Check Your Facts Before Smearing Kamala!

Trumplethinskin is At It Again: Big Bad Don Attacks Kamala While Spreading Lies and Hate

In yet another desperate attempt to cling to power, former President Donald Trump held a rally in Charlotte, N.C., where he spewed his usual vitriol and falsehoods, this time targeting Vice President Kamala Harris, the presumptive Democratic nominee for the 2024 election.

"She is a radical left lunatic who will destroy our country. If she ever gets the chance to get into office." - Trump, July 24, 2024, Charlotte, N.C.

The Cheeto-in-Chief criticized Harris' policies on immigration, health care, and abortion, twisting the truth to suit his narrative of division and fear. Let's fact-check some of his claims and call out his lies:

"As border czar, Kamala threw open our borders and allowed 20 million illegal aliens to stampede into our country."

False.

This is just another version of the right-wing talking point that Harris is in charge of stopping illegal immigration. In reality, Biden tasked Harris with addressing the root causes of migration from Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, such as economic insecurity, corruption, human rights issues, and violence. The border security and management are under the purview of the Homeland Security Secretary.

The U.S. border is far from "open." Physical barriers, surveillance technology, and thousands of Border Patrol agents are in place to control who enters the country. Immigration laws are still enforced.

During the Biden administration, there have been nearly 10 million encounters with immigrants illegally crossing the border. Accounting for "got aways," the number rises to about 11.6 million. However, encounters do not equal admissions. Many individuals are expelled or removed, and the actual number of people released into the U.S. to await immigration hearings is about 3.3 million, with an additional 415,000 children who crossed alone.

"Kamala Harris co-sponsored (Sen.) Bernie Sanders’ $32 trillion plan to take over the entire U.S. health system."

True, but Context is Key.

Harris did co-sponsor the Medicare for All Act of 2019, which proposed a national health insurance program run by the federal government. It aimed to provide automatic coverage to all U.S. residents without deductibles or copayments.

While this may evoke fears of a "government takeover," it's important to compare it to the Affordable Care Act, which Republicans falsely claimed was a government takeover, earning PolitiFact's 2010 Lie of the Year. Sanders' bill goes further, aiming for a fully automated, federally-run health insurance program, similar to socialized medicine systems in other developed nations.

It's worth noting that Harris's support for Medicare for All was during her 2020 presidential campaign, when she, like many Democratic candidates, believed it was what the base wanted. Since then, Medicare for All has failed to gain traction within the Democratic Party, and Harris has shifted her focus to bolstering the ACA.

"When asked if her plan would outlaw private health insurance for 180 million Americans, (Harris) replied, ‘Let's just eliminate all of it.’"

Twisted Words Earn a Half-Truth.

Trump is referring to Harris's support for Medicare for All, which would indeed eliminate private health insurance as the primary form of coverage. However, he takes her words out of context.

During a 2019 town hall, Harris clarified that the goal was to ensure everyone had access to medical care without the delays and paperwork associated with insurance company approval. She wanted to streamline the process, not deprive people of their choice of insurance. Harris emphasized that even with the elimination of private insurance, everyone would still have access to health care through the federal plan.

"She wants abortions in the eighth and ninth month of pregnancy, that’s fine with her, right up until birth, and even after birth — the execution of a baby."

Big Fat Lie.

Harris has never publicly stated her position on late-term abortion timelines. What she has supported is abortion access up to fetal viability, as outlined in Roe v. Wade, which is typically around 24 weeks. Situations resulting in fetal death in the third trimester are rare and often involve tragic circumstances.

Republicans, including Trump, dishonestly twist support for the Women's Health Protection Act of 2022 to claim that Democrats want unrestricted abortions. This Act would have ensured abortion access without unnecessary obstacles, such as waiting periods and medically unnecessary tests, and allowed abortions after viability if a healthcare provider deemed it necessary for the patient's health.

Trump and his cronies continue to rely on fear-mongering and misinformation to rally their base. It's crucial that we call out these lies and present the facts. Stay woke, folks.