We found a few overstatements and cherry-picked numbers among the applause lines and proposals in President Obama’s State of the Union address.
Facts of the Union
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Paul’s ‘Head-Scratching’ Stats
Sen. Rand Paul was wrong when he said that 60 percent of law students and 55 percent of medical students are women, and he repeated a myth that “nine out of 10 businesses fail.”
Obama’s Numbers (January 2014 Update)
Latest statistics show stagnant wages, persistent long-term joblessness, soaring profits and stock prices, and moderating health care spending.
Medicaid Estate Recovery Program
Q: Does the Affordable Care Act allow states to confiscate the estates of seniors on Medicaid when they die?
A: No, but a 1993 federal law requires states to recover Medicaid costs for long-term care from the estates of deceased Medicaid beneficiaries over the age of 55.
Whoppers of 2013
It’s that time of year again when we look back — perhaps not so fondly — on the most noteworthy nonsense from the past 12 months.
Who Holds Our Debt?
Q: Who are the holders of U.S. debt?
The Keg Stand Obamacare Ads
Let’s clear this up: The edgy “got insurance?” Obamacare ads that have gone viral on the Web were not created by the Colorado state exchange or any other governmental agency, nor are they taxpayer-funded, as two Republican congressmen have claimed.
Spinning ENDA
House Speaker John Boehner announced his opposition to a bill that would prohibit workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity with a statement from his spokesman saying the bill “will increase frivolous litigation and cost American jobs, especially small business jobs.”
Democrats Exaggerate Shutdown Costs
Some Democrats have taken to exaggerating the cost of the federal government shutdown, suggesting that it cost the economy nearly 1 million jobs, and claiming that it cost taxpayers $30 billion. Neither statement is accurate.
Obama’s Numbers, October Update
Jobs, debt and poverty all are up. Our latest report on statistical measures of his presidency.