Early on Tuesday morning, President Joe Biden launched his 2024 re-election bid via a three-minute video posted across social media. Like his gaffe-filled presidential speeches, the campaign clip is riddled with false claims about Biden's political opponents.
Freedom
"Freedom" is the video's title and the very first word uttered by Biden, flashing on the screen, about 10 seconds in. "Personal freedom is fundamental to who we are as Americans. There's nothing more important. Nothing more sacred," Biden's booming voice-over narrated. "That's been the work of my first term: To fight for our democracy. This shouldn't be a red or blue issue."
"The question we are facing is whether in the years ahead we have more freedom or less freedom, more rights or fewer," the 80-year-old stated. "I know what I want the answer to be. This is not a time to be complacent. That's why I'm running for reelection."
In a tweet Tuesday morning, Biden echoed his sentiments on standing up for "fundamental freedoms."
Every generation has a moment where they have had to stand up for democracy. To stand up for their fundamental freedoms. I believe this is ours.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) April 25, 2023
That’s why I’m running for reelection as President of the United States. Join us. Let’s finish the job. https://t.co/V9Mzpw8Sqy pic.twitter.com/Y4NXR6B8ly
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As Katie pointed out, vaccine-obsessed Biden, the so-called leader of the free world, issued a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for federal workers, ordering that all employees were required to get vaxxed against the coronavirus or be subject to disciplinary action, which included termination. Likewise, in an affront to individual autonomy and those bravely fighting for America's freedom, Biden imposed a military-wide vaccine mandate, causing thousands of U.S. military personnel to have been discharged or sidelined for refusing the jab. Biden's administration also sought to enforce a draconian vaccine-or-test mandate on private businesses through the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), but the move was deemed illegal.
Social Security
Attacking GOP leadership, Biden claimed, "But you know, around the country, MAGA extremists are lining up to take those bedrock freedoms away," which the octogenarian alleged included "cutting Social Security that you've paid for your entire life."
Townhall previously debunked this oft-repeated claim that Biden regurgitates in office and on the 2024 campaign trail. The majority of conservative lawmakers aren't on board with sunsetting Social Security and Medicare as Republican top brass has repeatedly declared that mainstream GOP members have no intention of ending these generations-old federal entitlements.
Language in Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL)'s "11-Point Plan to Rescue America," which proposes that "All federal legislation sunsets in 5 years. If a law is worth keeping, Congress can pass it again," gave Biden an entry point for attack. Scott, who has insisted he wants to "preserve" Social Security and Medicare, later clarified that his multi-pronged plan is meant to examine and reform these federal programs, not eliminate them altogether. Republican leaders have strongly disavowed Scott's proposal with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) insisting that cuts to the old-age programs are "off the table" and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) asserting it's "the Rick Scott plan," "not a Republican plan" or "part of a Republican Senate majority agenda."
Joe Biden is LIAR. #SOTU
— House Republicans (@HouseGOP) February 8, 2023
"Cuts to Medicare and Social Security they are off the table." - @SpeakerMcCarthy pic.twitter.com/DamVCUFkz7
When asked about Sen. Rick Scott's agenda, @LeaderMcConnell: "We will not have as part of our agenda a bill that raises taxes on half the American people and sunsets Social Security and Medicare within five years. That will not be part of the Republican Senate Majority Agenda." pic.twitter.com/XN7q9Kc6b4
— CSPAN (@cspan) March 1, 2022
While he's frequently suggested that Republicans want to put both Medicare and Social Security on the chopping block, Biden himself had introduced legislation in 1975 when the then-senator of Delaware pushed a bill requiring all federal programs to sunset after four years. "It requires every program to be looked at freshly at least once every four years," Biden said of the bill.
.@JoeBiden in 1975 on his bill to sunset all federal legislation: "it requires every program to be looked at freshly at least once every four years. The examination is not just of the increased cost of the program, but of the worthiness of the entire program."
— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) February 8, 2023
Did he forget? pic.twitter.com/27NN15cYBZ
"The examination is not just of the increased cost of the program, but of the worthiness of the entire program," Biden argued back then, according to a copy of the congressional record. In the 1990s, Biden elucidated on the Senate floor: "When I argued that we should freeze federal spending, I meant Social Security as well. I meant Medicare and Medicaid," plus benefits for veterans, too.
Speaking of people who want to cut Social Security, Medicare, and Veteran benefits… #SOTU #sotu2023 pic.twitter.com/hRmvLcU2DY
— Wade Miller (@WadeMiller_USMC) February 8, 2023
'Book Bans'
Moments after the false Social Security claim, Biden alleged that "MAGA extremists" across America are "banning books."
Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) set the record straight after the mainstream media, teacher's unions, and leftist activists pushed the hoax of "empty libraries" and drummed up political theater pretending that Florida's schools are not allowed to teach topics like African American history and slavery. According to the Florida Department of Education's social-studies requirements, the African people's passage to America, enslavement, and abolition are all mandated topics under the required instructional Florida statute, 1003.42(2)(h). The state's DOE outlines education standards by grade level on the subject of African American history, which include teaching students about the civil rights movement and how Jim Crow laws discriminated against black Americans.
As for the 175 books that were removed, 153 of them (87%) were identified as pornographic, violent, or age-inappropriate material. The following are examples of books containing pornographic content that were found by parents in Florida's schools:
- Gender Queer: A Memoir, which shows sexually explicit illustrations
- Flamer, a graphic book about young boys performing sexual acts at a summer camp
- This Book Is Gay, which provides instructions on "the ins and outs of gay sex" and discusses the gay hook-up app Grindr
- Let's Talk About It, a graphic novel—that's supposed to be "a teen's guide"—covering "kinks, fantasies, and porn"
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