President Obama and Rep. Nancy Pelosi downplayed the contribution of MIT economist Jonathan Gruber to the Affordable Care Act, after controversial comments by Gruber came to light, while Republicans exaggerated his role.
The ACA-Gruber Connection
The Great Premium Debate Continues
Rep. Michele Bachmann wrongly claims that we’re seeing “huge increases” in employer-sponsored plans, while President Obama touts historically low health care inflation, which experts say is mainly due to the slow economy, not the health care law.
Obama’s Immigration Amnesia
President Barack Obama tried to rewrite history by claiming that his position had not changed regarding legal authority for executive orders on immigration that he is now considering.
Biden’s Boasts
Vice President Joe Biden went too far in boasts about job growth and deficit reduction.
FlackCheck.org Video: Spotting Bogus Claims
This video from FlackCheck.org helps readers identify “Key Characteristics of Bogusness” in chain emails.
Checking Inhofe’s Energy Statistics on China
Sen. Jim Inhofe scoffed at the suggestion that China could shift 20 percent of its energy to non-fossil fuels by 2030, in part, he said, because China “has no known reserves of natural gas.” But Inhofe is wrong about that.
Rick Perry’s Talking Point on Defense Cuts
Rick Perry says the U.S. is at risk because “our spending on defense has declined 21 percent over four years.” But that includes war funding, which has sharply declined now that U.S. combat troops are out of Iraq and leaving Afghanistan.
Midterm Mudslinging Not Yet Over
An ad from the National Republican Senatorial Committee continues the relentless effort to tie Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu to President Barack Obama, who is not very popular in Louisiana. But the ad stretches the facts on several points.
Boehner’s ‘Bipartisan’ Bunk
House Speaker John Boehner exaggerates when he says “almost all” of the 46 “jobs bills” awaiting action in the Senate “passed the House on a bipartisan basis.” Exactly half of those bills got less than 20 Democratic votes, including two that got no votes.
Final Week Spin
With the midterm elections now just days away, many campaigns and outside groups are making their final appeals. And, as has been the case all election season, some of the claims miss the mark.