Issues: Health Care

Crossroads GPS: “Hand Picked”

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Crossroads GPS attacks Indiana House candidate Brendan Mullen (D) over the Affordable Care Act, overlooking Mullen’s stated commitment to ‘fixing’ certain elements of the law that he does not support. The ad ridiculously suggests the law is “the largest tax increase in history on the middle class,” misleads on the impact of future Medicare spending reductions that do not cut seniors’ benefits, and fearmongers about the impact of the Medicare board responsible finding additional savings – an element of the ACA that Mullen actually wants to change.

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Americans for Tax Reform: “Al Lawson – Wrong Prescription For Florida”

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Americans for Tax Reform attacks congressional candidate Al Lawson (D-FL) for supporting the Affordable Care Act, relying on a series of distortions about the law’s impact. In reality, the ACA does not raise taxes on most Americans, and it actually decreases the overall burden on the middle class. Moreover, the law reduces future Medicare spending without cutting seniors’ benefits – in fact, Lawson’s opponent, Rep. Steve Southerland (R), voted to preserve the “cuts” as part of the House GOP budget – and the Senate-confirmed board responsible for finding additional savings is forbidden from cutting benefits or rationing care.

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Hardworking Americans Committee

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A Michigan super PAC called the Hardworking Americans Committee dishonestly alleges that Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D) is “failing to pay her own taxes,” referring to small property tax penalties the senator paid more than five years ago. The ad also accuses Stabenow of “raising your taxes 21 times,” citing her support for the Affordable Care Act, which does not raise taxes on most Americans and reduces the burden on the middle class.

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American Crossroads: “Survive”

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An ad from American Crossroads features two small business owners talking about the challenges they face, which they blame on President Obama’s policies. However, despite the statements in the ad, the conservative charge that taxes and regulations are holding back job growth is not supported by the evidence. Instead, experts cite consumer demand, which plummeted as a result of the recession Obama inherited, as the key to increased hiring. While we are still recovering from the devastating impact of the recession, the private sector has added 4.7 million new jobs over the last 31 consecutive months of growth. Meanwhile, consumer confidence is now at its highest level since 2007.

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American Crossroads: “Add Up”

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American Crossroads characterizes Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) as “extreme,” citing several alleged examples of her voting to take tax dollars “out of Wisconsin to pay for her extreme agenda in Washington.” However, the Bush administration’s bipartisan bailout of the financial sector helped prevent a possible depression; the Affordable Care Act does not raise taxes on most Americans and actually reduces the burden on the middle class; and “failed” Recovery Act not only created jobs but also cut taxes for millions of working American families.

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Crossroads GPS: “Dragging”

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An ad from Crossroads GPS accuses Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) of voting for higher taxes and hurting Ohio’s job creators. But ending the Bush tax cuts for top earners, few of whom are actual small businesses, would help reduce the deficit without impeding the recovery, and the Affordable Care Act doesn’t tax most Americans. Furthermore, the ad’s insinuation that Brown bears responsibility for job losses in Ohio ignores the devastating impact of the Great Recession as well as the fact that Ohio has gained well over 100,000 jobs since the recession officially ended.

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Crossroads GPS: “Simple”

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Armed with misleading claims and a clip of Heidi Heitkamp playing softball, Crossroads GPS alleges she “will go to bat for the Obama agenda,” while Rep. Rick Berg is the “independent voice” North Dakota needs in the Senate. Of course, Congressman Berg’s voting record does not reflect that supposed independence – but it does include two votes for the exact Medicare savings GPS attacks Heitkamp for supporting. The ad’s claim that Heitkamp wants to “hit job creators with higher taxes” fares no better under scrutiny.

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Crossroads GPS: “Biggest Votes”

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Crossroads GPS hits Indiana Senate candidate Joe Donnelly over his support for the Affordable Care Act, claiming it cuts Medicare spending and raises taxes on the middle class, and suggesting it is responsible for rising health insurance premiums. In reality, the law finds future Medicare savings without cutting current spending or benefits, it doesn’t raise taxes on most Americans, and it slows the growth in health care costs, which are primarily to blame for higher premiums.

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Crossroads GPS: “Vision” CA-36

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In an ad hitting congressional candidate Raul Ruiz (D-CA), Crossroads GPS levels a series of falsehoods about the Affordable Care Act. Despite the ad’s claims, the health care law reduces future Medicare spending without cutting seniors’ current benefits, it helps control rising costs, and it’s expected to expand insurance coverage – all without taking health care decisions away from individuals or raising taxes on most Americans. What’s more, Ruiz’ opponent voted to keep the $716 billion in savings GPS attacks the Democrats over.

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Congressional Leadership Fund: “Where”

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The Congressional Leadership Fund blames Rep. Lois Capps (D-CA) for more spending and higher taxes, citing the Affordable Care Act, a cap-and-trade bill that never became law, and the Recovery Act. But it was the recession and Bush-era policies like tax breaks for the wealthy that are really responsible for creating driving up deficits, and Capps recently voted to bring in an additional $1 billion in revenue by ending the cuts for top earners. The Affordable Care Act, which reduces the deficits, offers tax credits for middle-class families and for small businesses, and the cap-and-trade bill Capps voted for would have boosted the economy with minimal impact on consumers’ energy costs. Meanwhile, the Recovery Act cut taxes for 95 percent of working families and helped stave off an even greater recession.

Read more after the jump.