Conflicting, false and misleading statements on oil production and gasoline prices have become the currency of politicians lately, as oil tops $100 per barrel and gasoline hovers near $4 per gallon. Among some of the claims that got our attention …
Stories by Eugene Kiely
Director, FactCheck.org
March 18: Oil Imports, Joblessness, Foreign Aid
This Could Be You
Our “Spotlight” feature is designed to give credit to those who help us hold politicians accountable. So, watch this spot.
If you send us campaign materials that contain false or misleading information and we write about them, then we may write about you – with your permission, of course.
Click here for more information on how to be a Spin Detector. Thanks. And good luck!
March 11: Health Care, WI Tax Cuts, Crossroads GPS
No Secret: Bachmann Gets It Wrong
Rep. Michele Bachmann's claim that Democrats "secretly" hid $105 billion in health care spending is way off base. It's true that the new health care law contains many billions in future spending, but there was no secret about that.
The Minnesota Republican told "Meet the Press" host David Gregory that "secretly, unbeknownst to members of Congress, over $105 billion was hidden in the Obamacare legislation to fund the implementation of Obamacare." But the truth is that much,
Walker’s Tax Cuts
It’s not true that Gov. Scott Walker’s tax cuts are the cause of Wisconsin’s current budget deficit — a false claim widely spread by MSNBC‘s Rachel Maddow and repeated in numerous e-mails to us since we wrote about the state’s budget problems earlier this week. In fact, the state’s nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau estimates the tax cuts won’t add a penny to the current year’s $137 million deficit.
Here’s a typical question that we have fielded since our article ran:
Q: How do the $140 billion [sic] in tax breaks that Walker gave out in January 2011 affect the Wisconsin deficit?
March 4: Social Security, Obesity, Obama ‘Report Card’
Wisconsin’s Baffling Budget Battle
The budget battle in Wisconsin has generated much confusion and misinformation, as we have seen in e-mails from our readers in recent days: The state is not on track to end this fiscal year with “a slight surplus.” It is facing a $137 million deficit …
Christie Misrepresents State Workers’ Contract
Chris Christie is misrepresenting the facts about New Jersey union contract negotiations under his predecessor.
Christie has been battling state unions since becoming New Jersey governor in 2010. On CBS’ "Face the Nation" Feb. 27, he exaggerated the generosity of contract terms negotiated (and renegotiated) by Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine’s administration. He also misquoted Corzine’s comments at a state worker rally.
Christie and host Bob Schieffer discussed the budget showdown in Wisconsin and whether state workers had the right to collective bargaining.
Feb. 25: IRS, U.S. Popularity, Federal Spending