2012 Fact Checking


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EXPLANATORY NOTE by OnTheIssues.org:

FactCheck.org analyses the veracity of statements made during political races. OnTheIssues.org summarizes two sets of analyses:
1. From debates and public speeches
2. From TV & radio advertisements

Following is the self-description of how FactCheck.org works:

[FactCheck.org is] a nonpartisan, nonprofit, "consumer advocate" for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics. We monitor the factual accuracy of what is said by major U.S. political players in the form of TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews, and news releases. Our goal is to apply the best practices of both journalism and scholarship, and to increase public knowledge and understanding.

The Annenberg Political Fact Check is a project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania. The APPC was established by publisher and philanthropist Walter Annenberg in 1994 to create a community of scholars within the University of Pennsylvania that would address public policy issues at the local, state, and federal levels.

The APPC accepts NO funding from business corporations, labor unions, political parties, lobbying organizations or individuals. It is funded primarily by the Annenberg Foundation.

-- Jesse Gordon, jesse@OnTheIssues.org, November 2012

OnTheIssues.org excerpts:  (click on issues for details)

Budget & Economy     Heather Wilson: Strongly in favor of a balanced-budget amendment.     Paul Ryan: FactCheck: S&P downgraded U.S. due to Congress, not Obama.     Paul Ryan: FactCheck: Hometown SUV plant closed in '08,not due to Obama.     Jon Bruning: FactCheck: Doubled AG budget included inflation & new duties.     Jon Bruning: FactCheck: Praised stimulus spending only for police.

Civil Rights     Claire McCaskill: FactCheck: Akin's female staff are not paid as much as men.     Todd Akin: No policy to pay female staff less than men (but he does).

Corporations     Republican Party: FactCheck: Obama didn't say "you didn't build that".

Energy & Oil     Martin Heinrich: Supports cap-and-trade; it causes no big energy costs.     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Oil dependence low; but gas prices highest ever.     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Promised for 3 years to end oil industry subsidy.

Free Trade     Tammy Baldwin: FactCheck: Tried but failed to require US-made ship engines.     Josh Mandel: Criticizes opponent for helping move jobs to China.     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Chinese tire import ban replaced by other imports.

Health Care     Tammy Baldwin: Supports single payer, public option, and Medicare for all.     Barack Obama: FactCheck: ObamaCare covers only 1/2 of 30 million uninsured.

Immigration     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Fewer border crossings mostly due to economy.

Jobs     Heather Wilson: Sequestration would cut 20,000 jobs at N.M. national labs.     Tommy Thompson: FactCheck: Unemployment down while governor, but not 2.1%.     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Jobs increasing, but still lower than in 2008.     Ron Paul: FactCheck: Feds paid for 8M WWII vets to attend college.

Principles & Values     Tammy Baldwin: FactCheck: Only 3 bills out of 105 sponsorships became law.     Democratic Party: FactCheck: "God" removed from DNC platform.

Tax Reform     Paul Ryan: FactCheck: JFK cut rates by 20%, but from twice today's rate.     Tommy Thompson: FactCheck: Tax cuts would save top 1% $87,000 each.

War & Peace     Barack Obama: FactCheck: Taliban may control countryside after US leaves.

Welfare & Poverty     Tommy Thompson: Converted welfare into work-required benefit.     Newt Gingrich: FactCheck: Poverty rate has fallen under War on Poverty.

Click for quotations from other sources by: Barack Obama Democratic President (elected 2008) Claire McCaskill Democratic Sr Senator; previously state Auditor Missouri Democratic Party Heather Wilson Republican Challenger New Mexico Jon Bruning Nebraska Republican Gubernatorial Challenger Josh Mandel Former Republican Nominee (withdrew 2018) Ohio Martin Heinrich Democratic Challenger New Mexico Newt Gingrich Republican Paul Ryan Republican Republican Party Ron Paul Republican (Libertarian 1988) Tammy Baldwin Democratic Challenger Wisconsin Todd Akin Republican Challenger Missouri Tommy Thompson Cabinet-2005