Fact check: Trump's wild letter to Pelosi is filled with false and misleading claims

[Formerly Once-Ler]

https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/17/politics/fact-check-trump-impeachment-letter-to-pelosi/index.html

Supposed accomplishments
Trump claimed "a colossal reduction in illegal border crossings."
Facts First: While there has been a reduction since May, it is only a reduction from the high point of the Trump era; the total number of people apprehended at the southwest border, a proxy measure for the number of actual crossings, has been higher under Trump than it was in the late Obama era.

Trump boasted of the US "becoming the world's top energy producer."
Facts First: The US became the world's top energy producer in 2012, according to the government's Energy Information Administration -- under Obama, whom Trump has repeatedly accused of perpetrating a "war on American energy."

Trump claimed "a completely reformed VA with Choice and Accountability for our great veterans."
Facts First: The Veterans Choice program was signed into law by Obama in 2014. Trump signed a law in 2018 to expand and modify the Choice program, the VA MISSION Act, but he did not create Choice.

Trump touted "the building of the Southern Border Wall."
Facts First: As of December 6, the date of the latest official update from Customs and Border Protection, no miles of border wall had been constructed where barriers did not previously exist. (Construction had started on some new barriers, the government said.) Trump has argued that the replacement of old barriers with newer barriers should count as the building of his wall; as of December 6, 90 miles of replacement barriers had been erected.

More at link.

Mark Barrington @MarkBarrington2
4h

But even if these claims were true, it would be beside the point as they have no relevance to the articles of impeachment. It’s like a bank robber saying he helps old ladies cross the street. It might be relevant at the sentencing phase, but has no bearing on guilt or innocence.

[Smokin Joe]

In one fell swoom, Trump did wonders for American Energy production. By shutting down yet another environmental review on the Dakota Access Pipeline, he allowed the completion of the line and a half million barrels of oil to move down the pipe every day from the Bakken and Three Forks formations in North Dakota.
That freed rail assets, and the continuing benefit to American Energy production is evident in continuing records set for production of oil and gas.
Yes, despite Obama, the Oil and Gas industry had reached the level of world's leading producer, but it was in spite of all the obstacles put in the way of the industry. With someone who actually has permitted the industry to function within the rules which were established, rather than use those rules to obstruct the industry, it has made a difference.

I wouldnt' give Obama one damned bit of credit for that production under his watch, we did that in SPITE of that SOB.

[Formerly Once-Ler]

I wouldnt' give Obama one damned bit of credit for that production under his watch, we did that in SPITE of that SOB.

So you recognize "becoming the world's top energy producer," is something that happened in 2012?

[Smokin Joe]

So you recognize "becoming the world's top energy producer," is something that happened in 2012?

I recognize who did it. It wasn't Obama. We did it on private land, because you had a much harder time getting permits past the slow walkers in the BLM to drill on Federal Land. Lest you forget, this was during the openly declared "War on Coal" (also a form of energy).

When it happened isn't because Obama even got the Hell out of the way, it was in spite of him.
The development of the Bakken oil play started under Bush, it only continued under the Obama Regime.
Energy is no damned good without a way to move it, to use it, and The hell raised during the Obama administration over everything from unit trains full of crude oil to completing pipelines was unprecedented.

[Formerly Once-Ler]

I recognize who did it. It wasn't Obama. We did it on private land, because you had a much harder time getting permits past the slow walkers in the BLM to drill on Federal Land. Lest you forget, this was during the openly declared "War on Coal" (also a form of energy).

When it happened isn't because Obama even got the Hell out of the way, it was in spite of him.
The development of the Bakken oil play started under Bush, it only continued under the Obama Regime.
Energy is no damned good without a way to move it, to use it, and The hell raised during the Obama administration over everything from unit trains full of crude oil to completing pipelines was unprecedented.

Fantastic...maybe you could let President Trump know it happened in 2012.

[Smokin Joe]

Fantastic...maybe you could let President Trump know it happened in 2012.

Actually, it depends on who you talk to, and what you are measuring. According to BP, the US is in First place first place in oil production. As of 2018, the Russian Federation were still slightly ahead if you included condensate, but we passed the Saudis  from 2016 to 2017.
From 2009 (5.35 million BOPE) to 2015, (Maybe I should note that that growth has continued under President Trump, despite lower prices, too, unencumbered by the 'discounts' on crude oil because it can be shipped from the northern border to the Gulf of Mexico by pipeline, now.

The development continues, If you want the stats, go here. https://www.bp.com/en/global/corporate/energy-economics/statistical-review-of-world-energy.html

I just know that a critical infrastructure project wasn't delayed by Trump, but green lighted, after years of delays by the Obama administration including a protest camp that required 720 semi loads to haul away the trash and debris (not to mention a coroner van for the body left in the creek).

[Chosen Daughter]

https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/17/politics/fact-check-trump-impeachment-letter-to-pelosi/index.html

More at link.

Mark Barrington @MarkBarrington2
4h

But even if these claims were true, it would be beside the point as they have no relevance to the articles of impeachment. It’s like a bank robber saying he helps old ladies cross the street. It might be relevant at the sentencing phase, but has no bearing on guilt or innocence.

He also put a "defeated ISIS Caliphate".

[dancer]

https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/17/politics/fact-check-trump-impeachment-letter-to-pelosi/index.html

More at link.

Mark Barrington @MarkBarrington2
4h

But even if these claims were true, it would be beside the point as they have no relevance to the articles of impeachment. It’s like a bank robber saying he helps old ladies cross the street. It might be relevant at the sentencing phase, but has no bearing on guilt or innocence.

Sigh.  Nothing like posting info about the letter from obvious sites like CNN and MSN.  Seriously?  READ IT.

Here is the link to the White House PDF letter to Pelosi:
[url=https://d3i6fh83elv35t.cloudfront.net/static/2019/12/Letter-from-President-Trump-final.pdf]https://d3i6fh83elv35t.cloudfront.net/static/2019/12/Letter-from-President-Trump-final.pdf[/url]

[jmyrlefuller]

But even if these claims were true, it would be beside the point as they have no relevance to the articles of impeachment. It’s like a bank robber saying he helps old ladies cross the street. It might be relevant at the sentencing phase, but has no bearing on guilt or innocence.

So long as you're using CNN and buying into conspiracy theories, I suppose you think the Mossad perpetrated 9/11, too?

[Idiot]

In one fell swoom, Trump did wonders for American Energy production. By shutting down yet another environmental review on the Dakota Access Pipeline, he allowed the completion of the line and a half million barrels of oil to move down the pipe every day from the Bakken and Three Forks formations in North Dakota.
That freed rail assets, and the continuing benefit to American Energy production is evident in continuing records set for production of oil and gas.
Yes, despite Obama, the Oil and Gas industry had reached the level of world's leading producer, but it was in spite of all the obstacles put in the way of the industry. With someone who actually has permitted the industry to function within the rules which were established, rather than use those rules to obstruct the industry, it has made a difference.

I wouldnt' give Obama one damned bit of credit for that production under his watch, we did that in SPITE of that SOB.

[Chosen Daughter]

Sigh.  Nothing like posting info about the letter from obvious sites like CNN and MSN.  Seriously?  READ IT.

Here is the link to the White House PDF letter to Pelosi:
[url=https://d3i6fh83elv35t.cloudfront.net/static/2019/12/Letter-from-President-Trump-final.pdf]https://d3i6fh83elv35t.cloudfront.net/static/2019/12/Letter-from-President-Trump-final.pdf[/url]

I read the letter and those things are in it.   If Trump is going to list accomplishments he should make sure they really are.  Like defeating the ISIS Caliphate.  Might have been close in Syria until he pulled out and let Erdogan have his way.  But ISIS is not defeated.

[skeeter]

So long as you're using CNN and buying into conspiracy theories, I suppose you think the Mossad perpetrated 9/11, too?

Imagine Trump taking credit for Obama's economic boom. The nerve.

[Mesaclone]

I read the letter and those things are in it.   If Trump is going to list accomplishments he should make sure they really are.  Like defeating the ISIS Caliphate.  Might have been close in Syria until he pulled out and let Erdogan have his way.  But ISIS is not defeated.

A caliphate is rule or governance of a region and its lands/people. Trump HAS defeated the Caliphate as surely as the Reconquista crushed the Islamic caliphate in Spain. This does not mean that the remnants of that defeated Caliphate cease to exist...nor that they cannot advocate and achieve goals through non-conventional terroristic means. But make no mistake, the Caliphate as it existed when Trump assumed office has been defeated...crushingly so. It still exists as a terror threat, but that is irrelevant to its defeat as a landed Caliphate. So the President's claims are entirely accurate.

Worse, the article in question...in typical CNN fashion...assumes the measure for reduced immigration equates to a reduction in arrests at the border. This is so wrong headed as to border on the absurd. Enforcement has improved and thus a higher percentage of crossers are being caught and detained...resulting in...wait for it...higher detention numbers.

And lets not forget, compounding these higher detention numbers, many of those now crossing are doing so in concert with a deliberate Dem/Socialist effort to provide encouragement and legal assistance to illegal crossers...dragging many from their homes in South and Central America to make a dangerous trek north to our border. So Trump is fighting a coordinated Dem "border rush" in addition to the "normal" flow of illegals.

As for the wall, they are building as we speak here in AZ...despite Dems and RINO's fighting the President every step of the way. The wall fight is still on going, and the truth is any Republican President not named Donald Trump would have given up long ago...over the next 5 years, he will complete much if not most of his intended wall build.

[Wingnut]

CNN fact checking is what....snopes light?   

[libertybele]

CNN fact checking is what....snopes light?   

 

[Smokin Joe]

Imagine Trump taking credit for Obama's economic boom. The nerve.

Yeah. Obama had such a sh*t-kicking economic boom, people came to North Dakota from every state, Puerto Rico, Canada and other countries to get a job and save their homes elsewhere before they went under. Some 'boom'.

Why North Dakota? because we have mostly privately owned minerals here, not a lot of BLM (Bureau of Land Management, not that other Obama supported fraud) Land, so the drilling and development did not rely on Federal Permits to happen. The result, oil resources developed on private land despite attempts to stop that development (the Obama EPA's 'war on fraccing')  not only made this area a shining economic beacon of hope in a dismal economic landscape, but spin off industries from making pumps, pads for rig locations, site housing and other modules, mining frac sand, steel and tubular goods, machining caused an economic boom all its own--but keep in mind this prosperity was not the result of Obama Administration action, but rather happened in spite of attempts by the Obama Administration to thwart the development of a natural resource, attempts which were more successful in areas which have more federal ownership.

We didn't get hurt nearly as badly by the Federal Restrictions, slow walked permits, and repeated environmental assessments required by multiple agencies with overlapping jurisdiction as the oil industry (for that matter, any extractive industry) did elsewhere. For that reason, we developed (and are continuing to develop) one of the world's premier oil and gas resources. Obama's Administration brought us nearly $5/gal gasoline, it's half that now--or less, and that is an economic boon in itself.

If you look at this map, you'll see the difference between North Dakota and, say, Wyoming or Utah, in terms of Federal regulatory impact on mineral rights, surface regulations, mining, and even the pipelines which can carry oil and gas from wells to processing facilities without the need for heavy truck traffic.
:   Compared to the other States (not counting Alaska and Hawaii), the 11 contiguous western States are 46.4% owned by the Federal government. Alaska, at 61.3% Federal ownership, would increase that. In contrast, the government only owns 4.2% of the land in the other states.

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