On Connecticut Public Broadcasting, Managing Editor Lori Robertson explains the “chained” Consumer Price Index proposal in President Obama’s budget. Critics of the change in Social Security cost-of-living calculations say seniors’ medical costs cause their cost of living to rise more quickly than that of other consumers. But economists haven’t found solid evidence of that.
For more, see our Dec. 11, 2012, article, “Chained Explained.”
Managing Editor Lori Robertson tells Connecticut Public Broadcasting about House Republicans’ misleading Twitter claims that the Obama administration is spending $1.2 million “paying people to play video games.” The money in question went to university research on how video games can stimulate the cognitive abilities of seniors.
For more on this issue, see our Feb. 22 story, “Paying People to Play Video Games.“
On Connecticut Public Broadcasting, Managing Editor Lori Robertson talks about how both sides of the gun-control debate are selectively quoting from studies on the effectiveness of the 1994 assault weapons ban. The head of the NRA, Wayne LaPierre, claimed the studies found the ban “had no impact on lowering crime,” while Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein said the ban did reduce crime. Both are wrong. The studies could not conclude that the ban was responsible for a national drop in gun violence, but a 2004 report also said it was “premature to make definitive assessments.”
For more on this issue, see our Feb. 1 story, “Did the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban Work?”
On WCBS radio, FactCheck.org Director Eugene Kiely discusses Sen. Chris Murphy’s claim that NRA executives “pay their salaries” by taking “a cut” of assault weapons sales. Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat, cites the NRA’s so-called round-up program as evidence that the gun-rights group “does not represent gun owners anymore.”
The fact is that some gun customers voluntarily contribute to one of two NRA organizations during gun sales and much of that money helps fund community programs, such as gun safety, law enforcement training and hunter education.
For our full article on this topic see “Do Assault Weapons Sales Pay NRA Salaries?“
On Connecticut Public Broadcasting, Managing Editor Lori Robertson discusses the resurgence of old, viral email claims about the Affordable Care Act. Bogus emails claim the law would deny dialysis to Medicare patients, or have a government committee decide what treatment anyone can receive. That’s not true.
For more on viral claims about the federal health care law, see our April 20, 2012, Ask FactCheck, “ ‘Death Panels’ Redux” and our Aug. 28, 2009, article, “Twenty-six Lies About H.R. 3200.”
FactCheck.org Managing Editor Lori Robertson talks to WCBS radio about work requirements and food stamps. Mitt Romney claimed that President Obama caused a doubling of able-bodied persons on food stamps by taking “work out of the food stamps requirement.” That’s an exaggeration.
For Lori’s article on food stamps, see “Romney’s Food Stamp Stretch.”
| “ | Why is that worth noting? Does it change the facts? | ” |
