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Latest Fact-Checks In Federal Budget

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Sherrod Brown
Sherrod Brown
stated on May 10, 2011 an interview on MSNBC
About two-thirds of Medicaid beneficiaries are children, but they account for one-third of the program’s cost, while one-third are elderly, and they account for two-thirds of the cost.
Mostly False
By Louis Jacobson • May 12, 2011
Newt Gingrich
Newt Gingrich
stated on May 11, 2011 a presidential campaign announcement video
"For four years, we balanced the budget and paid off $405 billion in debt."
False
By Eric Stirgus, Louis Jacobson • May 12, 2011
Tom Petri
Tom Petri
stated on April 29, 2011 a constituent newsletter
Says President Barack Obama’s debt commission recommended converting Medicare "to a system where Medicare participants are given a voucher to purchase insurance in the private market."
False
May 10, 2011
David Wu
David Wu
stated on April 15, 2011 a press release
House Republican plan would increase costs for Oregon seniors by $6,000 with health care vouchers instead of Medicare
Mostly True
By Charles Pope • May 6, 2011
Jim Renacci
Jim Renacci
stated on March 29, 2011 a video posted to YouTube
The federal debt is more than $14 trillion, "almost equal to the size of our entire economy," and "every child born today inherits a $45,000 share of the national debt before they take their first breath."
Mostly True
By Sabrina Eaton • May 5, 2011
David Stockman
David Stockman
stated on May 1, 2011 an interview on 'This Week with Christiane Amanpour'
Rep. Paul Ryan's budget proposal cuts "nothing" from Medicare, Social Security or defense in the next two to three years, and "in three years, he does not cut one dime from the debt."
True
By Angie Drobnic Holan • May 4, 2011
National Republican Congressional Committee
National Republican Congressional Committee
stated on April 28, 2011 an automated political phone call
"The federal government borrows $4 billion every day."
Mostly True
By Richard Salit • May 4, 2011
Gerry Connolly
Gerry Connolly
stated on April 15, 2011 a press release.
Rep. Paul Ryan’s Medicare plan "lines the pockets of the private insurance companies," increases costs for seniors and does not reduce the deficit.
Half-True
By Jacob Geiger • April 30, 2011
Barack Obama
Barack Obama
stated on April 14, 2011 an interview with George Stephanopoulos
On whether the federal debt limit should be raised
Full Flop
By Angie Drobnic Holan • April 29, 2011
Barack Obama
Barack Obama
stated on April 27, 2011 a press conference
Says stories about his birth certificate drowned out media coverage of the Republican and White House budget plans the week of April 11.
False
By Angie Drobnic Holan, Louis Jacobson • April 28, 2011
John Boehner
John Boehner
stated on April 25, 2011 an interview with ABC news
President Barack Obama "took exactly none of his own deficit reduction commission’s ideas. Not one."
False
By Louis Jacobson • April 28, 2011
Barack Obama
Barack Obama
stated on April 14, 2011 remarks at a campaign fundraiser
Says Paul Ryan "voted for two wars that were unpaid for, voted for the Bush tax cuts that were unpaid for, voted for the prescription drug bill that cost as much as my health care bill -- but wasn't paid for."  
Mostly True
By Dave Umhoefer • April 27, 2011
Paul Krugman
Paul Krugman
stated on April 18, 2011 a newspaper column
"Large majorities" of the public "oppose major changes to Medicare" and favor higher taxes on the wealthy.
True
By Angie Drobnic Holan • April 25, 2011
Herman Cain
Herman Cain
stated on April 16, 2011 a speech in Iowa
China holds 26 percent of the U.S. debt.
False
April 22, 2011
Mark Warner
Mark Warner
stated on April 17, 2011 a TV appearance.
"Right now we are spending at an all-time high, close to 25 percent of our GDP [is] being spent on the federal government. But our revenues are at an almost all-time low of about 15 percent [of GDP]."
True
By Jacob Geiger • April 22, 2011
Rachel Maddow
Rachel Maddow
stated on April 12, 2011 an episode of The Rachel Maddow Show.
Says Texas routinely gets "a lot more federal spending" than it pays in taxes.
Mostly True
April 22, 2011
Sarah Palin
Sarah Palin
stated on April 16, 2011 a speech in Madison, Wisconsin
Says $38 billion in spending cuts in federal budget compromise is "less than $1 billion in real cuts."
Mostly False
April 21, 2011
Jean Schmidt
Jean Schmidt
stated on April 14, 2011 a speech in the House of Representatives
"For every 33 pregnant women that walk into a Planned Parenthood clinic, 32 receive an abortion."
False
By Sabrina Eaton • April 21, 2011
Bill Maher
Bill Maher
stated on April 15, 2011 an episode of HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher"
Under a proposal by Rep. Paul Ryan, people on Medicare will only have $15,000 from the federal government to spend on their health care.
False
By Louis Jacobson • April 20, 2011
Marcy Kaptur
Marcy Kaptur
stated on April 6, 2011 a radio interview
General Electric "hasn't really created any jobs in this country, doesn't  pay any taxes, and they're making historic profits."
Half-True
By Stephen Koff • April 20, 2011
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