FactCheck – Year End Whoppers
This year, there were many times to be amazed and alarmed at the full out lies that spread so easily. We may disagree on the importance, envision different outcomes and suspect different causes for politics, problems, happenings and trends. But, we should always be able to agree on the bald facts of a situation.
When in doubt, be sure to check out FactCheck.org or Snopes.com. If it comes in a forwarded email, there is almost always some half-truths, exaggerations and spinning. Check them out and you will know the truth that is there and be able to dig through the rest.
Here is a great article on NewsWeek from FactCheck about some of the big year end lies that are flying around. Hope you find it interesting too.
-Amanda
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Year-end Whoppers
The bunk just keeps on coming.
Summary
We’ve often said that the spin never stops in Washington. And the weeks since Nov. 4 offer further evidence of that.
Consider some of the bogus claims we’ve debunked just since Election Day:
- It’s not true that unionized auto workers at Detroit’s Big Three make more than $70 an hour, as claimed by some opponents of federal aid.
- And no, 3 million workers won’t be tossed out of work if aid is not forthcoming, as claimed by those favoring a taxpayer bailout.
- President-elect Obama never promised to seek a ban on all semi-automatic weapons, as claimed by some fearful gun owners.
- And no, Obama did not propose a Gestapo-like civilian security force as claimed by a Republican member of Congress from Georgia and any number of overwrought bloggers.
- Democrats in Congress are not discussing any plan to confiscate the assets in 401(k) retirement accounts, another falsehood spread about by chain e-mails and Internet postings.
- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi did not demand a 757-size personal jet, a false claim resurrected when Democrats criticized Big Three executives for flying to D.C. on their own private jets to beg for aid.
- And Pelosi’s husband doesn’t own a $17 million stake in a food company that she may (or may not) have tried to help with an exemption from a new minimum wage law.
For details, plus bonus features including video of misleading TV spots by the United Auto Workers and by auto dealers, please read on to the Analysis section.
Watch our “Ask FactCheck” space for new items in the next few days. We’ll post the truth about a claim that the Environmental Protection Agency is planning to levy a tax on farmers’ cows and hogs. And we’ll give you the real story behind a widely circulating (and false) claim that the murder rate in counties that voted for Obama is six times higher than in counties that supported McCain.