Fact checking the Presidents Speech

[Danno 1,228]

- AP - January 27, 2010

Fact Check: How State of Union Compares With Reality

A look at some of Obama's claims in the State of the Union and how they compare with the facts

WASHINGTON -- President Obama, who once considered government spending freezes a hatchet job, told Americans on Wednesday it's now part of his solution to the exploding deficit. He didn't explain what had changed.

His State of the Union speech skipped over a variety of complex realities in laying out a "common-sense" call to action.

A look at some of his claims and how they compare with the facts:

OBAMA: "Starting in 2011, we are prepared to freeze government spending for three years. Spending related to our national security, Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security will not be affected. But all other discretionary government programs will. Like any cash-strapped family, we will work within a budget to invest in what we need and sacrifice what we don't."

THE FACTS: The anticipated savings from this proposal would amount to less than one percent of the deficit -- and that's if the president can persuade Congress to go along.

Obama is a convert to the cause of broad spending freezes. In the presidential campaign, he criticized Republican opponent John McCain for suggesting one. "The problem with a spending freeze is you're using a hatchet where you need a scalpel," he said a month before the election. Now, Obama wants domestic spending held steady in most areas where the government can control year to year costs. The proposal is similar to McCain's.

------

OBAMA: "I've called for a bipartisan fiscal commission, modeled on a proposal by Republican Judd Gregg and Democrat Kent Conrad. This can't be one of those Washington gimmicks that lets us pretend we solved a problem. The commission will have to provide a specific set of solutions by a certain deadline. Yesterday, the Senate blocked a bill that would have created this commission. So I will issue an executive order that will allow us to go forward, because I refuse to pass this problem on to another generation of Americans."

THE FACTS: Any commission that Obama creates would be a weak substitute for what he really wanted -- a commission created by Congress that could force lawmakers to consider unpopular remedies to reduce the debt, including curbing politically sensitive entitlements like Social Security and Medicare. That idea crashed in the Senate this week, defeated by equal numbers of Democrats and Republicans. Any commission set up by Obama alone would lack authority to force its recommendations before Congress, and would stand almost no chance of success.

------

OBAMA: Discussing his health care initiative, he said: "Our approach would preserve the right of Americans who have insurance to keep their doctor and their plan."

THE FACTS: The Democratic legislation now hanging in limbo on Capitol Hill aims to keep people with employer-sponsored coverage -- the majority of Americans under age 65 -- in the plans they already have. But Obama can't guarantee g point of contention for the president. In December, the administration reported that recipients of direct assistance from the government created or saved about 650,000 jobs. The number was based on self-reporting by recipients and some of the calculations were shown to be in error.

The Congressional Budget Office has been much more guarded than Obama in characterizing the success of the stimulus plan. In November, it reported that the stimulus increased the number of people employed by between 600,000 and 1.6 million "compared with what those values would have been otherwise." It said the ranges "reflect the uncertainty of such estimates." And it added: "It is impossible to determine how many of the reported jobs would have existed in the absence of the stimulus package."

------

OBAMA: He called for action by the White House and Congress "to do our work openly, and to give our people the government they deserve."

THE FACTS: Obama skipped past a broken promise from his campaign -- to have the negotiations for health care legislation broadcast on C-SPAN "so that people can see who is making arguments on behalf of their constituents, and who are making arguments on behalf of the drug companies or the insurance companies." Instead, Democrats in the White House and Congress have conducted the usual private negotiations, making multibillion-dollar deals with hospitals, pharmaceutical companies and other stakeholders behind closed doors. Nor has Obama lived up consistently to his pledge to ensure that legislation is posted online for five days before it's acted upon.

------

OBAMA: "We will continue to go through the budget line by line to eliminate programs that we can't afford and don't work. We've already identified $20 billion in savings for next year."

THE FACTS: Identifying savings is far from achieving them. If the past is any guide, little will result from this exercise because Congress routinely rejects the White House's suggested spending cuts.

------

OBAMA: "The United States and Russia are completing negotiations on the farthest-reaching arms control treaty in nearly two decades."

THE FACTS: Despite insisting early last year that they would complete the negotiations in time to avoid expiration of the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty in early December, the U.S. and Russia failed to do so. And while officials say they think a deal on a new treaty is within reach, there has been no breakthrough. A new round of talks is set to start Monday. One important sticking point: disagreement over including missile defense issues in a new accord. If completed, the new deal may arguably be the farthest-reaching arms control treaty since the original 1991 agreement. An interim deal reached in 2002 did not include its own rules on verifying nuclear reductions.

------

OBAMA: Drawing on classified information, he claimed more success than his predecessor at killing terrorists: "And in the last year, hundreds of al-Qaida's fighters and affiliates, including many senior leaders, have been captured or killed -- far more than in 2008."

THE FACTS: It is an impossible claim to verify. Neither the Bush nor the Obama administration has published enemy body counts, particularly those targeted by armed drones in the Pakistan-Afghan border region. The pace of drone attacks has increased dramatically in the last 18 months, according to congressional officials briefed on the secret program.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/01/27...mpares-reality/

[Ali G. 37]

Danno, while I enjoy reading these, I would honestly like to know what republicans propose.

All I hear is what republicans don't like, which is a cop out. It's similar to libs criticizing every means available to catch terrorists, all while never actually stating or proposing any alternatives.

Edited January 28, 2010 by Booyah

[Danno 1,228]

Danno, while I enjoy reading these, I would honestly like to know what republicans propose.

All I hear is what republicans don't like, which is a cop out. It's similar to libs criticizing every means available to catch terrorists, all while never actually stating or proposing any alternatives.

When you can't even get in the room to "hear" the negotiations (buying of votes) it's hard to propose.

[Ali G. 37]

When you can't even get in the room to "hear" the negotiations (buying of votes) it's hard to propose.

Are you honestly going to sit here and suggest that republicans are open and honest?

My question though is what do republicans propose to fix this economy? It something that every republican I know fails to answer. First to call the president an idiot and so forth but last to answer such a simple question; since the democrats have it all wrong of course.

Edited January 28, 2010 by Booyah

[Danno 1,228]

Are you honestly going to sit here and suggest that republicans are open and honest?

My question though is what do republicans propose to fix this economy? It something that every republican I know fails to answer. First to call the president an idiot and so forth but last to answer such a simple question; since the democrats have it all wrong of course.

My friend, get your seat belt on... the Agenda is coming.

But right now there is no ear for it in washington, in fact all their efforts to incorporate good sound (easily adopted) ideas on Healthcare where shot-down before they ever saw the light of day.

THings like Buying insurance across state lines, tort reform, rewarding healthy choice lifestyles.... all Dead on arrival.

The GOP has been shut out in every way.... how else do you get every Republican to stay on their side of the vote.. even Snow and Collins!

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

[luckytxn 2,265]

Used to be that the private sector is the one that made and created jobs but with the new thinking if the Nanny state I guess the government is now supposed to do this for us also.

[Ali G. 37]

My friend, get your seat belt on... the Agenda is coming.

But right now there is no ear for it in washington, in fact all their efforts to incorporate good sound (easily adopted) ideas on Healthcare where shot-down before they ever saw the light of day.

THings like Buying insurance across state lines, tort reform, rewarding healthy choice lifestyles.... all Dead on arrival.

The GOP has been shut out in every way.... how else do you get every Republican to stay on their side of the vote.. even Snow and Collins!

Shut out or shut themselves out? Interesting you mention buying across state lines since the majority of red states have a limited number of providers to begin with. I 110% agree with tort reform, this is a must. Rewarding healthy lifestyle choices is laughable since so many in red states believe "the guvament aint tellin m what to do". Have a look at which states banned smoking in public places and trans fats first.

Republicans clearly believe a business should be able to give it to Americans in the you know where, in the name of a profit. That somehow the free-market will fix (prevent) this screwing. Wrong! The free-market has failed in this sense, period. The majority of the private sector is such industries is solely interested in a profit period. Therefore, Americans and their lives mean nothing to them. Actions that directly contradicts the constitution's first three words of "we the people".

[Ali G. 37]

Used to be that the private sector is the one that made and created jobs but with the new thinking if the Nanny state I guess the government is now supposed to do this for us also.

You mean like $7.50 an hour jobs at walmart.

Actually, even they are firing 13,000 people.

[Nikita2Charles 32]

Also want to Add

When corporations wants to use your tax $$ to send your job overseas. Had 2 vendors for a project one Local in AZ and another one in Singapore. The quality and price was better in AZ, but I was forced to pick the one from Sing.

The company goal is to eventually move mfg overseas, so it has nothing to do with Quality it's all about cost cutting, even though in this case the part was cheaper in AZ than in Singapore.

Looking at the big pictures all the parts will be done in Singapore therefore better start getting vendors from there.

This is what i call THE SELLING OF AMERICA, under so called Globalization we are driving this country down the drain. Just hanging in there until things turn around so I can leave.

You mean like $7.50 an hour jobs at walmart.

Actually, even they are firing 13,000 people.

[Dan J 277]

Used to be that the private sector is the one that made and created jobs but with the new thinking if the Nanny state I guess the government is now supposed to do this for us also.

They still do, in China. Pesky things like minimum wage and health insurance made American workers too expensive. Daddy needs a new porsche.

[TaiwanLover 0]

Here's a look at how the "free market" provides for all:

http://consumerist.com/2007/04/ceo-pay-up-...-1995-2005.html

[Peikko 1,575]

I can't understand why anyone would bother to fact check a speech. They are not meant to be factual, they are meant to be emotional spirit raisers. Personally, I don't set any store by speeches no matter who makes them. It is interesting, if you like that kind of thing, that the cadence, flow and meter of a political speech is very similar to that of say a televangelist. That tells me all I need to know.

[The_Dude 1,142]

I can't understand why anyone would bother to fact check a speech. They are not meant to be factual, they are meant to be emotional spirit raisers. Personally, I don't set any store by speeches no matter who makes them. It is interesting, if you like that kind of thing, that the cadence, flow and meter of a political speech is very similar to that of say a televangelist. That tells me all I need to know.

They do it to deflect from the fact that they have no plan of their own.

[zqt3344 21]

OVOMIT LIES, HE LIED and HE CANNOT DELIVER ON ANY CAMPAIGN PROMISES! What a loser boy he really is. Just 3 more years of his sorry A$$!

- AP - January 27, 2010

Fact Check: How State of Union Compares With Reality

A look at some of Obama's claims in the State of the Union and how they compare with the facts

WASHINGTON -- President Obama, who once considered government spending freezes a hatchet job, told Americans on Wednesday it's now part of his solution to the exploding deficit. He didn't explain what had changed.

His State of the Union speech skipped over a variety of complex realities in laying out a "common-sense" call to action.

A look at some of his claims and how they compare with the facts:

OBAMA: "Starting in 2011, we are prepared to freeze government spending for three years. Spending related to our national security, Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security will not be affected. But all other discretionary government programs will. Like any cash-strapped family, we will work within a budget to invest in what we need and sacrifice what we don't."

THE FACTS: The anticipated savings from this proposal would amount to less than one percent of the deficit -- and that's if the president can persuade Congress to go along.

Obama is a convert to the cause of broad spending freezes. In the presidential campaign, he criticized Republican opponent John McCain for suggesting one. "The problem with a spending freeze is you're using a hatchet where you need a scalpel," he said a month before the election. Now, Obama wants domestic spending held steady in most areas where the government can control year to year costs. The proposal is similar to McCain's.

------

OBAMA: "I've called for a bipartisan fiscal commission, modeled on a proposal by Republican Judd Gregg and Democrat Kent Conrad. This can't be one of those Washington gimmicks that lets us pretend we solved a problem. The commission will have to provide a specific set of solutions by a certain deadline. Yesterday, the Senate blocked a bill that would have created this commission. So I will issue an executive order that will allow us to go forward, because I refuse to pass this problem on to another generation of Americans."

THE FACTS: Any commission that Obama creates would be a weak substitute for what he really wanted -- a commission created by Congress that could force lawmakers to consider unpopular remedies to reduce the debt, including curbing politically sensitive entitlements like Social Security and Medicare. That idea crashed in the Senate this week, defeated by equal numbers of Democrats and Republicans. Any commission set up by Obama alone would lack authority to force its recommendations before Congress, and would stand almost no chance of success.

------

OBAMA: Discussing his health care initiative, he said: "Our approach would preserve the right of Americans who have insurance to keep their doctor and their plan."

THE FACTS: The Democratic legislation now hanging in limbo on Capitol Hill aims to keep people with employer-sponsored coverage -- the majority of Americans under age 65 -- in the plans they already have. But Obama can't guarantee g point of contention for the president. In December, the administration reported that recipients of direct assistance from the government created or saved about 650,000 jobs. The number was based on self-reporting by recipients and some of the calculations were shown to be in error.

The Congressional Budget Office has been much more guarded than Obama in characterizing the success of the stimulus plan. In November, it reported that the stimulus increased the number of people employed by between 600,000 and 1.6 million "compared with what those values would have been otherwise." It said the ranges "reflect the uncertainty of such estimates." And it added: "It is impossible to determine how many of the reported jobs would have existed in the absence of the stimulus package."

------

OBAMA: He called for action by the White House and Congress "to do our work openly, and to give our people the government they deserve."

THE FACTS: Obama skipped past a broken promise from his campaign -- to have the negotiations for health care legislation broadcast on C-SPAN "so that people can see who is making arguments on behalf of their constituents, and who are making arguments on behalf of the drug companies or the insurance companies." Instead, Democrats in the White House and Congress have conducted the usual private negotiations, making multibillion-dollar deals with hospitals, pharmaceutical companies and other stakeholders behind closed doors. Nor has Obama lived up consistently to his pledge to ensure that legislation is posted online for five days before it's acted upon.

------

OBAMA: "We will continue to go through the budget line by line to eliminate programs that we can't afford and don't work. We've already identified $20 billion in savings for next year."

THE FACTS: Identifying savings is far from achieving them. If the past is any guide, little will result from this exercise because Congress routinely rejects the White House's suggested spending cuts.

------

OBAMA: "The United States and Russia are completing negotiations on the farthest-reaching arms control treaty in nearly two decades."

THE FACTS: Despite insisting early last year that they would complete the negotiations in time to avoid expiration of the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty in early December, the U.S. and Russia failed to do so. And while officials say they think a deal on a new treaty is within reach, there has been no breakthrough. A new round of talks is set to start Monday. One important sticking point: disagreement over including missile defense issues in a new accord. If completed, the new deal may arguably be the farthest-reaching arms control treaty since the original 1991 agreement. An interim deal reached in 2002 did not include its own rules on verifying nuclear reductions.

------

OBAMA: Drawing on classified information, he claimed more success than his predecessor at killing terrorists: "And in the last year, hundreds of al-Qaida's fighters and affiliates, including many senior leaders, have been captured or killed -- far more than in 2008."

THE FACTS: It is an impossible claim to verify. Neither the Bush nor the Obama administration has published enemy body counts, particularly those targeted by armed drones in the Pakistan-Afghan border region. The pace of drone attacks has increased dramatically in the last 18 months, according to congressional officials briefed on the secret program.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/01/27...mpares-reality/