Fact Checks

Is it true that ‘Across the board tax rate cuts are regressive’?

The Congressional Progressive Caucus:  “Across the board tax rate cuts are regressive because a 20 percent tax cut for a millionaire – even as a share of income – amounts to a far greater benefit than a 20 percent cut for a hardworking low income American.” Overview On Dec. 1, 2012 the Congressional Progressive Caucus released its guiding principles for…
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Does the Obama tax proposal save almost $1.16 trillion?

With fiscal cliff negotiations underway, President Obama lobbies for his tax proposal using the White House website. The White House infographic says his tax proposal will “save almost $1.16 trillion.” Overview The portion of the infographic above appears to deal only with Mr. Obama’s proposal on changes to the tax system.  His “savings” are apparently nothing more than revenues acquired…
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A ‘clear majority’ favor addressing the deficit with a combination of tax hikes and spending cuts?

President Obama: “By the way, more voters agreed with me on this issue than voted for me. So we’ve got a clear majority of the American people who recognize if we’re going to be serious about deficit reduction, we’ve got to do it in a balanced way.”   Overview President Obama made his remark about voters agreeing with him during…
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‘Fiscal Cliff’ truth or consequences, featuring John Boehner

House Speaker John Boehner:  “On Wednesday, I outlined a responsible path forward to avert the fiscal cliff without raising tax rates. About 24 hours after I spoke, the Congressional Budget Office released a report showing that the most harmful consequences of the fiscal cliff come from increasing tax rates. According to Ernst & Young, raising the top rates would destroy…
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Deficit reduction under President Clinton by raising taxes on the rich?

President Obama:  “But as I’ve said before, we can’t just cut our way to prosperity.  If we’re serious about reducing the deficit, we have to combine spending cuts with revenue — and that means asking the wealthiest Americans to pay a little more in taxes.  (Applause.) That’s how we did it in the 1990s, when Bill Clinton was President.”  …
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Mad lib presidential ad from the Obama campaign

Obama campaign ad:  “It’s said that ‘Character is what we do when we think no one is looking.’  Mitt Romney thought no one was looking when he attacked 47 percent of Americans.  His companies shipped jobs overseas.  His plan cuts millionaires’ taxes but raises yours.  He’ll voucherize Medicare and make “catastrophic cuts” to education.  So remember what Romney said and…
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David Axelrod attacks Romney’s ‘$5 trillion tax cut’

David Axelrod:  “Governor Romney, the centerpiece and really the only piece of his plan that is real is this $5 trillion tax cut, $2 trillion in extra spending for the Pentagon, no plan to pay for, it and deregulate Wall Street.“     Overview The “$5 trillion tax cut” language relies on creative math and a contested study from the…
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Presidential debate fact check: Our greatest geopolitical threat is …

President Obama:  “Governor Romney, I’m glad that you recognize that Al Qaida is a threat, because a few months ago when you were asked what’s the biggest geopolitical threat facing America, you said Russia, not Al Qaida; you said Russia, in the 1980s, they’re now calling to ask for their foreign policy back because, you know, the Cold War’s been…
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Presidential debate fact check: The Obama apology tour?

Mitt Romney: “And then the president began what I have called an apology tour, of going to various nations in the Middle East and criticizing America.” President Obama: “Nothing Governor Romney just said is true, starting with this notion of me apologizing. This has been probably the biggest whopper that’s been told during the course of this campaign. And every…
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