Author Archive: Bryan W. White

Obama and “what we said was”

President Obama official portrait

How PolitiFact’s 2013 “Lie of the Year” selection was even worse than you thought It was Nov. 4, 2013, and insurance companies had already started to send cancellation notices to customers whose policies failed to meet the administration’s “essential benefits” standards under the Affordable Care Act.  The media recognized the failure of the president’s pledge that Americans could keep the…
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The DNC says Obama’s tax policy doesn’t make life impossible for small businesses

“Myth: All of President Obama’s new taxes make life impossible for small businesses.” —Democratic National Committee, Nov. 27, 2013, on the “Your Republican Uncle” website   Overview Fourth in our series on claims from the Democratic National Committee’s “Your Republican Uncle” website, we look at the claim that all of Obama’s new taxes don’t make life impossible for small businesses. …
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Our year in review

Zebra Fact Check logo

Goodbye, 2013.  Hello 2014. It’s time to review Zebra Fact Check’s first full year. We produced 57 fact checks in 2013, or just over one per week.  Seventeen of those were fact checks of other mainstream fact checkers, such as FactCheck.org or PolitiFact.  We also checked one claim from Consumer Reports and another from the partisan Media Matters for America….
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The DNC says it’s a myth that President Obama raised taxes?

“Myth:  Democrats like President Obama have raised my taxes.” —The Democratic National Committe’s “Your Republican Uncle” website, Nov. 27, 2013   Overview Third in our series on claims from the Democratic National Committee’s “Your Republican Uncle” website, we have an oddly worded implicit claim that President Obama did not raise taxes.  Obama has cut taxes and raised taxes, sometimes raising…
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Paul Ryan says budget deal doesn’t raise taxes

“This bill reduces the deficit by $23 billion, it does not raise taxes, and it cuts spending in a smarter way.” —Rep. Paul Ryan (R, Wisc.), Dec. 11, 2013   Overview Technically, the budget deal doesn’t raise taxes.  It raises government fees.  The distinction makes a difference legally, but for selling the budget deal the difference is primarily semantic. The…
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Did Obama deliver on his jobs promises?

“Myth: Where are the all [sic] jobs that President Obama promised?” —The Democrat National Committee’s “Your Republican Uncle” website, Nov. 25, 2013   Overview The DNC’s job numbers match no Obama promise we could find. The Facts The Democratic National Committee’s website “The Democrat’s guide to talking politics with your Republican Uncle” has an answer for Republicans who ask about…
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‘Your Republican Uncle’ put to the test

Your Republican Uncle

Announcing a fact check series on the DNC’s “Your Republican Uncle.” Sometimes fact checks just fall into our lap.  Other times we have to hunt for interesting statements to check.  We give thanks to the Democratic National Committee for sponsoring a set of talking points meant to answer conservative family members during the holidays.  The site, under the title “Your…
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The Obama deficit increase a myth?

“Myth:  President Obama has increased the deficit” —DNC’s “Your Republican Uncle” website, Nov. 27, 2013     Overview The deficit claim is true, in a radically oversimplified and misleading way. The Facts The DNC was able to explain the myth and then some in two sentences: Since President Obama took office, the deficit as a percentage of GDP has been…
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Three-quarters of employer plans already compliant with the ACA?

“[T]he International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans … found that about three-quarters of all employer-sponsored health plans already meet the criteria of the Affordable Care Act.” —PunditFact, Nov. 20, 2013   Overview PunditFact, the pundit-checking branch of PolitiFact, misuses a 2013 survey by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans to help excuse insurance plan cancellations under the ACA. The…
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Pre-existing conditions coming back thanks to Republicans?

“Today we saw a clear contrast: Democrats are working to fix and improve the Affordable Care Act, while Republicans still want to go back to the days when insurance companies could deny people coverage for pre-existing conditions, treat being a woman as a pre-existing condition, and watch health care costs drive families into bankruptcy.” —Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Nov….
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