Politicians & Pundits: George W. Bush

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.

Read more after the jump.

Restore Our Future: “Better”

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Restore Our Future is running an ad in 10 states making the case that “Barack Obama’s economy isn’t working.” The pro-Romney super PAC blames President Obama for the consequences of the devastating recession he inherited, ignoring the fact that the economy is growing and the private sector has added 4.7 million jobs in the last 31 months. The group also blames Obama for high deficits fueled by Bush policies and the recession, as well as for the credit downgrade that resulted from the GOP’s reckless approach to the debt ceiling and refusal to consider any deficit-reduction measure that increases revenue.

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Crossroads GPS: “Ideas”

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An ad from Crossroads GPS accuses Virginia Senate candidate Tim Kaine (D) of pushing tax hikes, skimming over the fact that the largest of the revenue increases Kaine proposed as governor were designed to fund transportation upgrades that the state’s GOP wanted to pay for with long-term borrowing. The ad also accuses Kaine of supporting the defense cuts set in motion by last summer’s deal to raise the debt limit, lifting a quote out of context. Although Kaine supported the compromise to raise the debt ceiling and prevent default, he has proposed a plan to avoid the upcoming defense cuts.

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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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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.

Read more after the jump.