Polls close Friday for PolitiFact’s Lie of the Year
Our Readers’ Choice poll for Lie of the Year has produced some unprecedented jockeying from both ends of the political spectrum.
Liberal bloggers have criticized our inclusion of the Democratic claim that Republicans voted to “end Medicare” as a finalist. Conservatives have highlighted that claim and several others that involve falsehoods from Democrats.
Rep. Paul Ryan has e-mailed his supporters asking them to vote for the Medicare claim. Last night, he posted a video appeal. And now the liberals say he’s trying to rig the results.
Just a reminder: The PolitiFact staff will name the Lie of the Year later this month. We select the falsehood that we believe was the most significant of 2011. We’ll also publish the results of the Readers’ Choice poll.
Here are the finalists and the link to vote:
President Obama “went around the world and apologized for America.” — Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney
The Obama administration’s review of obsolete regulations was “unprecedented.” — President Barack Obama
The vaccine to prevent HPV can cause mental retardation. — Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann
“Republicans voted to end Medicare.” — The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and other Democrats
Abortion services are “well over 90 percent of what Planned Parenthood does.” — Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz.
Because of more restrictive voting laws, Republicans “want to literally drag us all the way back to Jim Crow laws.” — Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., and head of the Democratic National Committee
Scientists are “questioning the original idea that man-made global warming is what is causing the climate to change. … (It is) more and more being put into question.”— Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry
Congressional Republicans have introduced dozens of bills on social issues and other topics, but “zero on job creation.” — Facebook posts
The economic stimulus created “zero jobs.” — The National Republican Senatorial Committee and other Republicans
“I didn’t raise taxes once.” — President Barack Obama
Our Sources
See Truth-O-Meter items.
