The Truth-o-Meter says: Pants on Fire! | Glenn Beck claims health care bill includes insurance for dogs We're months into this health care debate and frankly a lot of the claims we've been fact-checking from opponents and proponents alike have gotten a little stale. So we were thrilled to hear a new one on the Glenn Beck radio program on Nov. 12, 2 […]
The Truth-o-Meter says: Half-True | Beckel says protest against health care bill drew fewer people than Air and Space Museum Counting people at Washington protests has always been a tricky business. Groups have always boasted of huge crowds, but police estimates were often much lower. That sparked such controversy that police don't do the counts anymore […]
The Truth-o-Meter says: True | Abortion votes in the House revealed by Stupak amendment One of the more interesting twists in health care reform came on a recent vote in the House of Representatives on abortion coverage. An amendment restricting abortion coverage authored by Rep. Bart Stupak, a Democrat from Michigan, won the votes of all Republicans and 64 […]
The Truth-o-Meter says: True | Hannity says Obama won't even use the term "war on terrorism" On Sean Hannity's Fox News show on Nov. 9, 2009, the topic was what the government knew about Fort Hood psychiatrist Nidal Malik Hasan, an Army major who authorities say killed 13 people and wounded 30 others. "There is a chance our governmen […]
The Truth-o-Meter says: False | U.S. Rep. claims Obama told Republicans to 'shut up' and 'go away' Back in his Florida district, U.S. Rep. C.W. Bill Young decided to toss some red meat at the feet of a group of eager Republicans.Taking the microphone at Monday's meeting of the Pinellas Republican Executive Committee, Young said that […]
The Truth-o-Meter says: False | Charlie Crist takes credit for Florida's largest ever tax cut It's become part of Florida Gov. Charlie Crist's firewall when confronted with criticism that he isn't conservative enough. "I signed the largest single tax cut in the history of Florida, a $25 billion tax cut over five years, directed at pr […]
The Truth-o-Meter says: True | Planned Parenthood says Obama promised to "put reproductive health care at the center" of health reform With abortion now a key issue in the debate over health care reform, abortion rights supporters are highlighting President Barack Obama's promise about the issue during the presidential campaign.In an alert to […]
The Truth-o-Meter says: False | Lowey says Stupak amendment restricts abortion coverage even for those who pay for their own plan An amendment about abortion coverage was a key reason Democrats were able to narrowly pass the sweeping health care reform bill in the House of Representatives on Nov. 7, 2009. But that same amendment has emerged as a flashpoint t […]
Rep. Loretta Sanchez, who favors abortion rights, said that "progressives are really angry" because they believe poor women should have the choice to get an abortion if they want one. "On the other hand, we have to acknowledge that the House of Representatives is not a majority prochoice," Sanchez said. "And I've told that to a […]
The debate over health care reform has revealed a couple of promises that we missed when we were compiling our Obameter database. One involves Obama's promise to Planned Parenthood in 2007 that reproductive health care will "be at the heart" of his reform plan. A week ago, we probably would have rated that In the Works. But after the House app […]
Our Facebook group is up to 2,888 fans and growing rapidly! It's a great place to keep up on our latest rulings, watch our videos and discuss our conclusions with other readers. The discussion is thoughtful and provocative. We appreciate the feedback, even when you disagree with our rulings! So check out the page and become a fan! >>More
With the House and Senate considering health care reform over the next couple of weeks, you can be sure you'll hear some familiar talking points from both sides. But in many cases, we've already debunked the talking points in our Truth-O-Meter items. (Indeed, in the health care debate, truth is not a pre-existing condition!) To help you keep score […]
With the House of Representatives nearing a vote on the Democrats' health care reform bill, Republicans this week unveiled their own version, a much smaller bill (219 pages vs. the Democrats' 1,990) with a more limited scope. It relies on bedrock GOP principles of consumer choice, no tax hikes, limited government involvement and caps on lawsuits. B […]
A few months ago, a chain e-mail purporting to be a line-by-line analysis of the House health care reform bill reached in-boxes all over the country, warning people of the dire consequences of the Democratic plans for reform. Taking a page from the same playbook, the House Republican Conference has created a similar list for the new health care bill that wil […]
One year ago, Barack Obama held a giant celebration in Grant Park in Chicago and spoke of his goals for the presidency. "This is our time," he said, "to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth, […]
As Democratic health care reform bills move toward votes in the House and the Senate, supporters and opponents alike have tried to harness public opinion polls to bolster their own arguments. One recent example came during the Nov. 1, 2009, edition of ABC News' This Week with George Stephanopoulos, during a question-and-answer session with White House s […]