Truth and McCain/Palin

McCain and Palin have repeatedly been exposed as lying about both themselves and about Obama. They have drawn considerable and justifiable criticism for resorting to lying, rather than admitting a few things:

1. McCain has no health care plan that will significantly relieve the condition of the uninsured who are overwhelmingly poor and of color--supposedly the demographic he cares about. This is why he focuses on Obama's plan: so no one will notice his lack of one.
2. McCain's repetition of "drill for oil offshore" will do nothing to alleviate current oil shortages and does nothing to reframe the fundamental issue: a reliance on oil. He is, indeed, continuing the Bush legacy.
3. Palin does the ultimate flip-flop, from not being someone who thinks global warming is caused by people to believing that there may be something to what the scientists, who are actually educated, have discovered. Odd how Republicans think science is merely a convenience.

A story on McCain, "McCain Barbs Stirring Outcry as Distortions," from the NYTimes. And another story entitled "Palin Under Fire after Grudging U-turn on Global Warming," from The Guardian.

"The Reality Behind the Claims" (NYTimes, September 13, A13):

"Taxes: 'Barack Obama and out-of-touch Congressional leaders' have plans for 'painful tax increases on working families.'

Reality Check: The Tax Policy Center, a nonpartisan research group, analyzed both candidates' tax plans and concluded that Mr. Obama 'offers much larger tax breaks to low- and middle-income taxpowers (bold added).' It found that for four-fifths of the population--households making $112,000 a year or less--Mr. Obama's tax cuts would mean a net savings (bold added) of more than $900 a year on average while Mr. Mccain's proposals would save people less than half that (bold added).

Energy: 'Senator Obama doesn't want to have nuclear power, and he doesn't want to drill offshore.'

Reality Check: Mr. Obama has been less enthusiastic about nuclear power (and why explore that when we can explore scientifically-driven wind and solar?? Where is Mr. McSame on those issues?) and offshore drilling than Mr. McCain, but he has repeatedly said he is open to both. He has said he would be open to increased offshore drilling (though that will do nothing to alleviate current problems and will not for several years) as part of a broader energy plan, and to more nuclear power plants if the government resolves questions about hte safe disposal of nuclear waste and the security of nuclear materials.

Health Care: Mr. Obama's 'plan will force small businesses to cut jobs and reduce wages and force families into a government-run health care system where a bureaucrat stands between you and your doctor.'

Reality Check: Under Mr. Obama's plan, eople could keep their current insurance. For the uninsured, he would create a voluntary public plan. He would require coverage for children only, a position that set him apart from his rivals in the Democratic primary. His plan exempts very small businesses from the requuirement that they either offer health coverage or contribute money to the new plan. It offers tax credits to encourage them to provide coverage.
And now for the Lies of Sarah Palin:

Earmarks: 'I told Congress, thanks, but no thanks for that 'Bridge to Nowhere' in Alaska. If we wanted that bridge, we'd build it ourselves.'

Reality Check: As a candidate for governor, Ms. Palin supported the project to build a bridge to a sparsely populated Alaskan island. She told The Anchorage Daily News in2005 that she would like to see it and other projects built sooner rather than later, (bold added) "while our Congressional delegation is in a strong position to assist." After (italics added) the bridge drew national ridicule, making it harder to secure more federal money to meet rising cost projections, Ms. Palin abandoned it, citing the financial shortfall. Alaska was able to keep the federal money and direct it to other projects."