocked
by internal VA scandals, including the firing of his first VA secretary amid
allegations of misuse of funds.
11. Reducing the National Debt: Trump famously claimed he would
eliminate the national debt within eight years. Instead, the national debt
soared by trillions of dollars during his presidency, largely due to his tax
cuts, increased military spending, and ballooning deficits—even before the
COVID-19 pandemic further strained the budget.

Additional Failures or Disappointments:

• COVID-19 Response: Trump’s mishandling of the pandemic was perhaps his
biggest failure. His downplaying of the virus, mixed messaging, and lack of a
coordinated federal response contributed to a much higher death toll and
deeper economic damage than necessary. While he touted Operation Warp Speed’s
role in developing vaccines, his refusal to fully endorse mask-wearing,
testing, and shutdown measures caused widespread confusion and worsened the
crisis.
• Repealing the Iran Nuclear Deal: Trump pulled out of the Iran nuclear
deal, claiming he would negotiate a better one. Instead, tensions with Iran
escalated, and no new deal was reached. The region became more unstable, with
Iran ramping up its nuclear activities as a result of Trump’s withdrawal.
• Unity and Division: Trump promised to be a president for all
Americans, but his presidency was one of the most divisive in modern history.
He constantly stoked culture wars, inflamed racial tensions, and governed
primarily to please his base rather than bringing the country together. His
handling of events like the Charlottesville rally and the George Floyd
protests only deepened the divisions.

Trump was a master at making grand promises, but the follow-through was often
lacking. Many of his “achievements” were more about optics and self-promotion
than real progress for most Americans. His presidency left the country more
divided, with many promises either unfulfilled or causing more harm than good.

[Skeeter]

In article <***@news.usenet.farm>, ***@ray
says...

Post by John Smyth
And if she is elected I expect her to
drop her new positions and revert to her former policies because they
are in line with her "values."

So, same as Trump? I don?t remember him keeping his promises.

BUTWHATABOUT!