Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida introduced his presidential bid on Wednesday night time in a livestream on Twitter that was delayed by technical difficulties and peppered with often deceptive claims.
Right here’s a reality verify of a few of his claims.
What WAS Stated
“Biden’s additionally politicized the army and induced recruiting to plummet.”
This lacks proof. Army leaders have not too long ago warned that a number of branches of the armed forces are struggling to satisfy recruiting targets, however the causes they’ve cited have little to do with President Biden. Specifically, many youthful People merely fail to qualify.
A 2020 Pentagon research discovered that simply 23 p.c of 17- to 24-year-olds can meet service requirements, with many failing the army’s entrance exams or health and psychological checks. That price decreased by 6 p.c from the earlier research in 2017.
Military leaders addressed recruiting points in a congressional listening to in April, noting that the problem has been ongoing.
“The troublesome recruiting panorama we face didn’t occur in a yr, and it’s going to take us greater than a yr to show this round,” stated Christine Wormuth, the secretary of the military.
Ms. Wormuth additionally famous {that a} Pentagon survey of two,400 individuals ages 16 to twenty-eight had requested about obstacles to enlisting. Respondents cited worry of harm and dying as the highest concern whereas cultural and political points — “wokeness within the army or the Covid vaccine mandate, for instance — these have been comparatively low on the listing of boundaries to service,” she stated.
What WAS Stated
“In Florida, our crime price is at a 50-year low. You take a look at the highest 25 cities for crime in America, Florida doesn’t rank amongst the highest 25.”
That is largely true. The state’s crime price did fall to a 50-year low in 2021, however Mr. DeSantis omits an enormous caveat: Many regulation enforcement companies within the state switched to a special reporting methodology and the information is provisional and incomplete in lots of circumstances, The Tampa Bay Instances reported.
Information from simply 59 p.c of Florida companies masking 57.5 p.c of the inhabitants was used for the state’s complete mixture crime price in 2021. That mirrors a nationwide development: Throughout the nation, practically 40 p.c of regulation enforcement companies did not report 2021 crime knowledge due to the brand new methodology.
No Florida metropolis ranked close to the highest for violent crime price compiled by personal corporations and information retailers. Nevertheless it’s price noting the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prison justice consultants have additionally lengthy suggested towards evaluating crime charges throughout cities, given the huge variation in inhabitants measurement and demographics.
What WAS Stated
“No one in all probability has made Disney more cash than me as a result of they have been open throughout Covid. They usually have been closed in California and that went on for a lot of, many months the place actually, I had all of the theme parks in Florida opened in 2020.”
That is exaggerated. Disney World in Florida closed on March 15, 2020, together with each different Disney theme park worldwide. It reopened in July, after being shut down for 4 months. Disney resorts in Paris, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Tokyo additionally reopened in 2020 after being closed for months. Disneyland in California reopened April 30, 2021, after a yearlong shutdown, the longest among the many Disney resorts, as soon as the state allowed theme parks to welcome again guests.
Mr. DeSantis can be downplaying his personal actions throughout the coronavirus pandemic. He issued an government order on April 1, 2020, directing all residents in Florida to “restrict their actions and private interactions outdoors of their residence to solely these needed.” Whereas the order didn’t explicitly shut theme parks, it restricted openings to important companies and actions, and prohibited gatherings of greater than 10 individuals. The order expired on Might 1.
What WAS Stated
“The entire ebook ban factor is a hoax. There’s not been a single ebook banned within the state of Florida. You possibly can go purchase or use no matter ebook you need.”
That is deceptive. There was no statewide ban of a ebook, however Mr. DeSantis is vastly enjoying down the extent to which particular person college districts and libraries in elements of the state have eliminated books. In truth, Florida ranks second, behind Texas, because the state with essentially the most bans at 357, in keeping with PEN America, a nonprofit that helps free expression.
Laws signed by Mr. DeSantis limiting dialogue of sexual orientation, gender identification and race has led academics and administrations to take away books.
Books which were faraway from cabinets in Florida embody an image ebook about two male penguins elevating a chick, Toni Morrison’s “The Bluest Eye” and Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Story.”
Read the full article here
