September 21, 2011 10:36 pm ET filed under Fact Check
What Happened To The Republican Consensus On Climate Change?
In May right-wing activist Marc Morano said Republican candidates "can believe in the science of global warming ... if you keep your mouth shut about it and you advocate no quote-unquote solution to the problem." By contrast, the following statements show that in previous years, prominent Republicans spoke about both the robust body of evidence indicating that human activities are changing the climate and the need to address the problem. While the political discourse has since regressed, the scientific consensus has not.
August 10, 2011 4:01 pm ET filed under Blog
Rep. Issa Answers Palin's Call, Pushes Discredited Pelosi Waiver Controversy
June 06, 2011 10:34 am ET filed under Blog
Fact Checking The Sunday Shows - June 5, 2011
June 06, 2011 10:09 am ET filed under Fact Check
Fact Checking The Sunday Shows - June 5, 2011
The first Sunday in June saw potential GOP presidential candidate Sarah Palin and Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour (R) dominating the misinformation in the Sunday talk shows. On Fox News Sunday, Palin distorted the truth about the economic recovery, blasting the Federal Reserve's quantitative easing efforts as ineffective and claiming that we've "hit a brick wall," when in fact economists agree that rounds of bond-buying easing helped stabilize the economy and that May's jobs numbers are merely a road bump. She also lied about the source of April's positive job-creation numbers, left out some key information about the U.S.'s corporate tax rate, and distorted Moody's warning about raising the debt ceiling. Palin and Barbour both had lots to say about the Republican budget proposal — all of it false. They both suggested that no one but Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) has offered a viable plan to save Medicare, even though the Democrats have discussed building on reforms in the health care law in order to contain costs and save the program. Palin claimed the GOP plan will "save" Medicare (but it won't) and that it doesn't affect current seniors (but it does). Barbour repeated the old falsehood that the GOP plan will give seniors options just like those of Congress (which it won't). He also attacked the Obama administration with claims that it has helped Wall Street at the expense of Main Street; that President Obama is responsible for high gas prices; and that health care reform discourages job creation. The facts do not support those claims either.
May 19, 2011 9:19 am ET filed under Fact Check
No, Health Care Waivers Aren't Proof Of Pelosi's "Crony Politics"
About 20 percent of the Health and Human Services (HHS) Affordable Care Act waivers granted in the month of April went to businesses in House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi's (D-CA) congressional district. Thanks to a freakout in the right-wing blogosphere and the willful negligence of a number of prominent Republicans, that fact has been blown severely out of proportion, resulting in people like Tim Pawlenty, disgraced former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, and former half-term Alaska Governor Sarah Palin leveling wild accusations of "crony politics." But according to everyone who actually knows anything about the issue — including both the applicants for and grantors of the waivers — Pelosi had nothing whatsoever to do with the waivers in her district. Instead, they were granted in compliance with HHS standards, and were necessitated by a local law that means some California businesses need a little extra time before coming into compliance with the health care reform law.
March 22, 2011 8:51 am ET filed under Blog
Republicans Attempt To Scare Seniors With Health Care Lies
February 08, 2011 12:45 pm ET filed under Blog
After Billions In Federal Aid To States, Palin Blames State Budget Problems On "The Feds"
February 07, 2011 5:16 pm ET filed under Video
Palin Comes Out Against CPAC Boycott
In a recent interview with CBN's The Brody File, Sarah Palin stated she is not boycotting CPAC, and she doesn't think anyone should boycott the conference just because they "don't personally agree" with GOProud.
January 27, 2011 2:02 pm ET filed under Blog
Palin Blows Another Chance At Leadership With "WTF" State Of The Union Responses
January 20, 2011 3:32 pm ET filed under Video
Gov. Christie's Subtle Dig At Palin: I'm "Not Arrogant Enough" To Run For President After A Year As Governor
January 18, 2011 1:04 pm ET filed under Blog
Gov. Christie's Subtle Dig At Palin: I'm "Not Arrogant Enough" To Run For President After A Year As Governor
January 12, 2011 5:14 pm ET filed under Blog
Sarah Palin's Guilt-By-Association Double Standard
December 17, 2010 11:11 am ET filed under Blog
"Government Takeover" Is PolitiFact's "Lie Of The Year"
November 29, 2010 12:10 pm ET filed under Blog
Palin Plugs Book In Foolish Wikileaks Tweet
November 23, 2010 5:49 pm ET filed under Fact Check
Republican Criticism Of Quantitative Easing Impedes Economic Growth
One of the many policies Republicans have attacked of late is that of quantitative easing (QE) — a monetary policy used by central banks, such as the Federal Reserve, to increase the money supply by increasing excess reserves. QE is often used as a policy of last resort when normal methods of monetary expansion are no longer effective as a result of near-zero interest rates. Since the onset of the economic crisis, the Fed has introduced two rounds of quantitative easing, as economic growth remains sluggish. Republicans have repeatedly voiced their opposition to the policy, stoking fears of long-term inflation that will stunt economic growth. In doing so, they have effectively manipulated the market's reaction to the policy, thereby preventing potential benefits from taking effect. Moreover, Republican skepticism ignores the belief of many economists that monetary easing is integral to supporting economic growth and limiting the risk of deflation.
November 04, 2010 2:27 pm ET filed under Blog
Palin Won't Weigh In On GOP Leadership Fight...Yet
November 04, 2010 1:25 pm ET filed under Blog
Sarah Palin Victory Video: It's Backwards Sunset In America
November 03, 2010 1:41 pm ET filed under Video
Giuliani: Palin More Qualified Than Obama
November 03, 2010 1:35 pm ET filed under Blog
Giuliani: Palin More Qualified Than Obama
November 01, 2010 9:52 am ET filed under Blog
Fact Checking The Sunday Shows - October 31, 2010
October 31, 2010 5:35 pm ET filed under Fact Check
Fact Checking The Sunday Shows - October 31, 2010
Republicans' appearances on the Sunday shows this Halloween were as predictable as any mediocre horror movie, with the lone "twist" coming from Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) on ABC's This Week. Cornyn lied about President Obama's stump speech, claiming that Obama wants to make Republicans "sit in the back of the bus." That's a Glenn Beck-inspired race-baiting twist on Obama's months-old metaphor about Republicans wanting the keys to the car after they drove it into a ditch, and Cornyn should know better. Meanwhile on CNN, Michael Steele pretended that Republicans are principled deficit hawks, despite turning surpluses into trillions in debt under President Bush. On Face the Nation, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty claimed that higher taxes on the wealthy would neuter the nascent economic recovery despite overwhelming evidence that the rich don't spend more when we give them tax breaks. Most predictable of all, Sarah Palin told Fox News Sunday viewers three different lies about taxes in just a few short paragraphs.
October 19, 2010 12:28 pm ET filed under Blog
Sarah Palin Mixes Up Pennsylvania And West Virginia
October 11, 2010 8:36 am ET filed under Blog
Republicans Fan The Flames Of Violence
October 07, 2010 1:42 pm ET filed under Blog
Palin's Endorsement Of Pearce Raises "Significant Questions"
October 06, 2010 3:32 pm ET filed under Blog
Joe Miller Says Palin Is Constitutionally Qualified To Be President
August 20, 2010 12:59 pm ET filed under Blog
Poll: 69 Percent Of Americans Disagree With GOP On Bush Tax Cuts
August 05, 2010 1:08 pm ET filed under Blog
Palin Doubles Down On "Pants On Fire" Tax Lie
August 05, 2010 10:08 am ET filed under Blog
GOP Swoons Over Missouri Health Care Vote, Ignores National Attitudes
August 02, 2010 5:05 pm ET filed under Blog
A Few More Sarah Palin Lies About The Expiring Tax Cuts
