CURIOUS (?) COMMENTS FROM THE LIBERAL’S DEBATE
Posted in Uncategorized by Baba - Nov 15, 2015
“… an Iraqi army was left [after the US withdrawal] that was prepared to defend Iraq. Unfortunately, Nouri al-Maliki set about decimating it.” —Hillary Clinton
Hmmm. She was Sec. of State when her boss (Obama) concluded Maliki was the man for the job.
“Climate change is directly related to the growth of terrorism.” –Bernie Sanders
Hmmm. Researchers have acknowledged that “civil unrest can never be said to have a simple or unique cause. The Syrian conflict, now civil war, is no exception.It’s a stretch to say climate change is directly related to the growth of terrorism.”
“When you talk about the long-term consequences of war, let’s talk about the 500,000 who came home with PTSD.” -–Sanders
Hmmm. 500,000? The Congressional Research Service (CRS) report shows 138,197 PTSD cases among those who were deployed to Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation New Dawn, Operation Inherent Resolve and Operation Freedom’s Sentinel.
“I want to be sure the AUMF has the authority that is needed going forward.” -—Clinton
Hmmm. The AUMF says, ““The President is authorized to use all necessary and appropriate force against those he determines planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001.” ISIS did not exist on Sept.11,2001, so AUMF is irrelevant.
“We are spending hundreds of billions of dollars maintaining 5,000 nuclear weapons.” -—Sanders
Hmmm. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that the Obama administration’s plans for nuclear forces would cost an average of about $35 billion a year ( not “hundreds of billions). Regarding the number of weapons, the United States has about 7,100 (not “5000”) according to the Arms Control Association.
“The truth is net immigration from Mexico last year was zero. Fact-check me. Go ahead. Check it out.” –Martin O’Malley
Hmmm. The Pew Hispanic Center’s 2012 report found a sharp downward trend in net migration from Mexico,
Most recent figures from 2014 are less reliable, but they suggest the trend continued through 2014. No hint of “zero” immigration.
“May I point out that under Ronald Reagan’s first term, the highest tax rate was 70 percent.”-—O’Malley
Hmmm. Reagan quickly pushed through legislation cutting the rate to 50 percent—and further reduced it to a top rate of 28 percent in his second term.
“I have voted time and again for the [gun] background check.”–Sanders
Hmmm. Bernie’s early votes for instant background checks actually would have killed the Brady bill which established the background check system and wait periods.
“I have hundreds of thousands of donors, most of them small.” -–Clinton
Hmmm.Just 17 percent of her donors are small (under $200). More than 80 percent of her donations come from big donors.
“$10.10 [per-hour minimum wage]was all I could get the state to do by the time I left in my last year.” -–O’Malley
Hmmm. Maryland’s current minimum wage is $8.25.
“We made our public schools the best public schools in America.” –O’Malley
Hmmm. Maryland public schools are rated third in America.