Biggest Political Lies of the Year

[Exotix]

The 'Government Takeover' of Health Care, and Other Whoppers.

Politifact tabulates the year's biggest political lies and half-truths.



Today

'Government Takeover' of Health Care Named the Year's Biggest Political Lie - Newsweek



Our friends at the nonpartisan Politifact watch American politics in the way that would make most people’s stomachs churn.

All year, they chronicle every bit of political discourse, every hysterical pundit and every government vow or rally cry in a sometimes quixotic effort to separate truth from fiction.

Now, in the traditional end-of-year retrospective, all the lies have been tabulated.
And during a year of enormous whoppers, the site’s editors have identified the biggest deception of all:

The so-called government takeover of health care.

It’s possible to say that the Democrats’ 2010 health-care reform will increase government regulation, which it will. It’s legitimate to say that it may cost more than President Obama vowed, because it might.
And it’s possible to have a constitutional argument, which several federal courts have done, about the legal mandate to purchase insurance.


But government takeover, according to the site’s scribes, is wholly inaccurate.
It carries the implication that the U.S. health care system will begin to mirror those in the U.K. and Canada, where the government literally runs hospitals and employs doctors.
That, ironically, is what the most liberal Democrats had wanted.

But the law they got fell far short, thus making the “government takeover” meme a pretty big stretch.

Instead, it was used as an obvious scare tactic.
"Takeovers are like coups," conservative message man Frank Luntz wrote in a 28-page memo to Republican leaders during the heat of the health-care debate last year.
"They both lead to dictators and a loss of freedom."

As for runners-up, Politifact’s staff indicts Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), who famously claimed last month that Obama’s November trip to trip to India would cost $200 million per day, which it didn’t.

There was also Florida governor-elect Rick Scott’s indignant accusation that the stimulus package didn’t create one single private-sector job (it has).

And of course Rep. Charles Rangel’s textbook example of wishful thinking, telling reporters that “the ethics report [about his alleged violations] exonerates me,” which it did not.



Politifact has the whole list of half-truths and untruths ...

http://politifact.com/truth-o-meter/...-poll-results/



We asked PolitiFact readers to pick what they thought was the most significant lie of the year in 2010, and 3,289 people voted.
The decisive winner was the same one PolitiFact editors and reporters selected for the Lie of the Year: the claim that the new health care law is a "government takeover."

Here are the readers' poll results:

1. ObamaCare is a "government takeover" of health care. -- Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio; Rep. C.W. Bill Young, R-Fla.; the Republican Party of Florida; Lt. Gov.-elect Rebecca Kleefisch, R-Wis.; and others: 43.9 percent

2. "The president of the United States will be taking a trip over to India that is expected to cost the taxpayers $200 million a day." -- Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., 19.2 percent

3. "The stimulus has not created one private sector job." -- Gov.-elect Rick Scott, R-Fla., and others: 13.9 percent

4. "Ninety-four percent of small businesses will face higher taxes under the Democrats' plan." -- Rep. Randy Neugebauer, R-Texas, and others: 8.8 percent

5. The ethics report "exonerates me." -- Rep. Charlie Rangel, D-N.Y., 6.7 percent

6. "Taliban Dan" Webster thinks wives should submit to their husbands. -- Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Fla., 2.6 percent

7. "Phoenix is the No. 2 kidnapping capital of the world." -- Rep. John McCain, R-Ariz., and others: 1.8 percent

8. Other: 1.6 percent

9. Republicans want to dismantle or privatize Social Security. -- Florida Democratic Party and others: 1.5 percent



Related Rulings inside:

[ChasC5]

Natrally

[Exotix]

wow ... jus'wow ....


Michele Bachmann Named To Secretive House Intel Panel By John Boehner


Dec. 17, 2010


Michele Bachmann Named To Secretive House Intel Panel By John Boehner


The move by incoming Speaker John Boehner to put Bachmann on the panel surprised Republican insiders, who see her as a fiery grass roots leader of the tea party movement but not necessarily a leader on national security among House Republicans.




From Politico:

Bachmann lands slot on Intel panel - Jonathan Allen - POLITICO.com



Rep. Michele Bachmann, one of the most outspoken conservatives in the House, has won an appointment to the secretive House Intelligence Committee.

The move by incoming Speaker John Boehner to put Bachmann on the panel surprised Republican insiders, who see her as a fiery grass-roots leader of the tea party movement but not necessarily a leader on national security among House Republicans.


Bachmann once suggested that Congress should investigate whether Democratic lawmakers were pro- or anti-America, and she's been a cable TV favorite because she's known for colorful sound bites.

Members of the Intelligence panel receive classified briefings in a secure conference room in the Capitol, and are sworn to secrecy about most of the committee's activities.

"If you're looking for media and controversy, that's not the committee to be on," said a Republican familiar with the discussions about Bachmann's appointment.

Bachmann, on her Facebook page, said she was "honored to have been selected by Speaker-designate John Boehner to serve on the House Intelligence Committee.

As a mother of five biological children and 23 foster children I pledge to do whatever I need to do to keep your family, my family, and the United States safe from harm."

[ChasC5]

Could it be possible that Michele and me are the same person?

[Exotix]

Originally Posted by ChasC5

Could it be possible that Michele and me are the same person?

[mrvette]

Originally Posted by Exotix

wow ... jus'wow ....


Michele Bachmann Named To Secretive House Intel Panel By John Boehner


Dec. 17, 2010


Michele Bachmann Named To Secretive House Intel Panel By John Boehner


The move by incoming Speaker John Boehner to put Bachmann on the panel surprised Republican insiders, who see her as a fiery grass roots leader of the tea party movement but not necessarily a leader on national security among House Republicans.




From Politico:

Bachmann lands slot on Intel panel - Jonathan Allen - POLITICO.com



Rep. Michele Bachmann, one of the most outspoken conservatives in the House, has won an appointment to the secretive House Intelligence Committee.

The move by incoming Speaker John Boehner to put Bachmann on the panel surprised Republican insiders, who see her as a fiery grass-roots leader of the tea party movement but not necessarily a leader on national security among House Republicans.


Bachmann once suggested that Congress should investigate whether Democratic lawmakers were pro- or anti-America, and she's been a cable TV favorite because she's known for colorful sound bites.

Members of the Intelligence panel receive classified briefings in a secure conference room in the Capitol, and are sworn to secrecy about most of the committee's activities.

"If you're looking for media and controversy, that's not the committee to be on," said a Republican familiar with the discussions about Bachmann's appointment.

Bachmann, on her Facebook page, said she was "honored to have been selected by Speaker-designate John Boehner to serve on the House Intelligence Committee.

As a mother of five biological children and 23 foster children I pledge to do whatever I need to do to keep your family, my family, and the United States safe from harm."

I would surely trust HER more than NObam...or any of his supporters....

[ChasC5]

Originally Posted by mrvette

[/COLOR][/SIZE]

I would surely trust HER more than NObam...or any of his supporters....

That's more than obvious

[Exotix]

Originally Posted by ChasC5

That's more than obvious

Could it be that he and Bachmann are the same person ?

[mrvette]

Originally Posted by ChasC5

That's more than obvious

Originally Posted by Exotix

Could it be that he and Bachmann are the same person ?

because I"m correct....

CASE CLOSED......bring it to the line.....

[ChasC5]

Originally Posted by mrvette

because I"m correct....

CASE CLOSED......bring it to the line.....

Are you related to TxAg?

Just wondering, I see some likeliness.

[mrvette]

Originally Posted by ChasC5

Are you related to TxAg?

Just wondering, I see some likeliness.

Y zat??

[ChasC5]

Originally Posted by mrvette

Y zat??

Ok, I see asking if you were related to TxAg would be an insult.

My bad.

[Exotix]

Originally Posted by ChasC5

Ok, I see asking if you were related to TxAg would be an insult.

My bad.

... pwn ...

[mrvette]

Originally Posted by mrvette

Y zat??

Originally Posted by ChasC5

Ok, I see asking if you were related to TxAg would be an insult.

My bad.

Kant REED?? I axed WHY IS THAT??

Geez gotta speel it out for theze kidz....dey got taught the finest englush in colledge that even I kant tipe it out rite.....

[ChasC5]

Originally Posted by TxAg

Oh no. Just ask Chas and he'll tell you about his vast college education and work experience.

Just watch out for all the back patting he does on himself.

He’s a little favor you can do for me, being you’re a technological wiz; someone on this forum is fully convinced that they are being stalked because when they access a particular website, magically their location is discovered. I’m sure you know why this happens, and since you’re a trusted source of infinite knowledge, you can do a little educating for me. While you’re at it, you can also explain why when you Google a particular POI (that’s point of interest), why the closest location automatically displays. It’ ain’t exactly stalking yea or evil witchcraft that's involved.

[ChasC5]

Originally Posted by TxAg

Hey you're the highly college educated, vastly experienced director.

How about you flex your mental muscle and educate the class.

Or will you once again, turn tail and run?

Come on gutless, back up your garbage for once.

Is that a no?