Republicans Stretch Truth in Debate Salvos on Jobs, Taxes

[dkf]

Oct. 12 (Bloomberg News) -- Mitt Romney, Rick Perry and the other Republican presidential candidates stretched the truth on health care, job creation and the deficit in a debate last night as they attacked each other and President Barack Obama.

Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, said Obama’s health-care law would increase spending by $1 trillion, while Texas Governor Perry said he would make America energy independent. Former Godfather’s Pizza chief executive Herman Cain argued that his “9-9-9” tax plan is revenue neutral.

Those are among the statements by the White House contenders that strayed from the truth as the candidates sought to distinguish themselves on jobs and the economy, the focus of the debate at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, sponsored by Bloomberg News and The Washington Post.

Following are examples of assertions that didn’t stand up to fact-checking by Bloomberg and Post reporters and analysts.


http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-10-12/republican-candidates-stretch-truth-in-debate-salvos-on-jobs-health-care.html

[Fearless]

1. "Republicans lie" is more like it.

And is Herman Cain looking to head up a new Dominos franchise too? His 9-9-9 deal? :puke:

[dkf]

2. Hey at least the media is fact checking.

I'm kind of surprised.

[JohnnyRingo]

3. "999" is bullshit.

Since the bottom half of the country spends 98% of our paychecks every month, that is how much of our income that will be subject to a 9% sales tax. On top of that will be state sales taxes up to another 8%. We'll pay 18% extra on every dime we earn. What will that do to consumer sales?

Then there will be another 9% in addition to that for every nickle we earn for a total of 27% without exemptions. If you believe "999" will make the pizza shop owners or the big computer chip companies to pay taxes on their business expenses, you don't understand what Cains means by "no loopholes". Of course they'll have write offs to lower their share of income taxes, but we won't.

It's almost as though Herman Cain designed a tax plan that shifts the burden to the working class.

[SpiralHawk]

4. "Truth? WTF? Hellooo. We're Republicons." - Republicons (R)

"You mean to tell us that after all these years you could possibly imagine that we'd be straight with America? That we'd actually speak truthfully? Bwaaaaaa ha ha ha ha ha. Smirk."

- Republicons (R)