Since my memory is so poor and the lies told by Donald Trump in this campaign season so prevalent, I resorted to the use of an acronym CUTE to remind me of my four favorite Trump lies. These are not necessarily his best ones and with a track record at year-end 2015 of telling the truth only 24% of the time, there are too many to choose from.
I mention these as people will tell me that they are for Trump because he tells the truth or says what we want to say. As for the latter, I would grow concerned if you really wanted to say some of the bigoted and xenophobic stuff he babbles on about. As for the truth, based on his history and campaign statements, I would not equate what The Donald says with the truth. So, if the opportunity presents itself at a future cocktail party, remember the 24% figure first. But, if you need a few fun examples, here are four CUTE Trumpisms which are not truthful.
C = Crime: To inflame a crowd, The Donald said 81% of white homicides are committed by black assailants. Actually, the percentage is more the opposite as the FBI notes that it is only 15%. I think this exemplifies Trump at his worst as it is intended to enrage a strident fan base and blame a group of people. There is a reason so many white hate groups, like the KKK and Nazi party, endorse The Donald.
U = Unemployment: The Donald said the current unemployment rate of 4.9% is not correct. He heard it was more like 30% and one report said 42%. This number is published monthly by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. It is 4.9%. When you look at underemployment, it is higher, but nowhere near 30% or 42%. It should be noted if unemployment were that high, we would be in a severe depression.
T = Taxes: He has said this numerous times including the New Hampshire debates, where no one corrected him. The Donald said we are the most taxed country in the world. Not even close. Per one measure ratioing taxes to GDP, we are 27th out of the top 30 wealthiest nations. Using a measure of taxes per capita, we are 17th. In fact, per the Paris based Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development, we are well below the average taxes per GDP rate for their 33 surveyed countries.
E = Environment: His most colorful lie may be the most ludicrous thing said by any candidate, including some of Ben Carson’s inane statements. The Donald said global warming is a hoax invented by the Chinese to steal our jobs. Really? I guess those 97% of scientists, 195 countries, and every major science organization who follows these issues, are all wet. I guess since Trump said it, we don’t have to worry about it. Rather than quote facts, let me ask if it is a hoax, why is Exxon-Mobil being sued by the New York State Attorney General for misrepresenting to investors and shareholder the impact of climate change on their business? Why does Duke Energy factor climate change impact on their water reservoir evaporation loss models?
The sidebar story is there is a reason some of the GOP candidates are reluctant to call Trump out on these untruths. The reason is they are an extreme or even mainstream version of the narrative the GOP wants Americans to hear. The last statement on global warming is ludicrous, but not too different from other candidates who deny climate change. John Kasich is a lone wolf in this slate of GOP candidates who notes the real concern of man-influenced climate change. No one corrected Trump on the most taxed country in the world comment, as that is what the GOP wants Americans to believe. The other two fall into the category, as well.
As I have said before, our world is complex. It is hard enough to govern when we use factual information. What we don’t need is people advocating stuff that either they know is a lie to gain votes or don’t know which is equally bad. Given his track record of making stuff up, my money is on the former. And, that is no way to govern.
musingsofanoldfart 
This man is anything but CUTE. Contrariwise.
Very true, but I needed a good acronym.
ROARING With LAUGHTER!!!!!!
Many thanks. Please feel free to spread the message of cuteness.
The reason why no one asks him these questions is because if they open their mouth he kicks them out and insults them as they are dragged from his rallies. On TV he tells the comintators not to ask the hard questions. Yep CUTE.
Very true. The refusal to answer questions should be evidence of underhanded behavior. Yes, I recognize cute is a misplaced adjective, but I needed a memorable acronym.
Yea that’s cute is a sarcastic response. So it’s cool.
Cute would not be the top of mind word. Thanks for commenting.
It does no good to point out the lies to Trump supporters. They will either say that the media made it up, Trump was misunderstood, or, the latest, his earpiece wan’t working so he mis-heard the question.
I heard the latest excuse. He has told his followers that the nonpartisan fact checkers are part of the liberal media. If Someone were to lie like he does, the person would run discredit the judges as well. This is a key reason I wrote this with an acronym, as more people need to call him on the carpet for not only lying, but his namecalling and demonization of others.
Former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates commented on both Trump and Cruz’ comments on ISIS. He said neither one know what they are talking about. He is not part of the liberal media.
I would love to know where this “liberal media” hide out! I did, however, read the other day one of the media personalities taking his colleagues to task for making it too easy on Trump. We will probably not hear from that man again!
Hugh, I agree. Palin likes to drone on about the lame stream media. As I note with Trump and other GOP candidates, if you don’t like the message shoot the messenger. To me, the media is biased toward conflict. In the show The Newsroom, the anchor notes when on side says fourteen things wrong to every one of the other side, it is unfair to report them as 50/ 50. That is what our media tends toward. Trump has “lapped the field” in lying said FactCheck, so most stories should be about his lying, as a result. Keith
I am beginning to understand the Trumpet’s popularity. Combine a bullshitter who makes categorical statements (mostly false) with conviction (thereby projecting their truth) with a misinformed, even ignorant, body of people with all manner of hidden fears and hatreds and you have the emergence of a blowhard selling snake oil to the unsuspecting who are lapping it up!
Hugh, his supporters have no idea they are being played, for all the reasons you describe. Plus, he has convinced them that everyone else is lying, which is an amazing feat. So, he is judge and jury. Keith
Well Keith, I’m appreciative of your acronym CUTE and feel it fits the singular style of Trump flimflam, but I’d liked to parlay your sure Sideshow shorthand to indict the whole BigTop of the GOP, as “Grifting Over Politics.”
They’ve been running a long con for decades, but it became the go to SOP of GOP in South Carolina circa 2000. When Bush bested McCain by playing the people of the Palmetto state as prejudiced “marks”, with a manufactured presentation, narratively scripted to emote historical fears.
And every damn bit of it was a lie. But it worked. So well in fact, it became the operative Grand Old Party playbook until this very day. I said then, and still feel, when it comes to the Republican Party, we are all South Carolinas now. Viewed, not just ripe for everyday political picking, but ready to buy into a researched, manufactured, tested, and above all, harmful to this republic, big lie.
Remember one of the GOP memes of 2012. “We Built This.” Well, the GOP build the base that’s been conditioned to be comfortable with a Confidence Game on a “Huge” national, and international scale, and now those “marks” are ready and willing to olé all your aforementioned Trump BS and vote for The Donald en masse.
Thanks Keith
And Regards,
Doug
Well said. It’s a confidence game with occasional time out for a shell game. Guess where the truth lies? ANS: Elsewhere.
Doug, I remember the SC story. For others, one of Bush’s operatives leaked a story about John McCain fathering a black child out of wedlock. The truth is he and his wife adopted, I believe a young girl from Bangladesh (that part I am foggy on). Yet, it was enough to change the tide.
Roll forward to today and Trump and Cruz are accusing each other of lying and cheating. In this case, they both are right. I like your acronym. Keith
Note to Readers: I often say everything one needs to know about Trump’s lack of veracity as a candidate is in his history. As an example, just today a lawsuit against Trump University was kept alive. The case against him dating back to 2013 is one of misrepresentation where he said he would personally select the real estate professors, when he only met a few and the education was overstated. The University is no longer in business. There are other examples in his history that are worse, but this was fresh off the press. If I had to use one word to describe Trump’s history it is exploitation.
I read this on my lunch hour yesterday, pondered on it for the rest of the day, and went to the gym and to let it go. The good thing is if he continues on I’ll be in the best shape of my life by November!
Lisa, at least you will be in great shape. The country and the planet will not be able to make the same claim if he won. Keith
i read the entire thread and enjoyed it.. my friend barb just said, ‘if it comes down to hillary and trump?”
watching from afar, i fear for the reputation of our country.. sigh…. the bad thing is that all of the good folks do not want to be in that top spot of el presidente… why would any nice person want to be pulled apart by the vultures?
Hillary has some questions she needs to answer to on the emails, but I do think she gets much unfair criticism and will get more. Benghazi is entirely political theater as it was put to bed in December 2012, e.g. She is a lightning rod, but she is a uniquely qualified candidate who will do great things for women in the world, if given the opportunity. But, I know several folks who will not vote for her. Keith
Si, I understand.. there are two slices of passed-along info that I heard in the past which makes me more cautious than most.. one is from close older friends from Arkansas, and the other from a close friend that shared a personal experience that happened long ago. That story is best told in person…
shall I send the magic carpet to NC?
Many thanks for letting me know. I would hate for my imperfect past and bad decisions to be brought up as grist for the mill. She does need to answer questions and she is a politician. And, she had a philandering husband, who she still has to answer questions about. But, the first woman president will have a tough road to hoe.
Please do send the carpet my way. And, if you happen to actually come this way, let’s get together. Keith
si.. someone once said, ‘i try to stay out of others’ shadows,a nd i hope that they stay out of mine..’
about to log off , though it’s been a nice ‘overnight’ in quito..
Oh good ammo for future (personal) debates, of which there will be many, but none that really matter, I fear.
Linda, please feel free to load here. Or share your ammo. Misinformation abounds and we need as many bullets as we can get. Thanks, Keith
Note to Readers: In an article yesterday in The Charlotte Observer called “Busier than ever checking facts.” writer Jim Morrill writes of the less than truthful leading candidate in contrast to the leading Democrat. I cited the FactCheck.org stats above, but Politifacts has a slighlt different metric ranging from “true” down to “pants on fire” comments. In awarding Trump its “2015 Lie of the Year” distinction, it noted that of 100 adjudicated statements forTrump only one is noted as “true.” 59% were false or mostly false and 20% were pants on fire false. That is a 79% untruthful rating as contrasted to FactCheck.Org’s 76% untruthful rating.
In contrast, Clinton is much better, but could still improve. 51% of her statements were true or mostly true and 27% were false or mostly false, with 2% pants on fire false. So, Trump has lied 79% of the time to Clinton’s 29% of the time. Yet, it goes beyond this. There is little remorse and a lot of flippancy from The Donald, per FactCheck.org “In the 12 years of FactCheck.org’s existence, we’ve have never seen his match. He stands out not only for the sheer number of his factually false claims, but also for his brazen refusals to admit error when proven wrong.”
Note to Readers: Amid the new lows during last night’s GOP debate, one of the most succinct and very telling questions went unanswered. Mr. Trump has vowed to save hundreds of billions in Medicare Drug costs. Yet, Chris Wallace asked him how that would work when the overall Medicare Part D budget is $79 billion. The questioned was avoided by the candidate.