Issues: Small Business

U.S. Chamber of Commerce: “CA-10: Jose Hernandez”

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The Chamber of Commerce spent $100 million in insurance company funds trying to defeat the Affordable Care Act in 2009-10, and their 2012 ads indicate they’re not over that loss yet. An ad attacking former astronaut Jose Hernandez, candidate for California’s 10th Congressional District this year, relies on trite misinformation about the law. Beyond misrepresenting the Medicare and tax provisions of the ACA, the Chamber also ignores a crucial reality: Hernandez’s opponent, Rep. Jeff Denham, voted for the same Medicare savings for which they attack Hernandez.

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U.S. Chamber of Commerce: “CA-26: Julia Brownley”

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The U.S. Chamber of Commerce claims that Julia Brownley cast three votes to raise energy costs for California businesses. But those three bills were about how to spend money that will be raised by a cap-and-trade system that’s already law in the California. The deception doesn’t end there, as the ad falsely suggests Brownley’s support for the Affordable Care Act and Democratic efforts to end the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest will harm job creation.

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U.S. Chamber of Commerce: “CA-24 Lois Capps”

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An ad from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce features a business owner suggesting that she is unable to hire more people because of uncertainty associated with federal policies, even though ample evidence suggests that consumer demand has the greatest impact on business hiring. The ad then attacks Rep. Lois Capps (D-CA) for voting for a cap-and-trade bill that would boost the economy at minimal cost to consumers, the Wall Street Reform bill, which seeks to prevent another financial collapse, the Affordable Care Act, which doesn’t “cut” Medicare benefits, as the ad suggests, but rather finds savings by reducing future Medicare spending.

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U.S. Chamber of Commerce: “CA-9: Jerry McNerney”

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An ad from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce features a business owner suggesting that she is unable to hire more people because of uncertainty associated with federal policies, even though ample evidence suggests that consumer demand has the greatest impact on business hiring. The ad then attacks Rep. Jerry McNerney (D-CA) for voting for a cap-and-trade bill that would boost the economy at minimal cost to consumers, and the Affordable Care Act, which doesn’t “cut” Medicare benefits, as the ad suggests, but rather finds savings by reducing future Medicare spending.

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Crossroads GPS: “Focus”

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An ad from Crossroads GPS hits New York congressional contender Julian Schreibman over his stated support for the Affordable Care Act, leveling falsehoods about the law’s effect on Medicare spending, seniors’ care, taxes, costs, and insurance coverage. In reality, the 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, Schreibman’s opponent, Rep. Chris Gibson (R), voted to keep the $716 billion in savings GPS attacks Schreibman over.

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Crossroads GPS: “Stamp”

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An ad from Crossroads GPS complains that Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) is a “rubber stamp” for spending, citing the Wall Street bailout, the Recovery Act, and the Affordable Care Act. The ad doesn’t acknowledge, however that the bipartisan bank bailout and the stimulus both rescued the economy from an even more severe downturn, while the Affordable Care Act reduces the deficit.

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U.S. Chamber of Commerce: “Heidi Heitkamp – More Government Isn’t The Solution”

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The Chamber of Commerce subtly suggests that former Attorney General Heidi Heitkamp is a Washington insider who helped pass health care reform, without mentioning that her opponent has been in Congress for two years. The subtext might not be so interesting if the ad weren’t centered around Medicare spending reductions. Congressman Rick Berg voted for those same measures twice, while Heitkamp’s voted for them zero times. And while the Chamber misrepresents the Medicare and tax impacts of the Affordable Care Act, that’s no surprise; the group spent $100 million lobbying against it earlier in President Obama’s term.

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Crossroads GPS: “Big”

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Crossroads GPS accuses Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-NV) of supporting “the largest tax increase in American history,” as well as “a plan to raise taxes on nearly a million small businesses next year.” Both charges are based on the scheduled expiration of the Bush tax cuts, and both are false. The Bush tax cuts were passed with an end date – an agreement in late 2010 extended them for two years – and allowing them to expire would not be the biggest tax increase ever. In addition, Berkley only wants to phase out tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans, which would not affect many actual small businesses or harm job creation.

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Congressional Leadership Fund: “Look”

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The Congressional Leadership Fund goes after Texas congressional candidate Pete Gallego for supporting the “job-killing” health care law “that cuts Medicare $716 billion,” but the claim that the Affordable Care Act will kill jobs has long been debunked, and the law doesn’t cut seniors’ benefits. Instead, it finds savings by reducing future Medicare spending – savings that Gallego’s opponent, Rep. Francisco Canseco (R), also voted for in the Ryan budget. The ad also attacks Gallego for voting to raise taxes as a state legislator, but Gallego voted actually voted against one of the tax bills CLF cites to prove their point.

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U.S. Chamber Of Commerce: “Martin Heinrich Has Gone Washington”

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A U.S. Chamber of Commerce ad attacks Senate candidate Rep. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) over his votes against the Regulatory Accountability Act, against the Keystone Pipeline, for the American Clean Energy and Security Act, for Wall Street reform, and for the health care law. The Chamber implies that Heinrich’s votes killed jobs, created red tape, or harmed Medicare, misleading voters about the bills.

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