McCain ads show "pattern of deceit"

newmachineoverlord

Senior member
Jan 22, 2006
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So McCain has released a whole series of ads that seem intended to deceive the viewer regarding Obama's tax policy. I believe that McCain is being deliberately deceptive, and that it is because he knows that Obama's policies are better for most Americans, so he needs to mislead people to get an edge.

http://www.factcheck.org/elect..._in_a_bad_pattern.html

A New Stitch in a Bad Pattern
September 2, 2008
A McCain ad wrongly claims Obama plans "painful tax increases" for working families. And who's talking about deficits?
Summary
McCain's new ad puts another stitch in what we've called his pattern of deceit on Obama's tax plan. This one claims Obama and congressional Democrats plan to push forward "painful tax increases on working American families" and that they will bring about "years of deficits," "no balanced budgets" and "billions in new government spending."

The ad is plain wrong about higher taxes on working families. In fact, Obama's economic plan would produce a tax cut for the majority of American households, with middle-income earners benefiting most. As for "years of deficits," exactly the same claim could be made about McCain's program. It's unlikely either Obama or McCain would balance the budget, and both are projected to increase the debt by trillions.
Analysis
We've already reported on at least three other ads, in both Spanish and English, from Sen. John McCain's campaign that distort his rival's tax policy. The ads claim that, for example, Democratic Sen. Barack Obama would raise taxes "on the sale of your home" and that he has a "history of raising taxes" and that he wanted to raise taxes on "families" making just $42,000 a year.

Claims like these have led us to say that McCain's campaign is engaging in a "pattern of deceit" when it comes to describing Obama's tax plan. This most recent ad fits right into the template.

Tax Counter-Spin

The ad says Obama and ?out of touch Congressional leaders? plan to implement ?painful tax increases on working American families,? and it shows an image of a family presumably upset about an impending tax increase. But, as we've reported numerous times, Obama proposes a tax cut for the vast majority of households.

John McCain 2008 Ad:
"Expensive Plans"
"Crowd: Obama, Obama?
Announcer: Take away the crowds, the chants. All that?s left are costly words. Barack Obama and out of touch congressional leaders have expensive plans. Billions in government spending, years of deficits, no balanced budgets, and painful tax increases on working American families. They?re ready to tax, ready to spend, but not ready to lead."

We spoke with Len Berman, director of the nonpartisan Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center, which has produced one of the most authoritative analyses of the two candidates? tax plans. When we asked him if Obama?s claim that he would ?cut taxes for 95 percent of all working families? was true, Berman told FactCheck.org that it was ?consistent with our estimates.? Overall, the TPC found that Obama?s plan would produce a tax cut for 81.3 percent of all households, and a cut for 95.5 percent of all households with children.
Under Obama's plan, the TPC estimates that people (or couples) making between $37,595 and $66,354 a year would see an average savings of $1,118 on their taxes.

Under McCain's plan, on the other hand, those same individuals would save $325 on average ? $793 less than the average savings under Obama's plan.

Put It on Our Tab

The ad also claims that Obama and congressional Democrats would bring about "years of deficits." But (and we've reported this before, too), the fact is both candidates' economic plans would fail to bring an end to deficit spending, and by that measure, McCain's is worse than Obama's. According to the TPC analysis, Obama's tax plan would increase the debt by $3.5 trillion by 2018, while McCain's plan would bring about a projected $5 trillion increase in the same time frame. The TPC also found that:

Tax Policy Center (Aug 28): Neither candidate?s plan would significantly increase economic growth unless offset by spending cuts or tax increases that the campaigns have not specified.

The Obama campaign maintains that the Tax Policy Center's estimates don't account for Obama's proposed spending cuts, including things like ending the Iraq war. But those cuts will not come close to balancing the budget, and Obama has avoided promising a balanced budget during his first term.

McCain, however, has said he will balance the budget by 2013. Experts remain skeptical. In early July, The New York Times quoted Robert L. Bixby, executive director of the Concord Coalition ? a bipartisan fiscal responsibility advocacy group ? as saying the claim was "unlikely":

Robert L. Bixby (as quoted by The New York Times, July 8): It?s feasible to balance the budget by 2013, but very unlikely under the policies Senator McCain has proposed. The spending cuts are far too vague to be counted on for significant savings and, even if they were more specific, I can?t see how they would come close to offsetting the level of tax cuts he recommends.

McCain senior economic adviser Douglas Holtz-Eakin sent The Washington Post's editorial board a copy of McCain's plan in support of the candidate's claim. But the board concluded, in its July 14 editorial, that the plan was "not credible."

So the ad's claims about deficit spending and "no balanced budgets"? They could be applied just as easily to McCain as to Obama and the Dems. And we're not sure McCain really wants to go there.

-by Emi Kolawole


Here's another example of a deceitful McCain ad, this one trying to blame him for oil prices. Considering that McCain voted against increasing fuel efficiency standards in 2003 and 2005 I think it would be appropriate to lay some blame on McCain for the lack of availability of efficient vehicles. The number of cars available in the US that get more than 40 mpg as dropped in half, from four to two. As for high oil prices, if prices fell demand would rise to bring prices back up until demand decreased in response to high prices. Lowering oil prices is not a realistic goal.

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/580/
 

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
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Factcheck should be mandatory reading perhaps before people are allowed to vote :)
 

jonks

Lifer
Feb 7, 2005
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Just got this in my inbox from factcheck:

http://www.factcheck.org/elect...08/hit_the_brakes.html

Hit the Brakes
September 3, 2008
An Obama ad running in Michigan claims McCain didn't support loan guarantees for the auto industry. In fact, he does support them.
Summary
A new Obama ad targeted to Michigan voters says McCain "refused to support loan guarantees for the auto industry."

That was true, but it's not now ? and it wasn't when this ad was made. Yet the ad doesn't mention McCain's changed position on government support for the carmakers.

What? Unpossible!
 

nageov3t

Lifer
Feb 18, 2004
42,816
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political ads taking quotes out of context and spinning them for their own purpose?

oh brave new world that has such things in it. next you'll tell me that McCain wants 100 years of war in Iraq.
 

lupi

Lifer
Apr 8, 2001
32,539
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Originally posted by: loki8481
political ads taking quotes out of context and spinning them for their own purpose?

oh brave new world that has such things in it. next you'll tell me that McCain wants 100 years of war in Iraq.

:D
 

newmachineoverlord

Senior member
Jan 22, 2006
484
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It seems that the republican party relies upon the continuation of baseless myths in order to retain support. It appears to me that their base supports republicans out of spite and hatred of the poor.

http://www.factcheck.org/elect...ctchecking_mccain.html

We checked the accuracy of McCain?s speech accepting the Republican nomination and noted the following:

* McCain claimed that Obama?s health care plan would "force small businesses to cut jobs" and would put "a bureaucrat ... between you and your doctor." In fact, the plan exempts small businesses, and those who have insurance now could keep the coverage they have.

* McCain attacked Obama for voting for "corporate welfare" for oil companies. In fact, the bill Obama voted for raised taxes on oil companies by $300 million over 11 years while providing $5.8 billion in subsidies for renewable energy, energy efficiency and alternative fuels.

* McCain said oil imports send "$700 billion a year to countries that don't like us very much." But the U.S. is on track to import a total of only $536 billion worth of oil at current prices, and close to a third of that comes from Canada, Mexico and the United Kingdom.

* He promised to increase use of "wind, tide [and] solar" energy, though his actual energy plan contains no new money for renewable energy. He has said elsewhere that renewable sources won?t produce as much as people think.

* He called for "reducing government spending and getting rid of failed programs," but as in the past failed to cite a single program that he would eliminate or reduce.

* He said Obama would "close" markets to trade. In fact, Obama, though he once said he wanted to "renegotiate" the North American Free Trade Agreement, now says he simply wants to try to strengthen environmental and labor provisions in it.
 

Double Trouble

Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
9,272
103
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What factcheck fails to take into account is that whatever the politician supposed plans are for when in office is not the same as what will actually be done once they take office. Obama (or McCain for that matter) might promise whatever wonderful tax plan right now, but that has no bearing on what will happen once he takes office. Everyone should know better than to trust a politician -- any politician.
 

ProfJohn

Lifer
Jul 28, 2006
18,251
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Obama is already backdown on some of his tax plans due to the slow economy.

From yahoo:
Obama: Recession could delay rescinding tax cuts
Democrat Barack Obama says he would delay rescinding President Bush's tax cuts on wealthy Americans if he becomes the next president and the economy is in a recession, suggesting such an increase would further hurt the economy.

Seems like Obama now believes that a tax increase will hurt the economy.
 

Bowfinger

Lifer
Nov 17, 2002
15,776
392
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Originally posted by: Double Trouble
What factcheck fails to take into account is that whatever the politician supposed plans are for when in office is not the same as what will actually be done once they take office. Obama (or McCain for that matter) might promise whatever wonderful tax plan right now, but that has no bearing on what will happen once he takes office. Everyone should know better than to trust a politician -- any politician.
Perhaps, but that doesn't change the fundamental dishonesty of McCain's ads.
 

Druidx

Platinum Member
Jul 16, 2002
2,971
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Originally posted by: Double Trouble
Everyone should know better than to trust a politician -- any politician.
:thumbsup:
How people still don't understand that is amazing to me.

 

Druidx

Platinum Member
Jul 16, 2002
2,971
0
76
Originally posted by: Bowfinger
Originally posted by: Double Trouble
What factcheck fails to take into account is that whatever the politician supposed plans are for when in office is not the same as what will actually be done once they take office. Obama (or McCain for that matter) might promise whatever wonderful tax plan right now, but that has no bearing on what will happen once he takes office. Everyone should know better than to trust a politician -- any politician.
Perhaps, but that doesn't change the fundamental dishonesty of McCain's ads.

I use to think the only honest approach was to denounce the lies in political ads by both parties or accept it's just political spin, same as it's always been. That was then, now I agree with you. Only the dishonesty in McCain's ads should be condemned since Obama is the anointed one, come to lead America to the promise land.
Can I get a halleleua.....
 

Lemon law

Lifer
Nov 6, 2005
20,984
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Get a clue, the ads on both sides will be deceptive, believe the liar of your choice.

But I do also agree with the premise of this thread, Obama is the only one with any real plan and McCain is using scare tactics because he has no real plan other than the GWB spend and borrow. And to address the PJ point, the cure also depends on how weak the economy is, and one thing that is certain, the economy is very weak after eight years of very bad GWB&co policy. And now the chickens are coming home to roost and the vultures are circling on the US economy. Spend and borrow is no longer sustainable. And 4 trillion dollars of added debt is a worse poison as interest rates and inflation kicks in.
 

Bowfinger

Lifer
Nov 17, 2002
15,776
392
126
Originally posted by: Druidx
Originally posted by: Bowfinger
Perhaps, but that doesn't change the fundamental dishonesty of McCain's ads.
I use to think the only honest approach was to denounce the lies in political ads by both parties or accept it's just political spin, same as it's always been. That was then, now I agree with you. Only the dishonesty in McCain's ads should be condemned since Obama is the anointed one, come to lead America to the promise land.
Can I get a halleleua.....
That's nice, but it's not what I said, asshat. Given your own dishonesty, I suppose it's no surprise you think it's OK for McCain to lie too.

By the way, here's your "halleleua" [sic]: :cookie:

 

Jeff7

Lifer
Jan 4, 2001
41,599
19
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This one claims Obama and congressional Democrats plan to push forward "painful tax increases on working American families" and that they will bring about "years of deficits," "no balanced budgets" and "billions in new government spending."

I love that crap. Deficits only matter if the Democrats are doing it. And yet Republicans say deficits don't matter.
No balanced budget? They've never had an issue with that when they're the ones doing it.
Billions in new government spending. Spending to help THIS country. Iraq War: Hundreds of billions, possibly into the trillions, and then more money to help corporations rebuild the country so that they can reap massive profits in oil revenue. Nope, no problems there. :roll:

 

Pens1566

Lifer
Oct 11, 2005
11,476
7,878
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Why are McCain ads even mentioning issues since they believe this election is about personalities and not the issues????
 

Thump553

Lifer
Jun 2, 2000
12,649
2,384
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McCain is in a golden position right now regarding advertising-the general public perception of his persona is positive, so as long as he doesn't get vicious he can get away with a lot of negative advertising. Obama OTOH has handicapped himself by repeatedly saying he won't run a negative campaign (McCain said the same thing, but a long time ago and forgotten by all), so if he runs anything negative it will probably come back to bite him.

McCain is also in a golden position because he has the media terrified by pointing out his discrepancies and misstatements. Playing the Spiro Agnew blame the media game has worked devastatingly effective on the mainstream media-about the only thing you hear negative about Palin or McCain is the stupid pregnant daughter "issue." It's too bad the media hasn't learned anything about noncritical reporting, especially with the tragedy of US invading Iraq based upon dubious claims was not too long ago.