Fact Check on the Candidates' Speeches

The following statements were based on questionable or unrealistic claims made by the candidates during their speeches:

Bella 

- Bella stated that the US is one of the wealthiest nations in the world, however, we are currently in debt of trillions of dollars

- Will Senator Bella’s health care program cause problems similar to that of Obamacare, in which it healthcare will eventually because too much to pay for?

- Bella says America is no longer a beacon to the rest of the world. This is false because many immigrants still try and come into the U.S. and want a life in the country.

Ben 

- Explains that Bella doesn’t plan to change anything with her environmental reform policy, however she outlines that during her presidency she will make a shift towards different forms of renewable energy (windmills, solar panels etc.)

- Definition of Insanity is correct.

- States that all previous efforts on limiting the use of fossil fuels have failed. This is entirely untrue because there are many regulations and policies put forth by many previous administrations/agencies. Ben is most likely trying to inflate the importance of his policy by comparing it to supposed “failure”.

Jack

- The President doesn’t completely control the government, and cannot “direct the IRS” to do anything without the approval of congress.

- It is possible that lowering the cost of colleges can decrease the value of education

- Will lowering the cost of college/education harm the wages of teachers? Will it lower the availability and quality of college education?

- Using the name of a journalist without substantiating his claims with hard facts makes his wealth tax point weaker.

- Broad and vague by stating that the revenue from increasing taxes on the rich will be used for “social spending”

- Jack claims he is trying to save the environment yet he supports poachers with his money and cages beautiful wild animals in his “zoo”. Russian authorities have nothing to do with this. 

- For Foreign Policy, Jack says he wants a peaceful approach, but then claims we must be more interventionist making aggression seem to crash with peacefulness. He also claims to be able to peacefully transition power in Venezuela, but doesn’t explain how he will accomplish the incredibly hard feat.