With the primaries essentially wrapped up, PolitiFact did an analysis of the 2016 presidential primaries and the statements from all the candidates. It is an interesting read.
The primaries lasted 465 days (100 days more than a year), and PolitiFact published 650 fact checks (1.4 checks a day).
The first conclusion is somewhat unexpected — the rating given the most to statements from political candidates was “Mostly True”. So those who think that all politicians lie all the time are being a little too cynical. In addition, if you divide the ratings into two groups, they are almost evenly split between those that rate True, Mostly True, and Half True, and those that rate Mostly False, False, or Pants on Fire. In fact, the “truthy” ratings slightly outnumber the “falsey” ones.
But when they compare the two last politicians standing (Trump and Clinton), the results are sadly expected. Donald Trump received more “Pants on Fire” ratings than all the other candidates for president combined. And 78% of all his ratings were “falsey”.
On the other hand, 73% of the ratings received by Hillary Clinton were “truthy”. She only received one “Pants on Fire” rating (she claimed she was the only presidential candidate — on either side — who had ads run against her by Wall Street).
Bottom line? “Donald Trump lies. A lot. Even for a politician.”
One of the things that Trump lies about is his generosity and charity. He keeps claiming to have given lots of money to charities, even when the charities have no record of him making any donations.
But it is much worse than that. Four years ago, at a charity fundraiser, Trump bought a Denver Bronco’s helmet autographed by Tim Tebow, and a Tebow jersey. The $12,000 he paid went to the Susan G. Komen foundation (which itself has been the subject of controversy).
The problem is that Trump used money from his Trump Foundation to pay for the helmet and jersey, and then kept the items himself. The Trump Foundation is largely funded by other people’s money — at the time of the fundraiser, Trump had not put any of his own money in the foundation for at least three years.
That’s right, Trump took money that other people had donated to his “charity” and used it to buy a rather expensive gift for himself. So Trump not only lies, he steals. And despite Trump’s claim to be a good businessman, now that Tebow is no longer quite as famous, the helmet and jersey that Trump bought for $12,000 can be bought online for about $415.
One Comment
Actually this ploy is not as uncommon as one would like to think. I worked at a factory {that paid poorly I might add} where the owners wife came around scrounging up donations from the workers to restore a local business theater which had fell into a state of disrepair. The theater was restored and has become a center for ballet and some musical venues but at the opening ceremony the credit for the “large” donation was given to the owner of the factory. It is cruel to work people barely above minimum wage and come hat in hand and bum money from them while driving a brand new Mercedes Benz, but it is even more cruel to still credit for their generosity.
Like I say, not an uncommon trait from the narcissistic crowd, after all their generosity is giving out jobs. The benefit the they are getting filthily rich is just a coincidence. But having worked in a low wage, minimum safety consideration, long hours, back breaking job and to get back handed this way is a bit more than one can take, I quit shortly thereafter. Got a better paying safer job, still long hours but that seems to be the norm these days.