AP FACT CHECK: Trump’s bottom-line stats on trade are wrong

originally posted by: Thejoncrichton
The AP didn't earn the title "The Administration's Press" for nothing during the Obama years.

www.newsbusters.org...

Stories going back years that detail their blatant left wing bias. One of their main offences is lying by omission.

Here's the information on your source, below. I hold the opinion that if someone tries to throw shade at someone else, they need to make sure they are clean first.

Your link News Busters, is a part of Media Research Center, who also own other news agencies, such as CNS news.

A questionable source exhibits one or more of the following: extreme bias, overt propaganda, poor or no sourcing to credible information and/or is fake news. Fake News is the deliberate attempt to publish hoaxes and/or disinformation for the purpose of profit or influence (Learn More). Sources listed in the Questionable Category may be very untrustworthy and should be fact checked on a per article basis. Please note sources on this list are not considered fake news unless specifically written in the notes section for that source.

Bias: Extreme Right, Propaganda

CNS News, formerly known as Cybercast News Service was founded in 1998 by L. Brent Bozell III, who is the nephew of National Review founder William F. Buckley Jr. CNS News is owned by Media Research Center (MRC), which is a conservative content analysis organization based in Virginia, founded in 1987 by L. Brent Bozell III. Bozell is a conservative columnist and author of four books, however, according to a Daily Beast article former employees claim that Bozell uses Tim Graham, Director of Media Analysis, as his ghostwriter. As a result, according to a Slate article, the Quad-City Times (Iowa) dropped Bozell’s column.

Media Research Center (MRC) states its mission is “to expose and neutralize the propaganda arm of the Left”. CNS News describe itself as a news source “for individuals, news organizations and broadcasters who put a higher premium on balance than spin and seek news that’s ignored or under-reported as a result of media bias by omission.”

In review, CNS News consistently publishes news that favors the right and denigrates the left. Headlines and articles typically use moderate loaded wording such as this: Patrick Buchanan: Has the West the Will to Survive?. Within this article there is not a single link to an external source to support Mr. Buchanan’s commentary. Further, Pat Buchanan has a mixed track record with fact checkers. In another article they use questionable language when referring to liberals/welfare recipients as thugs. News stories also typically offer limited sourcing, with most hyperlinks directing back to older CNS stories. Editorially, CNS News advocates for a free market with limited regulations as well as promotion of climate change denialism as evidenced by their support for the Heartland Institute, which is a climate change think tank funded by the fossil fuel industry.

Bias Check

Check the link, I did not copy everything. Your source is so far right, I have not yet seen another source on MBFC that is rated as far right as this one.

Edit to add:

CNS News’ parent company is conservative media watchdog Media Research Center (MRC). According to charitynavigator.org ratings, Media Research Center (MRC) was awarded with an overall 2/4 star rating and with a 1 Star financial rating. A Politico article states that Bozell keeps the wealthy donor that helped start up Media Research Center secret. To this day that donor is still unknown.

These guys are so shady, we don't even know where the money is coming from.

a reply to: SlapMonkey

How do you ignore the fact that they provide proof and numbers in each fact check?

When they talk about employment and economy they give exact percentages, and what year or few years they are referring to. If you think that is wrong, you can go check that exact percentage in that exact year.

When they talk about Coast Guard, they provide the name of the quote of the officer who denies that. They provide other names. They actually name people and sources, they don't just throw out a random number like the president did.

When they talk about the deficit they tell you what the actual numbers are, down to a decimal, and even tell you what government agency to go to to get those numbers for verification. All the information is right there.

Or are you saying that the fact checks, that have already been fact checked during the week when the news were published, need to contain ALL the links to the government pages and so on?

a reply to: Kharron

I'll put it this way--in my tenure as a professional in the legal field, first as a paralegal and then in a federal investigation division, I have cultivated a level of "proof" that generally surpasses the standard person's. Therefore, yes, I cannot accept hearsay as factual evidence.

Yes, the AP citing numbers that originate from somewhere else without providing direct links to validate those numbers falls under hearsay, just like Trump's claims fall under hearsay.

AP just saying something tantamount to, "Nuh-uh, Trump's wrong, and this is the truth because we say so," doesn't exactly satisfy my need for actual proof.

When you call yourself a fact-checking organization, you should come with better proof.

Hopefully you understand a bit better, but really, I'm finished worrying about AP's fact-checking delivery.

a reply to: Kharron

I'll see what I can dig up. Chances are they only measure the 8k/yr salary paid in services per offshore employee as the loss without consideration to these other factors. Also to be considered is it's very likely a company like Apple could misclassify the foreign employee as part time worker to drive the numbers down. A lot of factors to consider, but if I can find access to the raw data I will pivot metrics a hundred ways.

Here, I fact checked the first one to get things started. Once again all we're getting is opinions, and it's just going to end up proving AP right without any actual work done.

The fact check is from the US Census Bureau, a part of the US Department of Commerce:

The U.S. international trade deficit increased in 2017 according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis and the U.S. Census Bureau. The deficit increased from $ 504.8 billion in 2016 to $568.4 billion in 2017 , as imports increased more than exports . As a percentage of U.S. gross domestic product, the goods and services deficit was 2.9 percent in 201 7, up from 2.7 percent in 2016 . The goods deficit increased from $752.5 billion in 2016 to $811.2 billion in 2017 , and the services surplus decreased from $ 247.7 billion in 2016 to $ 242.8 billion in 2017.

Trade Deficit 2017

Can we move onto the next ones and see if they are true or not before we call them all correct?

a reply to: SlapMonkey

That is excellent, SM. Then you expertise in looking things up can help out. I posted the fact check I just did on the first one out of the eight, I went to the website they used, and pulled information from the government. It checks out, down to the decimal.

Let's do some other ones.

I know AP has persisted through some 170 years of being fact checked, but that doesn't mean we have to take everyone's word for it. Let's check ourselves.

originally posted by: drewlander
a reply to: Kharron

I'll see what I can dig up. Chances are they only measure the 8k/yr salary paid in services per offshore employee as the loss without consideration to these other factors. Also to be considered is it's very likely a company like Apple could misclassify the foreign employee as part time worker to drive the numbers down. A lot of factors to consider, but if I can find access to the raw data I will pivot metrics a hundred ways.

Meh, thank you but I just did that first one that we were talking about, straight from the people that audit everyone and do the statistics.

If you would dig on another one and try to debunk it, that wold help. Thanks.

a reply to: Kharron

I'm good at legal research, sure.

I've cultivated a good ability to apply that skill to other parts of life, yes.

But I have a life that doesn't revolve around the AP and constantly fact-checking fact checkers.

I politely decline your invitation, and in turn invite the AP to provide better proof to back up their claims better.

Best regard...I'm off to live life away from the computer.

a reply to: Kharron

Nothing is 100% legit..


The question is “is there some vast leftist conspiracy to discredit republicans and conservatives “??

Or


Is it just that the people who actually investigate these issues almost always disagree with the conservative narrative???

a reply to: JoshuaCox

Nothing. And no one -- 100% legit.

But if someone is wrong 50% of the time and someone is wrong 1% of the time, just as an example, we cannot treat those two people or two news agencies as the same. No one is perfect, but some should not be listened to at all.

a reply to: Kharron

On our trade deficit being $817b for the last year:

Trump refers only to the deficit in goods.

Which is an actual figure. He does not see a problem with trade in services. They are doing bigly. It is the other number he is concerned with as he should be. This is just looking for a Problem when there isn't one.

On blaming past administrations and laws for separating families and children:

But under U.S. protocol, if parents are jailed, their children are separated from them because the children aren’t charged with a crime.

Did you not see the video that people tried to pass off as happening under Trump when it actually happened under Obama? Children were also seperated from their parents in past administrations.

On the Coast Guard saving 16,000 people during the hurricane:

Coast Guard Petty Officer Edward Wargo of Houston said the service didn’t take note of how or why people got stranded during Harvey, but said most rescues appeared to occur within city limits and neighborhoods.

First thing is if you want to know what the Coast Guard is doing you don't ask a Petty Officer about it. You get in touch with ranking officials in the Coast Guard. Wouldn't the AP have the clout to do that?

Republican Gov. Greg Abbott said he had “no information one way or the other” about Trump’s claim that people were on the water to watch Harvey. But the outgoing speaker of the Texas House, Republican Joe Straus, rejected the idea.

And this proves what?

a reply to: JoshuaCox

That’s because other presidents used prosecutorial discretion to choose not to prosecute those with children..

So the kids in cages under President Obama was not separated from thier parents?

a reply to: highvein

No, the actual figure was $811b, so his $817b was already hyperbole on a spin statement, as if spin was not enough. I linked the report from the Department of Commerce. AP's numbers match to the decimal point.

Yes, I did see that video and it's disgusting. That is how the corporate MSM that never makes apologies or retractions tries to sway our opinions. That has nothing to do with this fact check, however.

Yes, taking the word of one Petty Officer is not enough. Maybe that is why they also included the Governor. The Governor, being a politician, did not call Trump a liar but did not confirm his claim either.

This proves that there is no proof of any 16,000 people saved by the Coast Guard, who were there to watch the hurricane.

a reply to: highvein

No they were from situations where an additional crime was committed..

originally posted by: JoshuaCox
a reply to: highvein

No they were from situations where an additional crime was committed..

Or from repeat offenders who were prosecuted for more than a misdemeanor. I'm not discounting that the Obama admin may have separated kids in some instances too, but it did not create policies that would intentionally create such a crisis as this one, only to blame it all on Bush.

Whatever drove Trump and Sessions to do this, it's their doing. Man up, apologize, fix it and move on.

a reply to: Kharron

No, the actual figure was $811b, so his $817b was already hyperbole on a spin statement, as if spin was not enough. I linked the report from the Department of Commerce. AP's numbers match to the decimal point

Margin of error seems to be in the right ballpark. Not a big deal, unless someone just wants to make it a big deal.

Yes, I did see that video and it's disgusting. That is how the corporate MSM that never makes apologies or retractions tries to sway our opinions. That has nothing to do with this fact check, however.

What fact? That children were separated from their parents by previous administrations as well? Or that it was Session's call? This is ridiculously reaching.

Yes, taking the word of one Petty Officer is not enough. Maybe that is why they also included the Governor. The Governor, being a politician, did not call Trump a liar but did not confirm his claim either.

So since the Governor could neither deny or confirm on the Coast Guard which is part of the U.S. Military it means that Trump was wrong? Like I said before this just trying to find something to complain about. It has partisan written all over it.

a reply to: Kharron

Trying to fact check Trump is like trying to verify articles from The Onion.

I applaud your effort though.

a reply to: Kharron

I was agreeing with you lol.

a reply to: Kharron

I was agreeing with you lol.

a reply to: JoshuaCox

There was an objective change in the enforcement of the law..

The number of children seperated and tax dollars spent housing them went up literally a thousand fold..




That makes any change in number trump’s fault..


That makes no assumption about the policy good or bad.. it just is.