DeSantis’ Assertions on Domestic Energy Production
During the recent CNN town hall in Iowa, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a potential GOP presidential candidate, pledged to boost domestic energy production to reduce gas prices. However, this claim is somewhat misleading. Despite DeSantis’ assertions, the U.S. has already achieved a record level of oil production under President Joe Biden, even surpassing the output during Donald Trump’s presidency. The U.S. currently outpaces all other countries in oil production, with daily output exceeding the previous annual record set in 2019 by half a million barrels. However, U.S. gas prices are largely influenced by the global oil market, making it challenging to achieve true energy independence. Factors such as Russia’s war on Ukraine or OPEC’s decisions to cut oil production significantly impact the global price of oil, which in turn determines U.S. gas prices.
Florida’s Economic Performance Under DeSantis
DeSantis also claimed that Florida’s economy is the best among all 50 states and that its unemployment rate is significantly lower than states like California. While CNBC did rank Florida’s economy as the top in the nation in a July article, DeSantis’ comparison of Florida’s unemployment rate with California’s was somewhat exaggerated. As of October, Florida’s unemployment rate was 2.8%, approximately 42% lower than California’s 4.8%, not 60% as DeSantis claimed. Furthermore, while Florida did exhibit strong year-over-year job growth and real GDP growth, it also struggled with inflation, particularly in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater metro areas.
DeSantis’ Claims on Rising Grocery Prices
DeSantis asserted that grocery prices have surged by 50%, 75%, or even 100%. However, this claim is inaccurate. While food prices have indeed increased due to inflation, the rise is nowhere near the percentages DeSantis suggested. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, food prices in the U.S. increased by 2.9% for the year ended in November, and overall, food prices have risen 26% since November 2019.
DeSantis’ Role in Rescuing Americans from Israel
DeSantis claimed that he rescued Americans in Israel following the October 7 Hamas attack, alleging that the U.S. State Department and embassy in Israel were not providing assistance. However, this claim is both inaccurate and lacking in context. The U.S. government did arrange charter flights for Americans wishing to leave Israel after the attack. DeSantis did declare a state of emergency in Florida, allowing him to access a $500 million fund to evacuate people from Israel to Tampa, but this occurred after the U.S. government had already begun its evacuation efforts.
DeSantis’ Views on Life Expectancy and Social Security
DeSantis criticized the idea of raising the retirement age, citing declining life expectancy in the U.S. While it’s true that life expectancy has dropped during the Covid-19 pandemic, it began to rebound in 2022, according to the CDC. However, the current life expectancy is still lower than it has been in roughly 20 years.
When asked about protecting Social Security for future generations, DeSantis blamed Congress for the program’s financial troubles. However, his explanation is not entirely accurate. While the federal government has borrowed from Social Security, the main issue threatening the program’s solvency is demographic changes, with fewer workers supporting a growing number of beneficiaries.