Economy & business fact checks

“Walmart must pay $500 to U.S. families who made purchases in 2022.”

Publisher’s rating: False

“Joe Biden could cost Pennsylvania 600,000 jobs" due to a ban on fracking.

Publisher’s rating: Misleading

FactCheck.org examined a June 4, 2020, ad from America First Action that linked a clip of Joe Biden discussing fossil fuels to the claim that he could cost Pennsylvania 600,000 jobs. In the clip, from a July 2019 CNN debate, Biden said fossil fuels would be “eliminated.” The review notes that the ad used an abbreviated exchange and that Biden’s campaign clarified his position after the debate: he supported a transition to a clean-energy economy and ending fossil-fuel subsidies, but not a complete ban on fossil fuels or fracking. The review traced the job-loss figure to a December 2019 U.S. Chamber of Commerce Global Energy Institute paper. That paper analyzed a nationwide ban on fracking, estimating that such a ban imposed in 2021 would eliminate 19 million jobs by 2025, including nearly 609,000 in Pennsylvania. The figure therefore described a scenario in which all fracking stopped—not the policy Biden’s campaign said he supported. The review also distinguishes Biden’s proposal to prohibit new oil and gas permitting on public lands and waters from a nationwide ban. It reports that most fracking was done on private or state-owned land, which would not be stopped under the announced plan. Although the review notes that Biden had made imprecise statements about ending fossil fuels and “no new fracking,” it concludes that his stated plan would not eliminate fracking completely or produce the ad’s claimed Pennsylvania job losses.

“Teachers can only deduct up to $250 for school supplies on their taxes, but billionaires can write off the entire cost of a private jet.”

Publisher’s rating: Mostly True

"Congress rejects $336 (per) month increase in" Social Security and disability benefits "but approves $8,872 (per) month increase for themselves."

Publisher’s rating: False

“Americans who worked through the pandemic are being paid up to $26,000 by qualifying for the Employee Retention Credit.”

Publisher’s rating: False

"After years and years of wage stagnation, we are finally seeing rising wages."

Publisher’s rating: To know is to see the face of God

"The Build Back Better Act ... reduces the deficit over the long-term. It’s fully paid for."

Publisher’s rating: CBO Disagrees

Potato chips, KitKat bars and Viagra are not taxed in Wisconsin because they are considered "essential."

Publisher’s rating: True

“A new, independent study put out last week found that at least 55 of our largest corporations used various loopholes to pay zero federal income tax in 2020.”

Publisher’s rating: Mostly True

“Joe Biden announced that the U.S. dollar will now become cryptocurrency.”

Publisher’s rating: False

Ukurasa wa Facebook unaoiga TALA na kutoa mikopo na zawadi

Publisher’s rating: Hoax

The government has approved a second round of coronavirus stimulus payments to everyone who signs up — and the money will be forthcoming in “5-7 business days.”

Publisher’s rating: False

“We have an America where … hard-working families have flat wages.”

Publisher’s rating: False

“There’s an Amazon distribution center that was advertising, last time I was there, up to $12.75 an hour. Your parents made that three decades ago.”

Publisher’s rating: Mostly True

“Mark Cuban’s net worth takes a $1 billion hit after controversial endorsement” of Kamala Harris

Publisher’s rating: False

“By our estimates, 75 percent of late fees —$9 billion — have no purpose beyond padding the credit card companies’ profits.”

Publisher’s rating: Not the whole story

"Under [Vice President] Kamala [Harris], we have fallen into manufacturing recession with 13,000 manufacturing jobs lost in the United States since just the start of this year."

Publisher’s rating: Spins the Facts

Says Joe Biden and Kamala Harris would raise the federal income tax rate for a person with a bi-weekly gross salary of $3,000 to 39.6%, costing “nearly half your paycheck.”

Publisher’s rating: False

“Wisconsin Governor (Tony) Evers wanted to raise your taxes by $1 billion in a pandemic. Republicans stopped him and delivered the largest tax CUT in state history.”

Publisher’s rating: Mostly True

“We have a national debt the size of our nation’s economy for the first time since World War II.”

Publisher’s rating: Half True