Jessica Pellegrino – General Assignment Reporter
The Republican presidential candidates met in Milwaukee in November for their fourth presidential debate. During these debates, it seems there is an increasingly popular trend of candidates making broad, often false or misleading claim in a last-ditch effort to win Americans’ votes.
The first loose claim came from Marco Rubio. He said, “Welders make more money than philosophers. We need more welders and less philosophers.”
This claim was probably the least offensive of the night. The sentiment was there. America needs to value its laborers. However, it’s still a lie. According to the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, philosophy professors make about twice as much as welders do per year.
Rand Paul is next up on the chopping block for his loose, targeted and untrue statements during the debate.
He said, “It seems to be worst in cities run by Democrats, states run by Democrats and counties currently run by Democrats,” in regards to income inequality. Now, the word “seems” does save his skin a little, but this whole statement is problematic. There is a wage gap in democratic run states. But that is not to say that there is not income inequality in Republican states. Wage inequality exists all over the country, hence why it is a national issue.
Moving into the more offensive statements of the night, we see Ben Carson make a misleading and all around racist remark. He said that only 19 percent of African American teenagers are employed. While this statistic is true, according to the U.S. Census, it is misleading. The statistic includes all African American teenagers from the ages of 16 to 19, legal working age. But, it does not account for the fact that just because they are of working age, that does not mean they are in the work force. Most of the remaining 80 percent are doing what the average 16 to 19 year old would be doing – they are in school.
Chris Christie made a name for himself at this debate with a ludicrous statement involving ObamaCare. Christie claimed to have stopped participating in ObamaCare in New Jersey, because he did not agree with the system it ran under. But, governors do not and never have had the power to opt out of a federal government run campaign, particularly programs created under the Affordable Care Act.
What kind of Republican exposé would this be without mention of our dear friend, Donald Trump. The most problematic of the bunch, Trump is known for his larger-than-life statements in debates that leave a bad taste in the mouths of Americans.
Trump said, when referring to Russian president Vladimir Putin, “I got to know him very well because we were both on ’60 Minutes,’ we were stable mates. We did well that night.”
This statement makes it seems like the two not only met, but also became great friends following the 60-Minutes special. In reality, Putin conducted his interview in his home in Russian, no where near Trump. Trump lied about his relationship with Putin, for God knows what reason.
All in all, it seems that each candidate is more focused on getting ahead, that they have forgotten that truth and honesty are the things that Americans truly value from their leader.
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