This week, readers sent us comments about health care premiums, earmarks and other people’s letters.
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.
Month: November 2010
The TSA ‘Strip Search’ That Wasn’t
Republican Rep. Jason Chaffetz of Utah tweeted Nov. 21 that an airport security officer strip-searched a young boy. Chaffetz linked to a YouTube video that showed a shirtless boy being searched at a Utah airport. But the lawmaker jumped to a false conclusion. Both the Transportation Security Administration and the person who videotaped the incident say the boy’s father removed his son’s shirt, not TSA officers.
Chaffetz’s mis-tweet is just one example of the recent outcry against the TSA’s new imaging machines and pat-down techniques.
FactCheck Mailbag, Week of Nov. 16-Nov. 22
This week, readers sent us comments about economic projections, health insurance premiums and the dollar value of earmarks.
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.
News
December 16, 2010
We have now posted video of the conference. All four parts can also be found here.
Brooks Jackson’s opening remarks, Ilyse Hogue of MoveOn.org and Khalid Pitts of the Service Employees International Union.
Khalid Pitts of SEIU, Art Pulaski of the California Labor Federation and questions from the audience.
Carl Forti of American Crossroads, Brad Todd of OnMessage Inc. and Rob Collins of American Action Network.
Rob Collins of American Action Network, questions from the audience and closing remarks from Kathleen Hall Jamieson of the Annenberg Public Policy Center.
Schedule
8:45-9:00 am Coffee and pastries
9:00-9:15 am Opening Remarks – Brooks Jackson, FactCheck.org
9:15-10:30 am Democratic/liberal panel
• Ilyse Hogue, director of political advocacy and communications, MoveOn.org
• Art Pulaski, executive secretary-treasurer, California Labor Federation
• Khalid Pitts, director of strategic campaigns, Service Employees International Union
10:30-10:45 am Break
10:45-12:00 pm Republican/conservative panel
• Carl Forti, political director, American Crossroads
• Brad Todd, media consultant and top advisor to the NRCC
• Rob Collins, president, American Action Network
12:00-12:15 pm Closing Remarks –
Sunday Replay
We found a relative dearth of misleading comments uttered by the politicians and others appearing on the Nov. 21 talk shows. We can’t be sure why, but we would note that most members of Congress seem to have fled town. Any connection? Not for us to say!
Happy Turkey Day.
Social Security: It’s Not Dead Yet
On "Fox News Sunday," Republican Gov. Rick Perry of Texas exaggerated the financial plight of the Social Security system.
Participants
Rob Collins
President, American Action Network
Click to expand/collapse the Bio
Rob Collins has spent the last seven years as Congressman Eric Cantor’s (VA-07) Chief of Staff. Prior to his tenure with Cantor, Collins worked for Senator John Thune, the National Republican Senatorial Committee, Senator Chuck Hagel, The Republican National Committee, Congressman David McIntosh and Congressman Frank Riggs. Collins, a Syracuse, NY native, is a graduate of Franklin and Marshall College and has been named to three consecutive Roll Call’s “Fab 50”
Blame Jane Falsehoods
Q: Is President Obama honoring Jane Fonda as one of the women of the century?
A: No. That was done 11 years ago by Barbara Walters of ABC News.
Tax Cuts and Americans: It’s Complicated
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell misrepresented public opinion about the Bush tax cuts, which are due to expire at the end of the year. In his weekly remarks Nov. 20, he made this unequivocal statement:
McConnell, Nov. 20: Americans don’t think we should be raising taxes on anybody, especially in the middle of a recession.
But American opinion on the Bush tax cuts is not as clear as McConnell portrays it. Of five recent polls, only one shows a majority favored extending the tax cut for all Americans.
Earmarks, Taxes and Premium Hikes
In episode 38 of our podcast, we highlight false statements from Democrats on the Sunday talk shows, and exaggerations from Republicans about the impact of the new health care law on premiums.
For more on the stories discussed in this episode, see:
Sunday Replay Nov. 15
The Truth About Health Insurance Premiums Nov. 19