A proud member of the reality-based community
This site is a member of WebRing. To browse visit here. Tuesday, April 27, 2004 I seem to be focusing on Bush's lies recently, not a difficult thing to do considering the vast number of them. Thanks to Bark Bark Woof Woof for alerting me to Bush Campaign Lies. Most people, myself included, don't have time to research every one of the Bush campaign claims about John Kerry. The author of this blog has taken on the job, and boy, does he have some doozies. I'll quote just one item: Bush Campaign Lie #34: Kerry Voted Against Tax Credits For Small Businesses To Purchase Health Insurance We've seen this type of sleazy legislation-warping before. The basis for the Bush campaign claim is that Kerry voted against Senate Amendment #349 in the first session of the 107th Congress. The stated purpose of the amendment was:"To provide tax credits for small business to purchase health insurance for their employees and to provide for the deductibility of health insurance for the self-employed and those who don't receive health insurance from their employers and for long-term care."So it would seem that Bush has Kerry dead to rights here. Until you read the actual text of the amendment, which has nothing to do with tax credits, health insurance, baby puppies, or anything else warm, fuzzy and wholesome. The complete text of the amendment follows:"At the appropriate place, insert: SEC. . Notwithstanding any other provision of this resolution, the revenue levels and other aggregates in this resolution shall be adjusted to reflect an additional $70 billion in revenue reductions for the period of fiscal years 2002 through 2011."I'm not entirely certain what Susan Collins, and otherwise respectable Republican senator from Maine, was trying to do when she introduced this amendment, but it's pretty clear she wasn't trying to draft legislation which carried out its stated purpose. The fact that this amendment narrowly failed on a party-line vote is further evidence that it was introduced solely to provide the GOP with ammunition to smear Democrats like Bush is doing, and not out of a sincere desire to assist small businesses in providing health care.Bush and his buddies are hardly the first politicians to lie about their opponents, but I can't recall hearing, in any previous presidential election, of such deliberate, persistent, blatant, repeated distortions of the truth. Want another example? How about, "Kerry voted to increase Social Security taxes at least eight times!" The truth?This statement is factually accurate: Kerry did cast eight separate votes in support of a 4.3% increase on the taxation of Social Security benefits. However, it's a lie because it's deliberately misleading. There was only one tax increase, and Kerry cast votes supporting it on eight different occasions. The tax increase was passed as part of the FY 1994 budget bill. During the drafting of that bill, there were three separate votes about adding the tax increase to the bill or leaving it in. Then there were two votes for the budget bill itself: first for the Senate version of the bill, and then again for the final version after reconciliation with the House. So that's five of the votes there. On three occasions since then, in 1996, 2000 and 2003, there were attempts to roll back the increase, and Kerry voted against all of them. So, contrary to what the Republican headline implies, there were eight votes, but there was only one tax increase which was even considered.You have to wonder, when someone presents falsehoods of this magnitude, what he's afraid of. Could it be that if we knew the truth, we'd kick the SOB out? posted by Liz @ 12:44 AM | The template is set to display 10 posts. To see all the posts for this month, click on the month name in the Archive section RSS Feed PERSONAL Send email toliz at life-as-a-spectator-sport.com Home I'm a mother, grandmother, a computer professional, Democrat, Christian. I welcome politely worded comments and email, my spam filter throws the rest away, so don't bother to flame me WHY 'LIFE AS A SPECTATOR SPORT' "If you're lucky not to live in the gutters of a slum, but still can't afford to take vacations in the Alps, you're part of that enormous middle class who lives life through the medium of the television, further separated from "real" life by air conditioner, by automobile, by dishwasher, microwave and ice-in-the-door refrigerator, by automatic washer and dryer, and all the other appliances and conveniences that make it possible for America to live life at second hand. I'm not sure why Americans decided that televised drama was better than the real thing, that cardboard microwave food containers were an adequate substitute for real dishes, and their contents for real food, or that cooking, dishwashing and face-to-face conversation wasn't worth the effort and time it required. Someone fed this nation a plastic crate of out-of-season tomatoes and told us it was life and we took them at their word, and we're so much the poorer for it that it's hard to know where to start to list the shortcomings." I wrote this a couple of years ago, but I have to admit it's much less amusing than I thought it would be to see the artifical construct falling apart. THE NON-ELECTRIC HOME Cleaning, 1 Cleaning, 2 Cleaning, 3 KNITTING BLOGS Extravayarnza Knitting Heretic Mind of Winter Pie Knits Persistent Illusion See Eunny Knit The Keyboard Biologist Taleweaver's Ramblings TECHnitting Wendy Knits FINISHED PROJECTS -------FINISHED IN 2006------- Peruvian Cap Tutti-Frutti Socks Shelley's Socks Carol's Socks -------FINISHED IN 2007------- Chain Link Socks Baby Surprise Jacket Valerie & Friend Baby Bonnet Rainbow Baby Socks Girls Pixie Hood Mitred Square Heart Red & White Socks Coffee Cup Pot Holder Nubbins Dishcloth Garterlac Dishcloth Suede Booties Kate's Socks Norwegian Sweet Baby Cap Half Thumbless Mittens Red Mittens for Akkol -------FINISHED IN 2008------- SELF-RELIANCE AND THE FUTURE -- Blogs and websites -- Causubon's Book Club Orlov Food Storage Made Easy From the Wilderness In the Wake Listening to Katrina Survival Topics The Modern Homestead The Oil Drum Notes from a Hillside Farm -- Mailing Lists -- 12vdc Power Living on the Land Rainwater Refrigeration Alternatives Old Ways of Living POLITICAL BLOGS and SITES The political sites have moved BOOKS I'M READING How to Grow More Vegetables, etc. Small Scale Grain Raising ARCHIVES February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 August 2008 July 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004 March 2004 February 2004 January 2004 December 2003 November 2003 October 2003 September 2003 August 2003 July 2003 June 2003 May 2003 April 2003 March 2003 February 2003 January 2003 December 2002 November 2002 October 2002 September 2002 August 2002 July 2002 June 2002 May 2002 April 2002 March 2002 February 2002 Feedjit Live Blog Stats
I seem to be focusing on Bush's lies recently, not a difficult thing to do considering the vast number of them. Thanks to Bark Bark Woof Woof for alerting me to Bush Campaign Lies. Most people, myself included, don't have time to research every one of the Bush campaign claims about John Kerry. The author of this blog has taken on the job, and boy, does he have some doozies. I'll quote just one item: Bush Campaign Lie #34: Kerry Voted Against Tax Credits For Small Businesses To Purchase Health Insurance We've seen this type of sleazy legislation-warping before. The basis for the Bush campaign claim is that Kerry voted against Senate Amendment #349 in the first session of the 107th Congress. The stated purpose of the amendment was:"To provide tax credits for small business to purchase health insurance for their employees and to provide for the deductibility of health insurance for the self-employed and those who don't receive health insurance from their employers and for long-term care."So it would seem that Bush has Kerry dead to rights here. Until you read the actual text of the amendment, which has nothing to do with tax credits, health insurance, baby puppies, or anything else warm, fuzzy and wholesome. The complete text of the amendment follows:"At the appropriate place, insert: SEC. . Notwithstanding any other provision of this resolution, the revenue levels and other aggregates in this resolution shall be adjusted to reflect an additional $70 billion in revenue reductions for the period of fiscal years 2002 through 2011."I'm not entirely certain what Susan Collins, and otherwise respectable Republican senator from Maine, was trying to do when she introduced this amendment, but it's pretty clear she wasn't trying to draft legislation which carried out its stated purpose. The fact that this amendment narrowly failed on a party-line vote is further evidence that it was introduced solely to provide the GOP with ammunition to smear Democrats like Bush is doing, and not out of a sincere desire to assist small businesses in providing health care.Bush and his buddies are hardly the first politicians to lie about their opponents, but I can't recall hearing, in any previous presidential election, of such deliberate, persistent, blatant, repeated distortions of the truth. Want another example? How about, "Kerry voted to increase Social Security taxes at least eight times!" The truth?This statement is factually accurate: Kerry did cast eight separate votes in support of a 4.3% increase on the taxation of Social Security benefits. However, it's a lie because it's deliberately misleading. There was only one tax increase, and Kerry cast votes supporting it on eight different occasions. The tax increase was passed as part of the FY 1994 budget bill. During the drafting of that bill, there were three separate votes about adding the tax increase to the bill or leaving it in. Then there were two votes for the budget bill itself: first for the Senate version of the bill, and then again for the final version after reconciliation with the House. So that's five of the votes there. On three occasions since then, in 1996, 2000 and 2003, there were attempts to roll back the increase, and Kerry voted against all of them. So, contrary to what the Republican headline implies, there were eight votes, but there was only one tax increase which was even considered.You have to wonder, when someone presents falsehoods of this magnitude, what he's afraid of. Could it be that if we knew the truth, we'd kick the SOB out?
Bush Campaign Lie #34: Kerry Voted Against Tax Credits For Small Businesses To Purchase Health Insurance We've seen this type of sleazy legislation-warping before. The basis for the Bush campaign claim is that Kerry voted against Senate Amendment #349 in the first session of the 107th Congress. The stated purpose of the amendment was:"To provide tax credits for small business to purchase health insurance for their employees and to provide for the deductibility of health insurance for the self-employed and those who don't receive health insurance from their employers and for long-term care."So it would seem that Bush has Kerry dead to rights here. Until you read the actual text of the amendment, which has nothing to do with tax credits, health insurance, baby puppies, or anything else warm, fuzzy and wholesome. The complete text of the amendment follows:"At the appropriate place, insert: SEC. . Notwithstanding any other provision of this resolution, the revenue levels and other aggregates in this resolution shall be adjusted to reflect an additional $70 billion in revenue reductions for the period of fiscal years 2002 through 2011."I'm not entirely certain what Susan Collins, and otherwise respectable Republican senator from Maine, was trying to do when she introduced this amendment, but it's pretty clear she wasn't trying to draft legislation which carried out its stated purpose. The fact that this amendment narrowly failed on a party-line vote is further evidence that it was introduced solely to provide the GOP with ammunition to smear Democrats like Bush is doing, and not out of a sincere desire to assist small businesses in providing health care.
"To provide tax credits for small business to purchase health insurance for their employees and to provide for the deductibility of health insurance for the self-employed and those who don't receive health insurance from their employers and for long-term care."
"At the appropriate place, insert: SEC. . Notwithstanding any other provision of this resolution, the revenue levels and other aggregates in this resolution shall be adjusted to reflect an additional $70 billion in revenue reductions for the period of fiscal years 2002 through 2011."
This statement is factually accurate: Kerry did cast eight separate votes in support of a 4.3% increase on the taxation of Social Security benefits. However, it's a lie because it's deliberately misleading. There was only one tax increase, and Kerry cast votes supporting it on eight different occasions. The tax increase was passed as part of the FY 1994 budget bill. During the drafting of that bill, there were three separate votes about adding the tax increase to the bill or leaving it in. Then there were two votes for the budget bill itself: first for the Senate version of the bill, and then again for the final version after reconciliation with the House. So that's five of the votes there. On three occasions since then, in 1996, 2000 and 2003, there were attempts to roll back the increase, and Kerry voted against all of them. So, contrary to what the Republican headline implies, there were eight votes, but there was only one tax increase which was even considered.
The template is set to display 10 posts. To see all the posts for this month, click on the month name in the Archive section
RSS Feed
PERSONAL
WHY 'LIFE AS A SPECTATOR SPORT'
"If you're lucky not to live in the gutters of a slum, but still can't afford to take vacations in the Alps, you're part of that enormous middle class who lives life through the medium of the television, further separated from "real" life by air conditioner, by automobile, by dishwasher, microwave and ice-in-the-door refrigerator, by automatic washer and dryer, and all the other appliances and conveniences that make it possible for America to live life at second hand. I'm not sure why Americans decided that televised drama was better than the real thing, that cardboard microwave food containers were an adequate substitute for real dishes, and their contents for real food, or that cooking, dishwashing and face-to-face conversation wasn't worth the effort and time it required. Someone fed this nation a plastic crate of out-of-season tomatoes and told us it was life and we took them at their word, and we're so much the poorer for it that it's hard to know where to start to list the shortcomings." I wrote this a couple of years ago, but I have to admit it's much less amusing than I thought it would be to see the artifical construct falling apart.
THE NON-ELECTRIC HOME
Cleaning, 1 Cleaning, 2 Cleaning, 3
KNITTING BLOGS
Extravayarnza Knitting Heretic Mind of Winter Pie Knits Persistent Illusion See Eunny Knit The Keyboard Biologist Taleweaver's Ramblings TECHnitting Wendy Knits
FINISHED PROJECTS
SELF-RELIANCE AND THE FUTURE
POLITICAL BLOGS and SITES
BOOKS I'M READING
How to Grow More Vegetables, etc. Small Scale Grain Raising
ARCHIVES
February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 August 2008 July 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004 March 2004 February 2004 January 2004 December 2003 November 2003 October 2003 September 2003 August 2003 July 2003 June 2003 May 2003 April 2003 March 2003 February 2003 January 2003 December 2002 November 2002 October 2002 September 2002 August 2002 July 2002 June 2002 May 2002 April 2002 March 2002 February 2002
Powered by BLOGGER Template made possible by BLOGSKINS.
