BRANSTAD LAUNCHES NEW AD WITH MORE EMPTY PROMISES
Candidate Terry Branstad launches a new ad entitled “I know Iowa,” highlighting more of his empty, political promises Iowans know he won’t be able to keep.
“Branstad keeps making these promises. Well, he made similar promises during campaigns before and failed to keep them. To Branstad, these are just empty, political promises made on the campaign trail and it’s clear from his record that he has no intention of keeping them.” said Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Michael Kiernan.
FACT CHECK: "I KNOW IOWA"
PROMISE: "We can create 200,000 jobs."
FACT: Branstad could have used his time as governor to create new jobs, but he didn’t. In 1982 he promised to create 180,000 new jobs in five years(1) but less than 100,000 were created.(2) Then again in 1994 he promised to create 300,000 new jobs, less than half that number were created. (3)
PROMISE: "We can grow family incomes by 25%."
FACT:Sixteen years ago Branstad could have worked to raise median household income in Iowa to $40,000 in four years like he promised, but he didn’t.(4)
PROMISE: "We can make our education system the best in America."
FACT:Branstad could have given Iowans a world-class education system, but he didn’t. From the mid-1980’s to mid-1990’s the high school graduation rate fell by 5%, reading scores dropped, and teacher pay plummeted from $1,700 to $5000 below the national average.(5) If that isn’t bad enough, Branstad has now come out against public preschool.
PROMISE: "We can reduce the size and cost of government."
FACT:Terry Branstad could have balanced budgets and reduced government spending, but he didn’t. Instead, Branstad increased the state budget in every year but one of his 16 years in office. He more than doubled state spending to over $4 billion.
Sources:
- Des Moines Register, 1/21/10
- Iowa Workforce Development, “Seasonally Adjusted (Rounded) Summary 1976- 2008”
- Radio Iowa, 11/1/09
- Radio Iowa, 11/1/09
- National Center for Education Statistics