The White House • December 30, 2019
TOP 10: President Trump’s biggest accomplishments of 2019.
Here are things President Donald J. Trump claims to have done for the American people in 2019:
- The Trump Boom is going strong. The unemployment rate recently hit its lowest mark in 50 years. All told, since President Trump’s election, our economy has added more than 7 million jobs—over half a million in manufacturing alone.
- The stock market keeps breaking records: The Dow Jones and S&P 500 hit record closes again on Friday.
- The working class is thriving, as are previously forgotten communities. Wages are now rising the fastest for low-income workers, and poverty rates for African Americans and Hispanic Americans have reached all-time lows.
- Accountable government is back. Since taking office, President Trump has rolled back nearly 8 regulations for every new one, saving American taxpayers more than $50 billion in the process—with bigger savings still to come.
- Better trade deals are putting America back in the driver’s seat. Congress approved President Trump’s USMCA this month—a huge win for U.S. workers, farmers, and manufacturers that will create 176,000 new jobs.
- Trade with China in particular is about to get a whole lot fairer. As part of a historic “phase 1” deal, Beijing has agreed to structural reforms in its trade practices and to make substantial purchases of American agricultural products.
- Securing the border is paying off and making our country safer. President Trump struck new agreements with Mexico and Central American countries this year to help stop the flood of illegal immigration. Thanks to this swift action, border apprehensions fell by more than 70 percent from May to November.
- On health care, President Trump is fighting to give our patients the best system on Earth. While Democrats try to take away choice, the President’s focus on affordability led to the largest year-over-year drop in drug prices ever recorded.
- American interests are taking center stage abroad. In just one example: After years of not paying their fair share, NATO Allies will have increased defense spending by $130 billion by the end of next year.
- Our great military took out the world’s top terrorist in October. Our troops are now getting the support they deserve. President Trump recently signed the National Defense Authorization Act for the 2020 fiscal year, which includes the biggest pay raise for our military in a decade.
Which of these are factual, which of those are significant accomplishments, and which are attributable to the Trump Administration? Will the voters buy this bill of goods?
New NY 23rd 
1. Trump’s economy has created 7 million jobs. FALSE. Since Mr Trump took office the economy has created 6.25 million jobs, which is a little behind what Obama created in his last years in office. How many of those were the result of the Obama policies? We don’t know.
2.Stock Market records. TRUE. Which is great for the top 20% who are heavily invested in the markets. Not so good for the other 80%. Since keeping wages down increases profits for the investor class.
3.Wages are rising fast. FALSE. Again,it depends on which state you are in. In some states, like NY, with new minimum wage laws that is true. Not so much in non-union or low wage states. And the increases in wages are due to state level, not federal laws.
4. Rolling back regulations . Is that progress? Only if you are a short term thinker. All those deregulated industries will have to be cleaned up 20 years from now. Passing the buck.
(Gotta go, I will try to do more later.)
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And I am back.
5. The free trade deals. Well, the “deals” with China have so far cost us $26 billion dollars in bailouts and long term lost markets, especially for soybeans. Not sure how that is a win, short or long term. The new NAFTA trade deal (given a new name) had a few changes that Trump wanted, but the Dems in the House refused to pass it without improved support for unions, some environmental protections, an end to big pharma’s 10 year drug patents and a few other things. So, while it changed NAFTA a little, it also helped workers. But that was due to the Dems, not Trump.
6. Trade in China is not moving anywhere. While the tariffs have created some pain for China, they have reacted by expanding trade to central and south America and Asia. As a result in the future they will be less dependent on US farmers. A long term loss. And the Trump administration has been saying for years that the Chinese are “going to do” something. But they haven’t. Why? Because of the cultural ignorance of the IMPOTUS (Impeached President of the US). In China when a negotiator says he will look into it in the future, it is the polite way of saying NO. They are not as straightforward in their use of language and they want the their side to “save face”. Until it is in writing nothing is certain. Recall how Kim Jung-un told Trump they would “look into” dismantling their nukes? How has that worked out?
7. Border security is no better than under Bush or Obama.The big difference is in the area of asylum seekers. Since the Trump administration, in violation of the law, has basically ended all asylum claims, the only option for refugees is to cross illegally. In the past they could get a fair hearing at the border, today they must cross illegally to enter. Numbers fluctuate seasonally so comparing any 2 specific months does not fully describe the problem.
8. This one is so ludicrous it is hard to stop laughing. Trump has consistently called for the end of the ACA and gone to court to destroy it. He has submitted no plan for universal health care, even though he promised he would provide better health care for all and do it cheaper. Never happened. Never was intended to happen. Won’t happen.
9. NATO funding is another interesting example of fake news. According to Foreign Policy, the foremost magazine on US foreign policy affairs:
“…Trump has taken credit for Europe’s renewed commitment to defense spending. On Monday, he tweeted: “Since I took office, the number of NATO allies fulfilling their obligations more than DOUBLED.” But while the military alliance may be energized by Trump’s threats to pull the United States out of NATO, European member states have been contributing more in part as a response to Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea, in Ukraine. That same year, NATO members pledged to commit at least 2 percent of their GDP to defense spending by 2024….”
So, NATO had agreed in 2014 to increase funding, long before Trump took office.And the funding has hardly “DOUBLED”, it has gone up from 1.5% to 1.6%.
10. About that military pay raise: From FACT CHeck:
“….At an event honoring the mothers and spouses of military members, President Donald Trump mistakenly said that the recently approved budget raised military pay for the “first time in 10 years.” That isn’t true, as the White House admits.
The president, we were told, meant to say it was the largest pay raise.
Basic pay for the military did increase by 2.4 percent on Jan. 1, 2018 — the largest in eight years. But pay increases are determined by a statutory formula, and Trump in fact requested an amount below the automatic adjustment for 2018. Congress overrode the president’s proposal, and Trump ultimately agreed to fully fund the increase as determined by federal law….”
So, if you got a pay raise, thank Congress, not Trump.
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Wrong about the jobs according to the DOL and Bureau of Statistics its only 2.2 million Obama was 8 mn
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