Several weeks ago, I launched a Friday afternoon feature, highlighting the most offensive Mitt Romney falsehoods of the week. I was off last week, but let's get it started again.
Associated Press
1. Romney claimed President Obama "went before the United Nations" and "said nothing about thousands of rockets being rained in on Israel from the Gaza Strip."
True or false? The claim isn't even close to being right.
2. Romney said Democrats "passed Dodd-Frank," which "has made it almost impossible for community banks."
True or false? He's has said this before, and it's still completely untrue.
3. Romney continues to insist, "Our Navy is now smaller than any time since 1917."
True or false? It's one of his favorite talking points, but it's wildly misleading.
4. Romney boasted, "I did not inherit what my wife and I have, nor did she. What I was able to build, I built the old-fashioned way, by earning it, by working hard."
True or false? In reality, he inherited quite a bit from his wealthy, powerful parents.
5. Attacking Newt Gingrich, Romney said of House Republicans, "They also took a vote, and 88 percent of Republicans voted to reprimand the speaker, and he did resign in disgrace after that."
True or false? That's not really what happened.
6. Romney said, "We have $15 trillion of debt. We're headed to a Greece- type collapse, and he adds another trillion [dollars] on top for Obamacare and for his stimulus plan that didn't create private-sector jobs."
True or false? Our debt problem has no resemblance to Greece's; the Affordable Care Act reduces the debt; and the stimulus added millions of private-sector jobs.
7. Describing his state-based health-care law, Romney said, "At the time we crafted it, I was asked time and again, 'Is this something that you would have the federal government do?' I said absolutely not. I do not support a federal mandate."
True or false? Reality shows the exact opposite is true.
8. Going after Obama, Romney said, "[W]e shouldn't forget that for two years, this President had a Congress that could do everything he wanted."
True or false? Republicans love this, but it's plainly false.
9. Again commenting on Obama's record, Romney argued, "If you want to get the economy going, lower corporate tax rates. He's raised them."
True or false? It's one of the more transparent lies Romney has told.
10. Asked about his investments in Freddie Mac, Romney told Fox News, "My investments, of course, are managed not by me. For the last 10 years they've been guided and managed by a trustee, they're in a blind trust. And the trustee invested in mutual funds and so forth and apparently one of the funds had Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac bonds."
True or false? He's lying again.
11. Romney argued, "I didn't get involved in politics early in my life," adding he didn't "politically involved" until after he ran the 2002 Olympics.
True or false? Romney ran for the U.S. Senate in 1994. He might remember spending $7 million of his own money on the race.
12. Asked to explain his 1992 vote in a Democratic primary, Romney said, "I've never voted for a Democrat when there was a Republican on the ballot."
True or false? That's not only untrue, it's a story Romney has changed literally five times.
13. After winning the Florida primary, Romney argued, "On one of the most personal matters of our lives, our health care, President Obama would turn decision making over to government bureaucrats."
True or false? Even for Romney, this is kind of dishonesty is just brazen.
14. After receiving Donald Trump's endorsement yesterday, Romney, commenting on President Obama and the economy, said, "He's frequently telling us that he did not cause the recession, and that's true. But he made it worse."
True or false? Not only is the economy much stronger than it was, even Mitt Romney himself has repeatedly said the economy has improved since Obama took office.
Jon Chait noted last week that Romney appears to be "an audacious liar," adding, "Even by the standards of politicians, Romney seems unusually prone to dishonesty."
Given recent events, I'm hard pressed to disagree.
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O Beautiful for spacious LIES
I started watching the GOP debate to see if I liked any of the so called candidates running for office. After the first debate I realized I was watching a comedy act. There was no one that knew or wanted the know the real facts about anything. And those that are left in the fight for the GOP nomination still have no idea what the American people are all about. One thinks the unemployed should take a shower and look for work, as if there were any jobs to be had and wants to put all the children in America to work. The other one likes to fire people and now who has the backing of a billionaire who does fire people on TV. The GOP is sounding more and more like a big joke. Is this all GOP can find to run for President? The GOP does not know the truth, does not want to know truth and wants everyone to think and believe what ever they say and do is the truth. We are not that stupid!
ok but why can't YOUR NAME STEVE be on this blog LOL. No matter I love your posts been a follower for 3 years.
If corporations are people too then will the Buffet Rule be enacted to include corporations?
I'd love to see one of those equations that would show Mitt's millions compared to how much the people at the lower end of the economic spectrum own. Mitt might have more money than the lower 5 million families? 15 million?? 40? Higher? Higher?? Do I hear a hundred million??
Inquiring minds want to know...thanks...!
And Rachel, that graphic tonight showing the total worth of the previous 10 or 12 presidents X2 = Romney'$ wealth... was great...!!
I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. Obama Inauguration. 20 Jan 2009
Biggest lie ever
I find it curious why there is NO curiosity about why Mitt Romney's family came from Mexico. I understand not wanting to pick on his religious beliefs, but the history is interesting. Plus the fact that he is a distant relative of Jon Huntsman....
Really? Not curious?
Mitt Romney's great-grandfather fled to Mexico from the U.S. to avoid arrest for polygamy in the late 1800s.
He set up a Mormon community with his five wives that prospered through farming and ranching.
When Romney's father George was five years old, the family moved to the U.S. to escape the Mexican Revolution.
George Romney set roots in the U.S. becoming the governor of Michigan. But the rest of the Romneys chose to go back to Mexico.
On December 22nd, in a small-town café in Pleasantville, Omaha, Obama was asked a question that typically only circulates on the Internet. As he sat down to have a slice of pie with a small group of potential voters and an elderly woman asked him about being Muslim. "I've always been a Christian," the Illinois Democrat responded. "I have never practiced [Islam]."Note: The newspaper editors had to add the word, "Islam."In his autobiography, "Dreams From My Father," Obama mentions studying the Quran. He was enrolled in two Jakarta schools as a Muslim. His teacher Tine Hahiyary said that she remembered that he had studied "mengaji" (recitation of the Quran)." Classmate Rony Amiris described Obama as being a very devout Muslim, saying, "Barry was previously quite religious in Islam." Another classmate, Emirsyah Satar, now the CEO of Garuda Indonesia, was quoted as saying, "He (Obama) was often in the prayer room wearing a 'sarong.'" (See Obama's Education.)Yet, on his official campaign website, Obama has posted this statement, "Barack has never been a Muslim or practiced any other faith besides Christianity."Obama's grandfather was a Muslim. Obama's father was a Muslim. Obama's stepfather was a Muslim. His African relatives are Muslims. What was he for the 27 years before his alleged conversion if he wasn't a Muslim? If Obama has always been a Christian, why was he enrolled in two Jakarta schools as a Muslim, and why did he study the Quran?And note his Clintonesque defense, "I have never practiced."
http://www.audacityofhypocrisy.com/fashion-shows/
Instead of labeling Mitt Romneys' falsehoods Let's just tell the truth, something Gop is having a real hard time with, let's call them Mitt Romneys' lies. Why is lieing becoming commonplace. Weren't we taught as children not to lie, what kind of an example are we setting for our children? The American people should demand that the government and the news media, in the case of Fox news, stop lieing. We are not ignorant people we are in fact probably alot more intellegient than most because we have learned what true happiness is and it's not having enough money to buy your own country.
i think the american people should demand that government officials stop lieing. we were taught very young not to lie why has it become okay to lie all of a sudden? the gop is insulting the intellegience of the american people. i'm not sure about their alterior motives but, i'm sure one of them maybe to rule the world. why don't they just buy their own country and they can be greedy, mean and egostical to themselves.
Is it true that the mormon religion beleives that only men can become Gods and that is what they strive for. Also, their children can be very cruel to other children if they are not mormon, I know that for a fact. Everyone has their own right to choose their religion but, do we really want someone with those beliefs as our President I'm not real fond of any religion that fundamentally changes what the Bible says. I mean things change for the good of all humanity, I beleive God knows this and asks only that we love each other.
Thanks so much for this. We need to counter this disinformation and outright lies that Romney is trying to spread with truth. I wish more journalists were like you, but kudos to you for trying. Keep it up. Sane people such as ourselves need this to keep on fighting the fight against ignorance and prejudice.
A great list ... one hates to be too critical (wink/wink - hey, I learned from the GOPers), but Mitt Romney is surely a serial liar - maybe even pathological... odd: it seems to be easy for him - his nature, his DNA as it were.
The man is out of touch, really. His view on VN last week or so just about floored me. I posted about it here, FYI: http://www.politicalrapids.blogspot.com/2012/06/cinc-wannabe-romney-which-one-is-it.html
Dan Francis (Watertown, NY)