Rep. Southerland: President Obama “Believes In Redistribution, And I Think That Is Evil”

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From an interview Rep. Steve Southerland (R-FL) gave to Newsmax:

SOUTHERLAND: What I believe the governor was trying to get across, as I listened to his video, is that we want a system of earned success where people are rewarded for their effort, they’re rewarded for their merit, they’re rewarded for their sacrifice and their hard work. And I think that that is clearly the fairest system ever known by mankind. Not a system where we have, you know, economic— we talk about economic fairness, where the government determines fair. I think what is more fair, and what is more moral, than a system of earned success? And I think that’s what the governor was alluding to. And clearly, Barack Obama, and you look at his body of work, he does not believe in that. He believes in redistribution, and I think that is evil, and I think it is wrong. And I think it’s glaring that he’s now getting more bold with his statements, because I think he knows there’s a great chance he could lose this election.

Read more after the jump.

Crossroads GPS: “When”

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Crossroads GPS mimics a DirecTV ad campaign with a stern narrator following a progression of cause and effect starting with the decision to elect Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH). But where the original ads are zany and played for laughs, GPS uses the familiar format to sell voters on misinformation. Brown’s vote for the Affordable Care Act isn’t preventing Ohio manufacturers from hiring, as the ad suggests. Indeed, that sector has been the cornerstone of Ohio’s recovery, showing steady job gains since the recession brought on by the financial crisis.

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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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Crossroads GPS: “Addicted”

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Accusing Virginia Senate candidate Tim Kaine (D) of being “addicted” to spending, Crossroads GPS cites a budget Kaine proposed as the outgoing governor of Virginia. The plan, which would have made some tough spending cuts in order to balance Virginia’s recession-ravaged budget, would have raised the maximum state income tax rate by just one percentage point, a trade-off for preventing even deeper cuts to essential services. The ad also refers to the looming defense cuts triggered by the failure of the deficit reduction super committee. Kaine supported the creation of the super committee in a deal to raise the debt ceiling, but has laid out a plan for preventing the upcoming defense cuts.

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American Crossroads: “Where”

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Crossroads GPS relies on old distortions in an attempt to scare Florida seniors about the impact of the Affordable Care Act, including the false premise that Sen. Bill Nelson (D) “cast the deciding vote” on the bill. The ACA does not allow for “rationed” care, and its future Medicare savings do not cut seniors’ current benefits. In fact, Nelson’s opponent, Rep. Connie Mack (R), voted to preserve the health care law’s Medicare savings when he supported Rep. Paul Ryan’s budget plan in 2011. Furthermore, the Affordable Care Act includes important benefits for seniors, such as closing the prescription drug “donut” hole and providing free preventive care.

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Crossroads GPS: “Pressure”

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Crossroads GPS attacks Rep. Joe Donnelly (D-IN) for supporting two “trillion-dollar” bills, citing his votes for the Affordable Care Act and the Recovery Act. But the health care law actually reduces deficits, while tax cuts accounted for about one-third of the Recovery Act’s price tag. In addition to creating jobs and helping prevent an even deeper recession, the recovery bill cut taxes for up to 95 percent of working Americans.

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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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Congressional Leadership Fund: “Continued”

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Congressional Leadership Fund seeks to damn Rep. Betty Sutton (D-OH) by tying her to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). Although Sutton has received an unremarkable $25,000 from Pelosi’s leadership PAC since 2006, the rest of the ad’s accusations are misleading. Sutton’s vote for the Affordable Care Act didn’t cut $700 out of current Medicare spending; it found future savings without cutting seniors’ benefits. The “failed” stimulus helped rescue the economy from an even greater recession, and the cap-and-trade bill Sutton supported would have boosted the economy at minimal cost to consumers.

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The Week In Conservative Attack Ads

This week, conservatives flooded the airwaves with attacks on Democratic candidates. We fact-checked a total of 21 new ads, exceeding our total from the previous three weeks combined. The increase in volume was marked by 11 spots targeting House candidates, signaling a heightened focus on lower-level races as we approach the final stretch of campaign season.

New Players, Same Money?

Karl Rove’s groups were active as usual – American Crossroads launched a misleading attack on President Obama and Crossroads GPS targeted three Senate hopefuls – but they let some of their allies lead the charge this week.

Read more after the jump.

PA State Rep. Metcalfe: 47 Percent “Living Off The Public Dole” Likely “Too Lazy” To Get ID To Vote

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From a September 19, 2012, interview with Pennsylvania state Rep. Daryl Metcalf (R) on KDKA’s Mike Pintek show, via ThinkProgress:

METCALFE: Ultimately, the burden isn’t on the state to make sure every individual does what they have to do to get their ID card. I mean, individuals have certain responsibilities in securing their ID. They have to present the documents needed. The state doesn’t have that burden. I think the individual does, and I think it ultimately is a great travesty of justice to violate the rights of millions to have their legally cast vote protected for the special interests of a few individuals that are too lazy to get out there and get done what they have to to get their ID card.

MIKE PINTEK (HOST): Okay, are you absolutely convinced, and do you have assurances and can you give us assurances that the methods to implement this law are effective and will in fact make sure that no legitimate voter will be disenfranchised?

METCALFE: Yes. I don’t believe any legitimate voter that actually wants to exercise that right and takes on the according responsibility that goes with that right to secure their photo ID will be disenfranchised. You know, we have – as Mitt Romney said, 47 percent of the people that are living off the public dole, living off of their neighbors’ hard work, and we have a lot of people out there that are too lazy to get off and – you know, to get up and get out there and get the ID they need. So, I mean, if individuals are too lazy, the state can’t fix that.

Read more after the jump.