The Ledger
Every statement that passed quotation and attribution checks. Mix any filter with any other: certainty 1/5, debate potential 5/5, or both at once.
why aren't all 31 resolved? a statement only gets an assessment when the public record can support or contradict it. opinions and what-ifs never can, and 0 checkable ones are still open, waiting for their date. predictions held up or didn't; assertions are supported or contradicted. on every card: ▮▮▮▮▮ certainty · ▮▮▮▮▮ debate potential. speakers are clickable
Phillips predicts Biden is the only Democrat who will lose to Trump
“And I have to say, I think it's fair to say too he's probably the only Democrat who could and will lose to Donald Trump in 2024.”
Phillips accuses LVMH of breaking promises during Belvedere Vodka acquisition
“They were very disingenuous. And it deeply troubles me to this day. The way that my father was treated the promises that were made simply to get a deal done and then not kept I think is a reflection on principle, and I'll leave it at that.”
Phillips: 75% of Americans agree Biden cannot continue leading the country
“But do I think that he will be in a position to continue leading this country in the future? I do not. I think I'm joined by about 75% of the country, in saying that.”
Phillips: Most in Congress expected Biden not to run in 2024
“Most members of Congress thought he was going to stand down. That's why Newsom and Pritzker and Whitmer and so many others were kind of making their plans.”
Phillips: Would deploy U.S. Special Forces to rescue American hostages
“I would, absolutely. It is the, it is incumbent on the president of the United States to extract Americans being held against their will by any foreign entity.”
Phillips: Israelis should hold an election to replace Benjamin Netanyahu
“And concurrently, it is time for Israelis to call an election to replace Benjamin Netanyahu because he is absolutely part of Israel's security problem.”
Phillips: US national health insurance program would not require tax increase
“The money's in the system. Would not require a tax increase. I think we could actually save substantial money.”
Phillips: Democratic and Republican parties act as a monopoly to prevent competition
“These are two private corporations. I mean, they are a duopoly, but when you really get down to it is a monopoly because they do work together, collude, if you will, to prevent competition”
Dean Phillips calls PAC check transfers before committee hearings legal corruption
“That a PAC representing a special interest or corporation can hand a 5000 dollar check to a member of Congress at a steakhouse on Wednesday evening And then that member serves on a committee in which that business or special interest has business in front of t…”
Whitmer and Pritzker refused Phillips's calls and asked to remain unnamed
“I called Gretchen Whitmer. I called J.B. Pritzker. I made public calls to the candidates whose names are better known than me to jump in. You know, the water's warm, you guys. It's a Democratic primary. That's what we do. Not only did those two not take my cal…”
Phillips: Getting on primary ballots in New York or Virginia costs $500k
“New York, Virginia 450 to 500,000 dollars to pay consulting firms, to pay people 25, 26 dollars per signature to just sit outside and just say, hey, can we get your signature to get this guy on a ballot?”
Zuckerberg told Phillips that verifying Facebook accounts is a competitive disadvantage
“I asked Mark Zuckerberg after a financial services hearing a couple years ago, you know, why, why doesn't Facebook just verify accounts, make this so much easier to hold people accountable and have higher standards of accountability? And he said it would be a …”
Phillips: Biden will likely match Trump's $7 trillion deficit addition
“That's why Trump added seven trillion dollars to the deficit. And that's why Biden will probably end, you know, add about that much as well.”
Phillips: 73% of New Hampshire Democratic voters oppose Biden nomination
“And by the way, Joe Biden, 27%. 73% of New Hampshire Democratic voters do not want the sitting President of the United States as their nominee.”
Phillips claims US lawmakers spend 10,000 hours weekly on fundraising
“10,000 hours per week is what senators and House members spend raising money.”
Phillips: Biden was the only Democrat who could beat Trump in 2020
“I think he was the only man that could have defeated Donald Trump in 2020.”
Phillips: Campaign needs $5 million just to get on primary ballots
“And we would need it, we would need a, well, we're going to have to raise probably six, maybe, I'm sorry, maybe, maybe, maybe less than that, maybe five million dollars. We have a staff of three people right now, and legal counsel, just to get my name on a pri…”
Phillips: Marianne Williamson will fail to get on state primary ballots
“Marianne Williamson? You know, she, she's not gonna be able to.”
Phillips: China faces an economic bubble that will dwarf US bubbles
“China, you all know, has significant, they have a bubble they're facing that will make ours in look like a gumball by comparison. And that is coming down the pipe.”
Phillips: Iran inspired Hamas attack to prevent Saudi-Israel normalization
“And that was exactly why I believe, whether it's implicit or explicit, Iran inspired Hamas to do this then”
Phillips: Social Security faces ~25% benefit cuts by 2033
“Social Security, the trust fund, will face probably reductions in 25, about 25% cut levels by twenty-thirty-three, based on the current path.”
Phillips estimates only five members of Congress can read a financial statement
“There's not a, there may be five people that can read a P&L or a balance sheet in the whole damn Congress.”
Phillips agrees with Bernie Sanders that the Democratic primary system is rigged
“Bernie Sanders was absolutely right about a rigged system that is keeping people out of the process, keeping candidates out of the process, and keeping debate out of the process.”
Phillips: Dual-competitor consumer markets create openings for premium luxury products
“Because what we found is in every category, every consumer product category in which there are two main competitors, Coke and Pepsi, Stoli Absolute, Ben and Jerry's and Haagen-Dazs, they tend to fight to the bottom. Lower pricing you know, frankly demeaning co…”
Phillips: Security is currently the largest expense in his campaign budget
“And biggest line item in my budget right now, by the way, is security. The biggest line item, the second biggest line item that's going to surpass that is getting onto the ballot.”
Dean Phillips: US operates 750 bases across 80 countries worldwide
“We have 750 bases and installations around the world in 80 countries.”
Phillips: 25% of Americans are covered by single-payer healthcare systems
“Between Medicare and the VA, which are single-payer systems, 25% of Americans right now are covered by a single-payer system”
Phillips: US pays teachers about 81% of per capita GDP
“The United States of America right now, we pay about 81% Of the per capita GDP to teachers for compensation.”
Phillips: Polling at 15% in New Hampshire two weeks after launch
“I, by the way, I'm at 15% in New Hampshire after just two weeks.”