AP's retracted stimulus bill falsehood finds a new home at Fox
SUMMARY: On Fox News, Carl Cameron and Laura Ingraham repeated or uncritically reported the false Republican claim -- originating in an AP article -- that, in Cameron's words, the economic stimulus bill would allow "illegal aliens" to claim "tax credits of $500 per person or 1,000 per couple." Cameron and Ingraham advanced the falsehood even after a revised version of the AP article made clear that the bill excludes undocumented immigrants.
On January 29, Fox News chief political correspondent Carl Cameron and Fox News contributor Laura Ingraham repeated or uncritically reported the false Republican claim -- originating in a January 29 Associated Press article -- that, in Cameron's words, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act would allow "illegal aliens" to claim "tax credits of $500 per person or 1,000 per couple." The AP article had cited only a single anonymous Republican official pushing the falsehood, and Cameron and Ingraham advanced it even after a revised version of the AP article -- available in the Nexis database at 8:02 p.m. GMT (3:02 p.m. ET) -- made clear that the stimulus bill limits eligibility for the Making Work Pay tax credit to individuals with Social Security Numbers, thereby excluding undocumented immigrants.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act specifically precludes from eligibility for the Making Work Pay tax credit of $500 per individual and $1,000 per family "any nonresident alien individual" or "any individual unless the requirements of [the Earned Income Tax Credit] are met." Requirements to qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit include "a social security number issued to an individual by the Social Security Administration."
Yet in discussing the stimulus bill, Ingraham and Cameron each referred to the debunked falsehood that undocumented immigrants could receive tax credits under the act:
- Discussing Senate negotiations over the version of the act passed by the House, Cameron claimed on Fox News' Special Report: "Senate Republicans intend to kill a House-passed provision that they say could make illegal aliens eligible for tax credits of $500 per person or 1,000 per couple. Democrats closed a similar loophole when it was pointed out in a past stimulus package, and insist that no such loophole exists now."
- On Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor, moments after stating that "if you give lower-income workers a $500 check, they're probably going to use it to pay off debts," Ingraham claimed, "Illegal aliens are going to get money under this bill if that provision is not changed."
As Media Matters for America documented, a January 29 headline on the Drudge Report stated, "Hill Republican: Stimulus Gives Cash To Illegals," and linked to the original AP article, that falsely reported -- citing only a single anonymous Republican source -- that "[t]he $800 billion-plus economic stimulus measure making its way through Congress could steer government checks to illegal immigrants." The revised AP article reported: "Two senior GOP congressional officials expressed concern Thursday that the bill could steer government checks to undocumented workers, but in fact the measure indicates that Social Security numbers are needed to claim tax credits of $500 per worker and $1,000 per couple. It also expressly disqualifies nonresident aliens."
From the January 29 edition of Fox News' Special Report with Bret Baier:
CAMERON: Senate Republicans intend to kill a House-passed provision that they say could make illegal aliens eligible for tax credits of $500 per person or 1,000 per couple. Democrats closed a similar loophole when it was pointed out in a past stimulus package, and insist that no such loophole exists now.
The Democratic chairman of the Senate Budget Committee signaled that the House-passed version is going to be changed on many fronts.
SEN. KENT CONRAD (D-ND): I think there is general agreement there has to be a substantial economic recovery package, but what came over from the House can be substantially improved.
From the January 29 edition of Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor:
BILL O'REILLY (host): Let me ask specifics. All right. Obama is going to cut taxes for the working class. And he's going to send everybody between 500 bucks and $1,000. Would you do that?
INGRAHAM: Well, no. I don't think that, again, creates jobs and creates economic growth.
O'REILLY: Well, it gives people more money to spend.
INGRAHAM: No, Bill, if you give lower-income workers a $500 check, they're probably going to use it to pay off debts. And this is the economists speaking, not me. People who are a lot smarter on this than I am. They're going to pay off debts. And they're also going to save it for a rainy day because they're fearful. You need to give people incentives and encouragement to dip back into this economy, not just these temporary fixes.
O'REILLY: What about the people out of work? What - people -- 7.5 percent out of work right now? Do we do anything for them?
INGRAHAM: Grow business, Bill. Make this country the place to do business. And tell the world --
O'REILLY: OK, but what about the 7.5 percent out of work right now.
INGRAHAM: Right. And there's going to be pain.
INGRAHAM: There's going to be pain. We might want to consider measures to help them, but don't put it in a bill that you're calling a stimulus bill. It's a fraud. And the people, Bill, are beginning to realize that.
INGRAHAM: They're beginning to see --
O'REILLY: Well, there's absolutely --
INGRAHAM: -- in the light of day of what's happening.
O'REILLY: -- a lot of certainty. And when I laid out in the "Talking Points Memo" how so much of this money is social engineering, I think people are getting it. Real quick.
INGRAHAM: Yeah. Illegal aliens are going to get money under this bill if that provision is not changed.
O'REILLY: Well, if that happens, then it'll be a major scandal. We'll see.
And, tell me again, what news channel was this on...? FOX News...? This is so shocking...FOX is usually so reliably honest. <sarcasm>
FOX News is absolutely perfect...100% accurate, 100% of the time. And fair and balanced, too. The reason FOX never issues corrections or retractions is because they are never wrong. It's the Liberal Mianstream Media that is always wrong...that being any source of information other than FOX. Got it? ;>)
Oh, right, thanks for the reminder
Hold on there. You have to bear in mind that MMfA is partisan, so it doesn't matter whether they provide transcripts, links, citations of facts, etc, they're exactly the same as FOX. And so if you accept what they say, you're exactly the same as people who mindlessly take in the misinformation from FOX. Exactly the same, that is, except more exactly the same than they are.
Oh, yea, sounds familiar...AA accused me of the same thing yesterday. How do you explain to a kid or someone who is not terribly sophisticated that on television an entire network can consistently lie, distort, manipulate and deceive, strictly for partisan political purposes...AND GET AWAY WITH IT. Somehow that just doesn't sit right...it doesn't seem possible. It's mind boggling...
Their audience is not terribly sophisticated so that is why they get away with it. The methodology is working for it tugs at the primal instincts. Be blonde and show some legs to grab attention ( that is what Ailes said when FOX was launched ).Remember Donna Fiducia alweays wearing short dresses ?
It's mind boggling...
Funny, Irony, I just used that same term toward the same wingnut on the item above this one. It's not a phrase I use very often, but seems just perfect for AA..
He lies as easily as he breaths. Truth and reality have no chance against his beloved ideology.
Kind of depressing really. The voice of modern conservatism, thats our AA.
MMFA is not partisan. Those who comment here are. Just because a news source balances out another, does not necessarily make it partisan. MMFA corrects distortions and i think MMFA has a better record than Crooks and Liars.
It depends on your definition, they clearly have an allegiance to Democratic/liberal interests. I was mainly mocking AA's knee-jerk defense of FOX, and "partisan" is a term often used to describe both FOX and MMfA. I do agree that having a viewpoint doesn't automatically discredit someone, the track record is important, and I don't see anything in the same ballpark as FOX's behavior on this site.
The demarcation, for me at least, is whether the person or entity resorts to outright dishonesty to advance his partisan interests. Sure, MMFA is partisan but I have not seen it resort to dishonesty. To the contrary it is a wealth of reliable, verifiable information.
I agree. Our resident Conservatives like to compare Rush Limbaugh to Keith Olbermann, but I'm not aware of Keith actually lying about anything. Yes, he's partisan, but can anybody cite a case where he's blatantly lied, as Rush does on every show?
Guys, guys, come on.
If you're going to do impersonations at least try to get it right.
The poster you're imitating uses a lot more condescension but usually thinks that all will be forgiven by adding a cute little smiley face at the end.
Wrong. MMfA points out lies and misinformation. They do NOT lie and claim that it is true. There absolutely is a difference. Yes, MMfA is biased, but they are not dishonest.
Does my history of posting really lead you to believe that I think MMfA is actually comparable to FOX?
"Exactly the same, that is, except more exactly the same than they are."
I would think that line in particular would demonstrate I'm not being serious.
Don't worry Brab, most of us knew exactly what you meant.
Leave it to the far left loons and pinheads to miss it.
Oh sure..... now you show sarcasm.... :)
Had a sudden change of discretion since the thread from yesterday??
Man... I tell ya.... some peoples...
yeah, that is why the only job they can find is at FOX .
I understand that if you lie on your job application at FOX you are automatically hired. If you lie on every question you are given your own show. At least that's what I've heard... ;>)
I understand thousands of Illegals have Social Security numbers. Do you want to explain to me why they won't receive checks.
Look at all the people of integrity working at FOX. Hannity, O'Reilly.
Wow, just wow. Republicans can't win elections so now they try to steal power by buying the airwaves. This is EXACTLY why we should bring back the fairness doctrine, because lies left unanswered become truth to the ignorant masses.
for that reason, hundred years from now we might read in the history books of that time that GW Bush was the greatest president the US has ever had.
So if they are paying SSI premiums, they must have SS #s. Would that be correct? Therefore, they could receive stimulus $$$. Right? Hummmmmm????? And if 9 Billions is paid by those who don't file, how much is paid by those who do file??? Hummmmmm???????
From what I've been able to find on reputable websites, (New York Times, Factcheck.org) illegal aliens pay more than 7 billion dollars into the system each year in Social Security payroll deductions and 1.5 billion dollars in Medicare taxes.
Most of the people use illegal or fake social Security cards to get jobs and most don't collect. Both Social Security and medicare would be in even worse shape if the undocumented workers were able to collect benefits.
Even if some are getting benefits, the overwhelming majority pay into the systems but never get anything from the system.
I'm not making excuses for illegal immigration but trying not to be blinded by the message of hatred from those who really are reacting without thinking their positions through.
Trying to tie this into the Dobbs thread in a round about way. BTW, what is the message of hatred when trying to point out flaws in the system as it is, as has been for many years?