In the early 1970s, Burt Reynolds breakout performance was in a movie called “Deliverance.” A highlight of a very interesting movie was a scene where a young boy and one of the adults on a rafting trip played “Dueling Banjos” in a song of instrumental one-upmanship, the boy with a banjo, the adult with a guitar.
It is with this backdrop, that I summarize dueling lies by Donald Trump and Ted Cruz. It should be noted the only truth is they both are lying. The parenthetical comments are the truth).
DT: Unemployment is not 4.9%. It is much higher around 30%. I heard one guy say it was 40% (We would be in a severe depression if that high. 4.9% is the truth per monthly BLS reports).
TC: It would not have been a big deal if we defaulted on our debt in 2013 (Not according to experts and Christine Lagarde, the head of the International Monetary Fund).
DT: We are the most taxed country in the world (Not even close, 27th under one measure and 17th under another out of the top 30 wealthiest countries).
TC: Obamacare has been an utter failure (While not perfect and needing improvements, it has been pretty successful per a number of measures).
DT: 81% of white homicides are committed by black assailants (No, per the FBI it is more like 15% of the time).
TC: Donald Trump has recommended a tax plan that will increase taxes (No, like yours, both would reduce taxes to a degree, that the deficit will be significantly increased beyond the ability for spending cuts to reduce it per Former Republican Senator Alan Simpson and a nonpartisan analysis).
DT: Global warming is a hoax invented by the Chinese to steal our jobs (This may be the dumbest thing said by any candidate topping Ben Carson’s pyramid comment).
TC: I am the best solution to our problems in Washington (My opinion is the only way for Ted Cruz to be part of the solution would be to resign as Senator. He is part of the problem with his obstinance, grandstanding and name-calling).
To be frank, I am unimpressed with either of these candidates. They are both divisive and not forthcoming with the truth. Trump’s history is one of exploiting others for money and has lapped the field in lying per nonpartisan fact checkers. Plus, he has demonized, mocked and name called several people and groups. Cruz has not only lied several times, accusations of his cheating have merit and he is known for grandstanding and not collaborating with his colleagues.
In my view, the best GOP candidate is John Kasich, but his voice is being drowned out by these two prima donnas. To me, Trump and Cruz’ leading the GOP voter polls is an indictment of the party.
musingsofanoldfart 
It’s like watching a clown car crash in really slow motion. Scary to think either of these guys could actually win.
Janis, it is scary. As horrible a president as Trump would be, Cruz would actually be worse as he believes his BS. My worry is America is not smart enough to elect Bernie and Clinton will face fair as well as much unfair scrutiny. Thanks, Keith
Keith, people need education. I’ve found that some just need to see how they personally will be impacted before they get the point.
You are so right. He would be hit hard by the GOP to obfuscate the truth. The first key is he is consistently the only candidate who speaking about the issues and his data is much closer to the truth than other candidates. So, if he is the nominee, those messages need to be spread. Keith
Why wait for him to be the nominee before spreading the message?
Roseylinn, good point. To me, there are strides to be made identifying the problem and remedies that are more receptive. What many do not realize us our country does not have unfettered capitalism as we have some socialistic underpinnings. If we did not, The Donald would be penniless. Bankruptcy is the greatest socialistic “do over” around. Keith
*laughs* that is a great description.
Thanks. Maybe SNL will incorporate it into a skit.
Moderate candidates have no chance in the GOP anymore. Its sad.
Of course right now its seems deeply unlikely that the GOP will win the election. I don’t see either Cruz or Trump winning against either Sanders or Clinton.
I could be wrong. I certainly thought Bush would be the GOP’s front runner and he’s just not cutting it. At All.
You are so right on the moderate. Kasich is being criticized in ads for expanding Medicaid under the ACA, yet 31 states have done so, including other GOP led states and two more GOP led states are in the works. What I don’t like even more is collaboration has become a bad word. Yet, it is precisely what we need more of.
It seems that it would be a full time job fact checking just one of them.
Roseylinn, I think it was FactCheck that said The Donald was untruthful 76% of the time on 77 campaign statements at year-end. I don’t think he had improved that average. Cruz is better but not much, but his team has cheated the process. The sad part Trump does not care that he is lying and just layers it on. Keith
Wow. That makes 59 statements false and only 18 true.
You are right. I have shared that with those odds, if you were a betting person, your best bet would be to not believe a word he says.
I will keep quiet. The statistics give me a headache I can’t keep up. But I do know I don’t care for either of these candidates.
Kim, to us it is obvious how poor they are as candidates and yet their fan base loves them. Keith
Again, the problem is not those two men, but the fact that they have such a large following! Thanks for the good post!
I can understand the initial enthusiasm around Trump, but after hearing his mean spirited rants and lack of substance, you would think people would have bailed on him. People are just not paying attention with Cruz. His stunt in Iowa was poor form and par for the course.
Oh LORD that was an intense movie, an incredible one.
Candice, it was indeed. And, not a movie to take a date to which I mistakenly did. I was trying to remember who I took, which should be telling enough. Keith
Omg! Hahaha!
Better to read the plot line beforehand.
Hahaha! Question…. was there a second date?
Candice, that is my dilemma, as I cannot remember who I took. I have an idea, so the answer would be not many dates. But, I am not sure. Keith
So many women, so little time! 😉 (I had to!)
Too funny. I think we should chalk this one to poor memory. If it was the person I am thinking of, she was more smitten with another. Alas.
Her loss
Thanks
I cannot and don’t want to say too much since I am not involved in that matter as a non-American. I am also not much into it (except some stupid statements of Trump and the danger he would bring with being elected). But I appreciate your effort to keep a pretty much objective picture up and clarify “lies” of the candidates.
Erika, many thanks. Unfortunately a Trump or Cruz presidency will make the world less safe and detract from climate change actions. Please feel free to share your global concerns with American friends. Our nation is so ill-informed on issues as we care more about entertainment and sports. Thanks, Keith
It sadly is true. You get the information that is meant for you to get. Therefore people like you are so important. I made a note to mention this in my next review! I hope it brings you some more readers, Keith!
Last night, just before I went to bed, I read a Facebook status of someone I’ve known since I was 11. It said “I don’t vote because it’s all a joke, but if I did I would vote for Trump because he is going to get this country out of debt.”
This is coming from someone who owns an operates a huge Suzuki dealership….not someone living in the woods.
Needless to say I am floored.
Lisa, trying to engage his followers is about as difficult as engaging the man himself. “How does he plan to do that?” you might ask. Or, in this situation, you could say “Maybe it is good that you are not voting.” When I write my post and send out emails, I am trying to share my thoughts with a more reasonable audience. My thinking is reaching the Trump fanatics is a lost cause. Keith
So true and so frustrating. I’m so glad she doesn’t vote, although in my book that does mean you don’t get to have an opinion or complain.
Lisa, opinions abound. Uninformed opinions are a large percentage of that total. I could not get a very smart friend to understand that the unemployment rate was at 5% at the time. “No, that cannot be right,” he said. Keep sharing your thoughts, maybe you can sway some folks willing to listen. Keith
It’s like having another job…
Thant’s all we can do is continue to get the truth out.
Amen sister. Another early morning blogger? My daughter just drove off back to college for her first class of the week.
Note to Readers: it is official, The Donald carried the day in the SC primary, although it was to be expected. Two of the larger metropolitan areas – Columbia and Charleston went to Rubio, who is not a great candidate, but is much better than the dueling banjos. Jeb dropped out which is good. While he is a better candidate than Rubio and his brother, one more Bush is a bridge too far. Carson should drop out, but I hope Kasich sticks around as he is the best GOP candidate. Yet, he might go as well.