Donald Trump
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“We're going to balance the budget 'pretty quickly'... I would get it done within 15 years, but I'd have it done within 8 years.”
“This is going to be one of the great gifts to the middle-income people of this country.”
Promised to eliminate the national debt, then signed tax legislation projected to add nearly $2 trillion to it, and the deficit surpassed $3 trillion by 2020
“I'm not going to cut Social Security like every other Republican, and I'm not going to cut Medicare or Medicaid.”
“This is a great plan. I actually think it will get even better.”
Made an explicit, repeated campaign promise not to cut Medicaid, then supported legislation that would have cut it by $880 billion
“I think the minimum wage has to go up. People are — at least $10, but it has to go up.”
“I hate to say it, but we have to leave it the way it is. People have to go out, they have to work really hard and have to get into that upper stratum.”
Took diametrically opposed positions on the minimum wage within months, depending on the audience and political moment
“President Barack Obama was born in the United States. Period.”
“An 'extremely credible source' has called my office and told me that @BarackObama's birth certificate is a fraud.”
Led a years-long campaign questioning Obama's birthplace, then abruptly reversed with no apology or explanation when it became politically necessary for the general election