In the wake of this week’s vice presidential debate between Mike Pence and Kamala Harris, President Donald Trump rushed to Twitter to amplify some nonsense against the Democratic ticket. On Thursday, he claimed in a tweet that, among other things, Biden “will Shutdown the Economy at the tip of a hat, raise your Taxes, knock out your Second Amendment and Defund, or close, your Police.” Every single one of these four claims is a brazen misrepresentation of reality.
Biden has only said that he would follow health experts’ advice on whether to close parts of the economy to thwart the Coronavirus. He has also pledged not to raise taxes on individuals making more than $400,000 a year, and he is not attempting, under any circumstance, to “knock out” the Second Amendment. He doesn’t even support forced confiscation of assault weapons if he were able to enact an assault weapons ban. Rather, he wants a national registry for the weapons still out there and the option for owners to participate in a voluntary government buyback program.
Biden will Shutdown the Economy at the tip of a hat, raise your Taxes, knock out your Second Amendment and Defund, or close, your Police. The Suburbs would be next, get ready. Also, and incredibly, PACK THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT. This is not what the USA wants!!! #MAGA
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 8, 2020
On Wednesday afternoon, Trump added:
‘If a Republican LIED like Biden and Harris do, constantly, the Lamestream Media would be calling them out at a level never recorded before. For one year they called for No Fracking and big Tax Increases. Now they each say opposite. Fake News is working overtime!’
If a Republican LIED like Biden and Harris do, constantly, the Lamestream Media would be calling them out at a level never recorded before. For one year they called for No Fracking and big Tax Increases. Now they each say opposite. Fake News is working overtime!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 8, 2020
The topic of fracking also came up during the vice presidential debate. Pence criticized Harris for supposedly running on a platform to end fracking, but as CNN explains, Biden “is not running on a proposal to completely ban fracking,” period. Despite theoretically-based comments from Biden suggesting that he “was proposing to get rid of all fracking” at some point in the future, “Biden’s written plan never included a full ban on fracking,” CNN notes. Insinuations otherwise are smoke and mirrors from the Trump team. Also — Biden has never proposed some kind of systematic and across-the-board tax increase on middle class and lower income Americans.
On Thursday, Trump also claimed on Twitter that “Biden & Harris, after Radical Left Dem Primaries, are trying to change their stance. Pennsylvania wants Energy and Second Amendment!” Again, he is misrepresenting the facts. The Biden/ Harris ticket does not oppose the Second Amendment, period.
The Great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania would absolutely die without the jobs and dollars brought in by Fracking. Massive numbers! Now Biden & Harris, after Radical Left Dem Primaries, are trying to change their stance. Pennsylvania wants Energy and Second Amendment!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 8, 2020
Check out Twitter’s response to Trump below:
