AP FACT CHECK: Trump falsely claims economy, jobs best ever
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Christopher Rugaber, AP Economics Writer, Associated Press 18 hours ago 
President Donald Trump speaks during a rally, Saturday, Aug. 4, 2018, in Lewis Center, Ohio. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Donald Trump is grossly overstating the extent of U.S. economic and job gains.
In a tweet Monday, he declares that the economy has "never been better" and jobs are at the "best point in history."
In fact, the economy and jobs are nowhere close to historic bests based on several measures. Economists have also warned that U.S. growth is largely fueled by government borrowing, as the federal deficit rises because of his tax cuts, and is thus unlikely to be sustainable after a few quarters.
A look at the claims:
TRUMP: "Great financial numbers being announced on an almost daily basis. Economy has never been better, jobs at best point in history."
THE FACTS: He's exaggerating. The economy is healthy now, but it has been in better shape at many times in the past.
Growth reached 4 percent at an annual rate in the second quarter, which Trump highlighted late last month with remarks at the White House. But it's only the best in the past four years. So far, the economy is expanding at a modest rate compared with previous economic expansions. In the late 1990s, growth topped 4 percent for four straight years, from 1997 through 2000. And in the 1980s expansion, growth even reached 7.2 percent in 1984.
It's not clear what Trump specifically means when he declares that jobs are at the "best point in history," but based on several indicators, he's off the mark.
The unemployment rate of 3.9 percent is not at the best point ever — it is actually near the lowest in 18 years. The all-time low came in 1953, when unemployment fell to 2.5 percent during the Korean War. And while economists have been surprised to see employers add 215,000 jobs a month this year, a healthy increase, employers in fact added jobs at a faster pace in 2014 and 2015. A greater percentage of Americans held jobs in 2000 than now.
Trump didn't mention probably the most important measure of economic health for Americans — wages. While paychecks are slowly grinding higher, inflation is now canceling out the gains. Lifted by higher gasoline prices, consumer prices increased 2.9 percent in June from a year earlier, the most in six years.
Adjusting for inflation, hourly pay for non-managers — about 80 percent of the workforce — fell 0.2 percent over the same period. Yet in 1998, for example, inflation-adjusted hourly pay growth topped 2.5 percent.
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Better than it ever was when BO was in power. I'll take it! It's better than it has been in decades too but that doesn't make a difference to the haters. It's not nearly as monumental a lie as "you can keep your insurance" or backwards promises of "transparency". Unintentional lies from dumbasses are no where near as bad as intentional lies by elitists.
... and you don't care if the President lies?
yea I cared when BO did it too but I cared a lot more about being lied to about health insurance and transparency than a blow hard that was just trying to make himself look good.
The difference is that Trumps lies are mostly buffoonery while BO's were calculated, intentional, and typically much more damaging.
deleted
deleted What's that got to do with anything? deleted
deleted BTW Trump has already done more for Blacks than BO did his entire presidency. Have you heard about how low unemployment is among minorities? I see no evidence BO tried to help black people at all, All he really did was foment division, If he was actually trying to help black people, he certainly failed miserably.
Up is down, cold is hot... and the moon is made of green cheese...
It has nothing to do with his color.... I went from having fantastic coverage for about $500 a month with a $1500 deductible with co-pays for doc visits! My daughter needed surgery and thankfully it was during the time before ACA, otherwise it would have cost us $7500, instead, it cost us $500. Now my monthly is $1200 a month for a family of 5, no co pays, and I have a $6500 deductible PER family member before benefits kick in.... The only thing we get is preventive care..... If my girls get strep, I have to pay almost $200 just to get her tested plus the cost of antibiotics before that, I had a co pay of $25..... Do any of you not see a problem with this????? Medicaid has always been there for people in need. This "new" healthcare BS has screwed me..... the "middle class", but I'm so OVERJOYED that Becca, and Hayley are able to get their BC for free..... and their doc visits..... Me, my husband, and daughters get screwed...... YOU'RE FUCKING WELCOME.
It seldom does have anything to do with color. Some people's only debate strategy is to accuse racism or personally attack their opponent when they have no more facts and/or brains left to argue with and they know they are losing the debate.. I'ts a sure fire way to tell who won.
Yup, that is your mantra!
And that was always the defense of Obama!. In other words he can't be criticized or challenged or apparently even asked a difficult question - because he was black! He is in a special super bubble!
And that is the left's idea of equality!!!!
All of NASA's supposed moon missions were faked. /s
That's silly.
I was always an Obama critic. He was too far right. He was not combative enough. He was a Rockefeller Republican.
The thing is... My criticism of Obama was based on things that he actually did do, or on things that he obviously should have done but did not do. I never made stuff up. The right should be profoundly grateful to Obama for having passively allowed the right to put a permanent lock on the Supreme Court, and thus probably on the whole country.
At my harshest, I would say that history will remember Obama as the man who did nothing while the country slid into fascism.
That's not exactly "can't be criticized or challenged... because he was black"...
But what I actually have always thought and said is of no importance to you, is it, Vic?
You aren't interested in what "I" say.
I've observed this phenomenon before in other online warriors: you are not conversing with me. You are conversing with a straw-man that you have constructed.
When you are totally, completely wrong about what I have always said, it isn't simply a mistake, nor even lying. Because what I have always said in real-world reality is of no importance, next to what your straw-man says.
You are talking to yourself. It's much easier to "win the debate", when you take both sides!
QAnon!
Let us not forget, next to you everyone is to the right.
My criticism of Obama was based on things that he actually did do, or on things that he obviously should have done but did not do.
That is the one thing both Barak Obama and Donald Trump have in common - they fully intended to keep their promises. One sought to "transform" America and the other sought to "make America great again". Beyond the slogans, both initiated the policies they promised.
Except it's not as the article points out. Growth is only the best it's been in four years, that's right, we had several 4%+ growth quarters under Obama.
"And while economists have been surprised to see employers add 215,000 jobs a month this year, a healthy increase, employers in fact added jobs at a faster pace in 2014 and 2015." ...when Obama was President.
Obama cut unemployment by 10%. Donald Trump has over seen a drop of just 0.8%.
And as it points out, when adjusted for inflation "hourly pay for non-managers — about 80 percent of the workforce — fell 0.2 percent" and is still falling.
Adjusting for inflation, hourly pay for non-managers — about 80 percent of the workforce — fell 0.2 percent
Says it all. The stock market gains don't put food on the table for the 80 percent.
Anything that comes out of orange conman traitor in chief's mouth is a lie, sad that so many fall for his bs.
Sounds like the article is advocating that "THE COST OF LIVING" is too high, Not that Trump is the problem....even though they TRY to MAKE Trump "THE PROBLEM" !
From the article:
"-wages. While paychecks are slowly grinding higher, inflation is now canceling out the gains. Lifted by higher gasoline prices, consumer prices increased 2.9 percent in June from a year earlier, the most in six years.
Adjusting for inflation, hourly pay for non-managers — about 80 percent of the workforce — fell 0.2 percent over the same period. Yet in 1998, for example, inflation-adjusted hourly pay growth topped 2.5 percent."
It isn't saying that the cost of living is "too high", it's pointing out that the cost of living is increasing faster than 80% of the populaces income is growing. Obviously that is unsustainable in the long run. The point of the article is that while Trump constantly and incessantly toots his own horn, the economy is not the "best ever" as he claims and is, in fact, in trouble. It doesn't matter how low unemployment is if inflation is growing faster than wages are rising. And Trumps tariff war he's started isn't helping keep inflation down, it's having a reverse effect as many imports are now getting more expensive.
And how long has this been going on ?
I suppose...… ONLY the LAST 2 years huh !
I've never seen signs at a place of business that said apply today start today until trump.
This is kind of a silly thing to fact check. He thinks it's the best ever. That's an opinion. I disagree with him, but it doesn't need to be fact checked.
Fact checking has become a way of inserting commentary and opinion into ostensibly "straight news." It's supposed to be a presentation of the facts and the reader decides what it all means, but here we are being told what it all means up front.
There is a seemingly infinite number of ways to measure the economy and just as many opinions about which metric or set of metrics would be the most effective way of determining the best economy. So, it doesn't matter that you can come up with data that shows things have been better before.
So, this ends up being a kind of fake news. Some reporter or news agency decides that Trump's opinion is really a fact that needs to be checked and they present the fact check story without even justifying whether or not it needed to be done in the first place. You're just supposed to accept that it is. Then you're supposed to accept that their argument is the only argument possible.
It all just looks like another example of the pathological need the press has to attack this president.
FACT CHECK: Trump Falsely Claims ..........
enter pretty much whatever ya want here.
My current fav is " No more nuclear threat"
Not to be outdone by the famose "Mexico will pay for our wall"