An independent experimental fact-checking site, exploring and advocating ways to make fact-checking better.
“[Sen. Ted] Cruz said Obamacare has led to premiums going up and up and up for virtually every person.” —PolitiFact, Oct. 17, 2013 Overview PolitiFact provides a sterling example of settling on an improbable interpretation of a politician’s statement. The Facts On Oct. 17, 2013, mainstream fact checker PolitiFact examined a statement from Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas): “President…
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“Myth #2: Premium Prices Will Increase Due To Health Care Law” —Media Matters for America, Oct. 1, 2013 Overview If saying it makes it true then Media Matters has a good argument. The Facts On Oct. 1, 2013, Media Matters for America published a list of what it calls “myths” about the health care law, commonly known as the ACA…
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“The total cost of the Affordable Care Act to provide health insurance for every American out there at an affordable rate is costing about the same amount over the course of ten years as the cost of the prescription-drug bill that President Bush passed.” —President Barack Obama, Sept. 24, 2013 Overview The president simplifies a complicated picture in ways…
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“Not long ago, the GOP took the government to the brink of shutdown, trying to defund Planned Parenthood. And now they’re threatening to shut down the government if they can’t destroy Obamacare. “If they’re successful, it’s really bad for women and families. We’ll go back to a time when insurance didn’t have to fully cover birth control. When simply being…
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“As Winston Churchill reputedly said, ‘Americans always do the right thing eventually—after they’ve exhausted all other alternatives.’” —Robert Reich, Sept. 16, 2013 on “The Daily Show” Overview Churchill probably didn’t say it, but Reich uses an acceptable method for handling the uncertainty. The Facts A Facebook post led us to investigate Robert Reich’s recent appearance on “The Daily…
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“Clinton was right—63 percent of young Republicans, compared to only 45 percent of young Democrats had signed on to their parents’ plan, something they couldn’t have done without passage of Obama’s law.” —PolitiFact, Sept. 5, 2013 Overview PolitiFact grades the literal interpretation of a trivial claim “True,” and passes a stinker of an underlying argument off on its readers….
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“Organizing for Action said that Rubio ‘refuses to accept the basic science’ on climate change and is ‘a climate change denier.’ … We rate the statement ‘Mostly True.’” —PolitiFact, Aug. 16, 2013 Overview PolitiFact’s ruling defies logic and sets aside its own standards. The Facts PolitiFact used an email from OFA’s Ivan Frishman as the subject of its fact…
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“Contradicting Florida’s Office of Insurance Regulation, a study from the RAND Corporation reports that the Affordable Care Act is unlikely to cause a hike in premiums for the individual market in this state or nationally.” —Carol Gentry, Florida Health News, Aug. 30, 2013 Overview Florida Health News‘ Carol Gentry lacks balance with her reporting on a RAND study looking…
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“The national science academies of every major country in the world have confirmed that climate change is real. NASA and 97 percent of scientists confirm that climate change is real. But 135 members of Congress are in denial.” —Organizing For Action (formerly Organizing For America), Aug. 13, 2013 Overview We find at least one significant error in every sentence….
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“Barack Obama said the deficit has fallen at the fastest rate in 60 years. … the president used an acceptable approach and his numbers are accurate. There are no statistical tricks in play.” —PolitiFact Overview Eyes wide open, PolitiFact falls for the oldest statistical tricks in the book. The Facts President Obama made the speech containing his reference to…
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