Republicans Rate 3 Times More "False" Ratings Than Democrats (Politifact)

The GOP poster child for dishonesty (and bat shittery). Image from
source, Raw Story.

Politifact may have sullied its reputation--in the eyes of Rachel Maddow and her viewers at least--but they're not usually criticized for being left-leaning. But get ready for charges that they are, since they came to the unsurprising conclusion that Republicans are more dishonest than Democrats. Three times as dishonest, in fact. Politifact.

[Excerpt]

Republicans get three times more ‘false’ ratings from PolitiFact than Democrats

An analysis of PolitiFact ratings suggests Republicans are significantly less credible than Democrats.
The Center for Media and Public Affairs at George Mason University found Republican’s had made three times as many false statements as Democrats this year. . .

Read more at: Raw Story

Politifact's "Lie of the Year" is Nothing of the Kind

NOT.  Image from MediaMatters.

I couldn't believe it when I heard it. Politifact's lie of the year was the allegation by Democrats that the "Ryan Plan" would "kill" Medicare? At worst, it was an exaggeration, as the Ryan Plan would certainly kill Medicare as we know it. Ending the program, and replacing it with a voucher system called "Medicare," doesn't negate that.

But that's not the half of it. In their apparent over-eager attempt at being bipartisan, Politifact had to step around countless doozies made just in the GOP debates alone. The Politifact scale goes from "true" all the way to "pants on fire." That Politifact chose a "mostly true" statement over countless "pants on fire" ones throws their judgment into question.

[Excerpt]

Politifact's Flawed "Lie of The Year" Selection Only Encourages More Lying

In naming as its 2011 "Lie of the Year" a statement that is, at worst, arguably true, Politifact has inadvertently said more about itself and the media's failure to adequately combat the lies and deception that act as a cancer on American democracy. . .

Read more at: MediaMatters.org

Herman Cain's 9-9-9 Plan, Visualized

Everyone who isn't a Herman Cain fan had a pretty strong hunch that his 9-9-9 plan was just a load of hooey. I mean the 9% national sales tax on top of our local and state sales taxes was the clincher for me. But people who are better at math than I am have nailed down just what is wrong with it. Get ready to use your scroll wheel.

 

Source: Washington Post

Between Real World and Republicanland, the Bridge is Out

It's been a while since I posted a Rachel Maddow post, so I'm overdue. In the following clip, Rachel performs a great service to reality by analyzing the dodgy statements made in the GOP/Tea Party debate. As Rachel notes, there is a whole list of "facts" accepted by most of the Republican presidential candidates. . .that aren't facts. Every time I hear "the stimulus didn't create a single job," for instance, I want to scream. Of course it did. But they seem to think that saying something makes it true.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Truth in Advertising: Suspiciously Young "50+" Dating Ads

We still use AOL at work, where we have all of our different email boxes forward to one account. That way, a handy-dandy "you've got mail!" rings out for any new mail to any mailbox. And since I'm the designated "mail man" at our office, that is a handy feature indeed.  And that is a long way to go to excuse my usage of the "uncool" service.  But I noticed a funny thing today, when checking the mailbox.

AOL started putting ads on each letter and on the mailbox itself long ago. Usually, they are non-obtrusive and not noteworthy. Today's was just funny. On both the email and the mailbox, I noticed two handsome, slightly-older men.  Both are in their mid-forties, but they are advertising for an over fifty dating service. Well, unless they're trying to claim that rather than meeting "over fifty"-aged men, you'll be meeting a quantity of over fifty men. Which sounds like a "senior orgy" and well, ewwww. . .

Quickie Post #2: Seinfeld: George Tells the Truth

I'm exceptionally busy with my various projects, which is why the blog has been a little thin the last few days. Still, I'd like to keep the blog current, so I'm just going to post a couple of quickies, with not much commentary. I usually like to add my own spin, often with a lengthy (windy) dissertation. Tonight though, just some cut and paste jobs (with attribution, of course).

This clip from an episode of Seinfeld that happens to be on right now, reminded me very much of a fight I had with my brother on a very different subject. I'm George in this case, though the fight wasn't this funny.

New Barack Obama Ad: McCain Don't Know Much

Catchy, and true. The only way I like "attack ads" is true. So I approve this message too!

Iraq Winter Soldier Hearings - Soldiers Confess

In 1971 at age 19, I had a life-changing experience when I met dozens of Vietnam veterans who’d descended on my hometown of Detroit to testify at the “Winter Soldier” hearings organized by Vietnam Veterans Against the War. In anguished presentations, the Vets painstakingly described the horrors against Vietnamese they’d seen or taken part in. And the attitudes of racism and blood lust that motored the war. Many vets blamed the lies in mainstream media for convincing them to go to Vietnam in the first place.

Virtually every soul in that Detroit hotel banquet hall wept openly at the heartfelt, bone-chilling revelations pouring out of the Vietnam vets struggling with bloody memories and post-traumatic stress. But no one outside that hall could see or hear the proceedings. No TV or radio networks covered the event... Read on...

Story credit to Jeff Cohen of Dissidentvoice.org