Issues: Economy

Congressional Leadership Fund: “Sutton Works For Pelosi”

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The Congressional Leadership Fund, a super-PAC associated with the American Action Network, uses Rep. Betty Sutton’s voting record to suggest that she places the interests of Rep. Nancy Pelosi above those of Ohio. To do so, they rely on misrepresentations of clean energy legislation, the Affordable Care Act, and the Recovery Act, the last of which helped prevent a deeper recession and cut taxes for families and businesses across the country.

Read more after the jump.

Romney’s “47 Percent” Comments Reflect Conservative Dogma

The Mother Jones video of Mitt Romney telling his donors that the 47 percent of Americans who pay no income tax are entitled, dependent “victims” is consistent with the nominee’s preference for addressing inequality “in quiet rooms.” But this is no mere pander to wealthy Republican donors. In the Obama era, conservatives have fully embraced the notion that those who owe no federal income tax must have more “skin in the game.” That means raising income taxes on the bottom 47 percent of earners.

In August of last year, the Wall Street Journal labeled this soak-the-poor idea “the new Republican orthodoxy.” Indeed, Republican leaders, movement activists, and powerful conservative institutions have pushed for “skin in the game,” for higher taxes on the bottom half of the income distribution.

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American Action Network: “Neighbor”

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American Action Network tries to paint California congressional contender Jose Hernandez as a carpetbagger, attacks him for having a tax lien placed on his business, and criticizes his support for the Recovery Act and the Affordable Care Act. But Hernandez grew up in the San Joaquin Valley and lived there most of his life, only leaving in 2004 to pursue a career as an astronaut. Meanwhile, the tax lien on Hernandez’ business – a restaurant run by his wife – was lifted in August 2011.

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American Action Network: “Sides”

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Minnesota ranks third in nonfuel mining revenues, but to hear the American Action Network tell it, the EPA and congressional candidate Rick Nolan are smothering the state’s mining industry in its sleep. AAN’s ad, “Sides,” misrepresents Nolan’s opposition to GOP legislation on environmental regulations, and sidesteps some nasty facts about a proposed mining project near the Minnesota Boundary Waters. The mining company received the lowest possible rating from the EPA for its original proposal in 2010, and has been unable to meet water safety standards for the project ever since.

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American Action Network: “Radical Ideas”

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An American Action Network ad hits physician David Gill, the Democratic congressional candidate in Illinois’ 13th district, over his support for the Recovery Act, Solyndra, and for a single-payer health care system. But the stimulus helped stave off a deeper economic recession; the Solyndra loan was part of a program constructed to withstand some defaults; and AAN’s claims about Gill’s health care positions are highly misleading.

Read more after the jump.

Crossroads GPS: “Broke”

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Crossroads GPS calls President Obama “dishonest on taxes,” claiming that the Affordable Care Act imposed a “huge tax increase” on the middle class while Mitt Romney’s tax plan will cut middle-class taxes by 20 percent. But the health care law does not raise taxes on most Americans, and it actually provides tax relief for millions. Moreover, despite Romney’s rhetoric, his plan would require significant middle-class tax increases in order to remain deficit-neutral, which he insists it will.

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Treasure Coast Jobs Coalition: “Seen”

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Treasure Coast Jobs Coalition, a murky super PAC, attacks first-time congressional candidate Patrick Murphy (D-FL) over his assertion that he would have voted for the Recovery Act in order to help “keep us from going into a deep recession.” Ignoring that the Recovery Act did, indeed, help prevent an even deeper recession, Treasure Coast distorts elements of the bill, and tries to pin the blame on Murphy.

Read more after the jump.

Crossroads GPS: “Bunch of Cash”

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Crossroads GPS is up with an ad in Nevada that features President Obama saying, “don’t blow a bunch of cash on Vegas,” a phrase taken completely out of context to suggest that the president is dismissive of Nevada’s tourism-driven economy. But the president wasn’t denigrating Las Vegas or advising people not to go there, he was speaking about the choices families must make about how to prioritize their spending in a recession. In addition, the ad blames Obama for a lackluster recovery, even though the last 30 months of private-sector job growth have been dragged down by GOP-favored public-sector downsizing.

Read more after the jump.

Crossroads GPS: “Questionable”

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Crossroads GPS attacks Virginia Senate candidate Tim Kaine (D) over his support for last year’s deal to raise the debt ceiling, which created the deficit reduction “super committee” and imposed defense cuts as an incentive for members of the committee to reach a compromise. Now that the super committee has failed and the defense cuts are looming, GPS is accusing Kaine of backing a plan to “devastate America’s defense and Virginia jobs.” But Kaine supported the debt ceiling deal because it was necessary to avoid devastating economic default, and he has laid out a plan to avoid the impending defense cuts.

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American Future Fund: “Janesville”

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American Future Fund is regurgitating Rep. Paul Ryan’s (R-WI) claim that the closure of a General Motors factory in his hometown proves President Obama’s economic policies failed. The timeline of events does not support AFF and Ryan’s claim, as the plant’s closure came under President Bush. More importantly, AFF and Ryan both omit some of then-candidate Obama’s 2008 comments to Janesville auto workers: Obama stressed the plant would have to retool its assembly line to make fuel-efficient cars rather than SUVs and trucks, because GM and the larger auto market were all shifting sharply in that direction. Indeed, Ryan lobbied GM throughout 2008 to retool the Janesville plant, while also claiming that government action could lower gas prices and help save truck assembly plants. Market forces and chronology render AFF’s ad highly dishonest.

Read more after the jump.