Tired of hearing the same lies over and over again? So are we. We've put together some resources you can use to quickly debunk common falsehoods.
GAS PRICES
We do not deny that inflation is real and painful. It is the result of many factors, some global, and most beyond the control of individual governments. However, there are still plenty of lies circulating about what Democrats have done and are doing to address it.
Lies about Democrats
Lie: Joe Biden and Democrats are making prices high by preventing oil companies from drilling.
There are several ways to respond to this:
1. Permits
Joe Biden did not stop oil companies from drilling. To keep up with the recovering economy, his administration has handed out more permits than during the same period in Trump’s administration.
Source: Center for Biological Diversity
Biden’s First Year Drilling Permitting Stomps Trump’s By 34%
2. Supply
U.S. oil companies have produced more oil during Biden’s time in office than under the same period of the former administration, but they’re still not meeting demand.
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration
U.S. Field Production of Crude Oil
Download image: Oil and gas price gouging vote
3. Corporate Profiteering
Oil executives have publicly admitted that they’re not drilling because of “investor pressure” (more profits) not government restrictions. These companies see no reason to increase production while they are experiencing record profits.
Key Quote: Only 6% of oil company CEOs cite government regulation as a reason for not producing more oil.
Source: CBS News
U.S. producers reluctant to drill more oil, despite sky-high gas prices
Additional Supporting Graphics
Download image: Wall Street demands profits
Download image: Oil gives big to Republicans
Download image: Oil companies could lower gas prices
Lies about Republicans
Lie: Republicans will lower gas prices.
Truth: Republicans stand with oil companies
Oil companies are paying Republicans to do their bidding. In fact, they have handed checks to congressmen to keep them from voting against the anti-price gouging bill.
Big-oil has pumped almost $30 million into GOP campaigns. Are they really paying Republicans to lower their profits?
Key Facts: Ted Budd, Congressman from North Carolina, has taken over $195,000 from the oil, gas, and energy industries. In May, he took a contribution from a major fossil fuel company’s PAC just one day before he voted against legislation that would hold big oil companies accountable for price gouging.
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Florida’s Republican Senator Marco Rubio has received over $250,000 in donations from the oil and gas industries.
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Ron Johnson, Senator from Wisconsin, has taken over $750,000 from the oil, gas, and energy industries.
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Source: The American Independent
Ted Budd took oil company donation one day before voting against gas price-gouging ban
Supporting Graphics
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Ted Budd backed by big oil
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Ron Johnson works hard for big oil
Lies about Energy Independence
Lie: We used to be energy independent and now we’re not.
Truth: We are more energy-independent right now than we were under the last administration.
Key fact: "2021 was our highest level of energy independence in history as exports were greater than imports. In other words, we are even more energy independent than we were in 2019. "
Lie: Gas prices are high because the Keystone pipeline was canceled.
Truth: Keystone would carry oil to be exported and would not help Americans.
As of 2020, 75 percent of the Keystone pipeline is already built. Biden canceled Phase 4 which would have run Canadian oil through indigenous land and aquifers to the Gulf of Mexico to be exported. The pipeline would do nothing to increase American production and would not substantially impact America's supply of oil.
Source: People's Policy Project
Reviving the Keystone XL Pipeline Is Economically Pointless
BONUS Fact
Donald Trump helped lower the global oil supply.
Yes, Donald Trump did in fact help lower the global oil supply when he convinced the Saudis to cut production by 10 million barrels a day in April of 2020. We are still feeling the effects of this decision today.
Source: Reuters
Special Report: Trump told Saudi: Cut oil supply or lose U.S. military support
IMMIGRATION & THE BORDER
When all else fails, Republicans turn to fear-mongering about the border. The "border crises" has been predictable, sometime around September every two years, and the rhetoric is full of lies that go largely undisputed. Here are some facts.
The border was never secure under Trump. His administration presided over the largest flows of migration at the U.S.-Mexico border since the mid-2000s.
Lie: The border is open.
Truth: Biden has increased funding and enforcement at the Southern border.
Key Quote: "No policies have been changed that would make the borders more open," according to the Migration Policy Institute.
In fact, the increase in migrants present at the Southern border can be attributed to many factors, including rumors spread by Republicans online that the border is open.
FUNDING
In March of 2022, the Biden Administration submitted its budget to congress and asked for a 700% increase in USCIS funding and an 80% increase in funding for immigration courts to process backlogs.
In 2023, Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) will receive 13% more funding than in 2021, with the administration’s request of $15.3 billion to hire an additional 300 Border Patrol agents and 300 officials to process the paperwork and applications of undocumented people.
CARTELS
The Biden administration has kept a record number of drugs off the street because of its crackdown on cartels.
Supporting Graphics
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Expulsions at the Southern Border
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Asylum requests are lower than any year under Trump
The number of people arriving at the Southern border is increasing, and funding and enforcement are increasing to keep up.
Download image:
CBP enforcement actions
More from the Crisis of Border Lies Series
The Crisis of Border Lies series from FactPAC looks at the claims being made by Republicans about the Southern Border.
- The Border is Not Open
- Crime is Not Up Because of Illegal Crossings
- Biden Actually Increased Funding for Border Enforcement and Immigration Processing
- Biden’s Border Security Policies Are Actually Working and Keeping Drugs Off the Streets
- Donald Trump’s Border Was Never Secure
- Biden Actually Got Mexico to Pay for Border Security
THE ECONOMY
Historically, the economy does better under Democratic administrations in every measurable way. And while the economy is doing well under Biden, increased costs are making the growth difficult to see. The biggest lie about the economy right now is that Republicans can help.
Lies about Democrats
Lie: Biden didn’t create any jobs, these are just people going back to the jobs they had before COVID
Truth: There are more manufacturing jobs right now than there were pre-COVID.
Not only are there more manufacturing jobs right now than there were pre-COVID but American businesses are bringing back a record number of manufacturing jobs from China.
Source: BLS Data
Source: The Wall Street Journal
U.S. Companies on Pace to Bring Home Record Number of Overseas Jobs
Lie: Democrats are doing nothing to lower inflation, they are just printing and spending money.
Truth: Democrats have been passing legislation all year focused on lowering costs for Americans.
Democrats have been passing legislation all year focused on lowering costs for Americans and have reduced the inflation rate by nearly 1% since the Summer. Republicans have yet to present a plan to deal with the 54% of inflation caused by corporate profiteering.
Democrats have also cut the federal deficit two years in a row and just reduced it by 50% from last year.
Source: Urban Milwaukee
Which Party Is Better For The Economy?
Download image: More jobs are coming back to the U.S.
Download image: Lowering the cost of insulin
Download image: Lowering the cost of insulin
Additional Supporting Graphics
Download image: Democrats v Republicans - inflation
Download image: Democrats v Republicans - healthcare
Download image: Democrats v Republicans - national deficit
Lies about Republicans
Lie: Republicans are going to improve the economy.
Truth: Republicans have put forth no new ideas and are instead eager to cut Social Security and Medicare.
Republicans have threatened to hold the economy hostage if they don't get cuts to Social Security and Medicare. They have also promised to eliminate approximately 500,000 federal jobs and lower taxes on the largest corporations.
We've tried this before. Fox Business said the UK’s economic plan was the “basic thrust of Kevin McCarthy’s Commitment to America plan” and the U.K. inflation rate is 2% higher than ours.
Source: Newsweek
Video Resurfaces of Fox Host Praising and Comparing Liz Truss’ Plan to GOP
Supporting Graphics
Download image: Corporations over people
Download image: Child tax credit
Download image: Conservatives and inflation
Download image: Vance is bad for jobs
Download image: Save Social Security
Download image: The left and inflation
RIGHTS
Republicans have proven over and over again that they only care about rights if the right affects them. Their aim is to control as many aspects of your healthcare, family, education and personal decisions as they can.
Lie: Republicans won’t let states take away your birth control.
Truth: Republicans have already expressed an interest in doing away with other long-held rights after the fall of Roe.
In a concurring opinion in the case that overturned Roe, conservative Justice Clarance Thomas expressed an interest in revisiting other rights, like birth control. When Democrats tried to get ahead of this threat and pass legislation codifying the right to birth control, 97% of House Republicans voted against it.
Download image: Access to contraceptives
CRIME
Crime is another topic Republicans care about cyclically — approximately every 2 years. The truth is, even though crime is lower in many places, Americans do not feel secure for many varied and valid reasons. Republicans try to exploit this. Democrats try to solve it.
Lie: Illegal immigrants have caused crime to skyrocket.
Truth: People in the U.S. illegally commit fewer crimes than the general population.
Not only are border towns safer now than ever before, but people that are in the U.S. illegally also commit crimes, per-capita, at a rate far lower than born citizens and legal residents.
Source: Axios
Border cities again see low violent crime rates
Lie: Crime is a Democratic problem.
Truth: Red states have seen significant increases in homicides.
Key Fact: Red states do not have higher murder rates because of Democratic cities.
Jacksonville has a Republican Mayor and Florida Governor, Ron DeSantis. In the last year Florida reported crimes, Jacksonville had more murders than San Francisco which has the same population but all Democratic local government and State Governor (Gavin Newsom.)
In fact, the homicide rate in Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s San Francisco was half that of House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy’s Bakersfield, a city that also has a Republican mayor that overwhelmingly voted for Trump.
