Issues: Taxes

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.

Read more after the jump.

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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Crossroads GPS: “Tilting”

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Crossroads GPS’ attack on Angus King for recommending taxpayer funding for a windmill project that ‘cluttered Maine’s scenic beauty’ ignores the significant benefits it has provided to the town where the windmills went up. Thanks to the windmill project, Roxbury residents saw a 59 percent drop in their property tax rates, among other direct financial benefits. The project has been hailed by local leaders and residents alike. The ad’s claims about taxes and schools funding in King’s tenure are similarly dishonest.

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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.

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Americans for Tax Reform: “Charlie Wilson – Least Afford It”

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Americans for Tax Reform attacks congressional candidate Charlie Wilson (D-OH) for supporting “raising taxes on small businesses,” citing a 2010 measure in which Wilson voted to extend the Bush-era tax cuts for the middle class while letting them expire for top earners. Few income taxpayers in the top two brackets are actual small businesses, however, and Wilson ultimately supported a compromise bill that extended the Bush tax cuts for everyone. The ad also cites a flawed business association-funded study to support its claim that ending the tax cuts for top brackets would harm small businesses, but the study doesn’t model Democrats’ actual proposals.

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American Future Fund: “A New Path”

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The audio in a new ad from American Future Fund is exclusively Mitt Romney’s voice, making accusations about President Obama’s impact on spending and taxes and promising to create 12 million new jobs. That figure comes from a series of separate studies with different timelines, and two of those don’t even evaluate Romney’s policies. In addition, spending growth under Obama is low, and he has cut taxes for 95 percent of working families.

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Congressional Leadership Fund: “I Will”

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The Congressional Leadership Fund wants New York voters to believe Rep. Kathy Hochul’s (D) support for ending the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy and her opposition to repealing Obamacare amount to “working with President Obama to raise taxes that hurt small businesses.” That isn’t true. In reality, allowing the Bush tax cuts on top earners to expire would reduce deficits without harming the economy or affecting many actual employers, and the Affordable Care Act offers tax credits to millions of small businesses.

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Congressional Leadership Fund: “Busy Betty”

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An ad from the Congressional Leadership Fund attacks Rep. Betty Sutton (D-OH) over virtually every Democratic priority, citing the Recovery Act, a cap-and-trade bill, and the health care law. But the stimulus bill didn’t ‘fail’ – it helped avoid an even more severe economic downturn, and the ad’s charge that stimulus money went to China is unsupported. The cap-and-trade bill in question would have boosted the economy with little cost to consumers. And the allegation that the health care law – which cuts taxes for most Americans – would kill jobs has been dismantled repeatedly.

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Congressional Leadership Fund: “Cherry Hill Tax”

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The Congressional Leadership Fund attacks Democratic Congressional candidate Shelley Adler (NJ) for raising property taxes on Cherry Hill citizens three times. However, the ad fails to note that the votes in question were for entire township budgets, two of which the council approved unanimously, and that through her tenure Cherry Hill had the lowest tax rate of any municipality in Camden County. Additionally, the tax rate increases were largely attributed to state’s mismanagement of pension funds and the requirement that municipalities contribute additional money to cover the state shortfalls. Lastly, when the mayor attempted to increase the property tax levy by 22 percent in 2008 once the recession had begun, Adler was one of only two members who voted against the proposal.

Read more after the jump.