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A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center

FactCheck Mailbag, Week of Aug. 17-Aug. 23


This week, readers sent us comments about the Pentagon "mosque" and Social Security privatization. Readers also felt our coverage was too local and too pro-Republican, and not too local and not too pro-Republican.

In the FactCheck Mailbag, we feature some of the e-mail we receive. Readers can send comments to editor@factcheck.org. Letters may be edited for length.

‘Mosque’ Definitions

I thought your answer about the "Pentagon Mosque" was misleading ["No Pentagon Mosque," Aug. 17]. There is a "mosque" in the Pentagon in exactly the same sense that the planned community center a few blocks from the World Trade Center site will also contain a "mosque," and that is the point that Nadler and others were making. So it would be important to point out that, by your definition, there is no "mosque" planned for the community center near the World Trade Center site, either.

Hollie Conley
New York, N.Y.

FactCheck.org responds: The Pentagon’s non-denominational chapel serves Muslim, Jewish, Hindu and Christian (Catholic, Protestant and Mormon) employees. It is not a mosque — a Muslim place of prayer — any more than it is a synagogue, a church or a temple.

 

State Races

I have your website among others come up whenever I open my browser. However, I am beginning to wonder how you pick your issues. They are often too local to some state for me to be interested. I would prefer it if you had only a national focus. My other preference is that you also report the accurate statements as well. The reason for this is that I bet that there are a lot more inaccurate statements by public figures than you report on. And your not reporting on them suggests that you think that these statements are right.

Mike Angelastro
Salt Lake City, Utah

Thanks for being there. I am a California voter and I read your website almost every single day. It is always amazing to me how all these political ads on TV can stretch the truth or just plain, out right, lie just to get someone elected.

I look forward to reading more about the lies and half truths the current California candidates are hurling at each other. In fact, I wish your website had a state by state section for people to check to see if their own state’s candidates are really telling the truth.

Mark Montembeau
Corona, Calif.

 

Private Wishes for Privatization

I think that you have really been sucker-punched on this one ["Obama’s (Latest) Social Security Whopper," Aug. 16]. Paul Ryan is the acknowledged "big idea man" for the GOP. He clearly wants to privatize Social Security. So do many other top Republicans. They are not total fools, however, and know that under current conditions they cannot make that happen.

So they are all joined in part of the great lie that Social Security is about to go bust. In order to save it, they have to make major changes. Allowing some private investments would be just the way to crack the nut.

I wish you would survey Republicans and see how many would like to see that change — not privatizing, because even the Tea Party nuts will not buy into that. But privatize a piece of it. If that ever happens, they will be able to bring the whole thing down.

You come across as clueless on this one.

Jim Davis
Ft. Worth, Texas

 

Always Against Democrats, Except When Never Against Democrats

I was told about your site by a friend who said he thought it was non-partisan. Every one of your "FactCheck Articles" on your home page is pro-Republican/anti-Democrat. As a centrist, I welcome differing points of view but when they are obviously ALL partisan, I cannot hope for unbiased reporting.

This was the first time I visited your site and it will be the last.

Linda Heimer
New York, N.Y.

THANK YOU for exposing something about President Obama! I don’t think I’ve ever read anything publicized here about Obama and little negative published about Democrats. Thanks again.

Deborah Presson
Charlotte, N.C.