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 …
FactCheck Mailbag, Week of March 15-21
This week, readers sent us comments about U.S. oil imports and the Wisconsin budget battle.
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.
Congressional Reform Act
Q: What about the "Congressional Reform Act of 2011"?
A: A viral e-mail calls for fixing some abuses and excesses that don’t exist, repeating misinformed claims that we’ve addressed before.
March 18: Oil Imports, Joblessness, Foreign Aid
This Could Be You
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Barbour Inflates Obama’s Job Losses
Haley Barbour grossly exaggerated the nation’s job losses under President Barack Obama in a March 14 speech in Chicago.
Speaking to the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, the Republican governor of Mississippi urged his audience to look at the Obama administration’s record "in the last two years" on spending and job creation.
Barbour, March 14: Well, let’s look at their record: in the last two years the federal government spent $7 trillion and our economy lost 7 million jobs.
FactCheck Mailbag, Week of March 8-14
This week, readers praised our article on Social Security and also sent comments about Rep. Ron Paul, unions, budget cuts and other readers’ comments.
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.
Obama, McConnell Take Oil Import Data for Spin
President Barack Obama and Sen. Mitch McConnell used the same data to score apparently conflicting points about U.S. dependency on foreign oil. Obama said oil imports account for less than half of consumption, while McConnell said 60 percent of our oil comes from abroad.
Both can claim to be correct, depending on how you interpret the data. But Obama was using the figure preferred by energy experts.
With gas prices rising, the United States’ dependence on imported oil is once again in the spotlight and has been the source of debate between the two parties in Washington.
March 11: Health Care, WI Tax Cuts, Crossroads GPS
Funding Mosques Overseas
Q: Is President Obama using tax dollars to rebuild mosques around the world?
A: Yes — and to rebuild historic churches and temples as well. The State Department’s program to preserve overseas cultural landmarks started funding projects under President Bush in 2001.