http://mediamatters.org/tools/syndication/tag_rss/economic_issues This link is for use by RSS-enabled software to retrieve Media Matters items matching the term: Economic Issues en-US Copyright 2008, Media Matters for America http://mediamatters.org/items/200805090003 CNN's Wolf Blitzer made the misleading assertion that "the House of Representatives just passed a $300 billion plan to help struggling homeowners." In fact, while the bill to which Blitzer referred would authorize the FHA to insure up to $300 billion in homeownership retention loans for qualified homeowners, the Congressional Budget Office estimated a total cost of $2.7 billion for the program. http://mediamatters.org/items/200805090003 Fri, 9 May 2008 13:46:54 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200805080009 Fox News' Neil Cavuto misrepresented the projected cost of a federal "housing rescue package" by saying it was going to cost "300 billion bucks," while an on-air graphic read, "House lawmakers set to pass $300B housing bill; bailout?" In fact, while the legislation would authorize the FHA to insure up to $300 billion in homeownership retention loans, the Congressional Budget Office estimated that the program would cost the government $2.7 billion between 2008-2013. http://mediamatters.org/items/200805080009 Thu, 8 May 2008 18:38:51 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200805050002 CNN's Jim Acosta uncritically aired video of Sen. John McCain asserting: "There are those who are convinced the solution is to move to a nationalized health-care system," echoing his repeated assertions that Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are proposing government-run health care. But, while McCain has routinely made such assertions, Acosta did not note that McCain's suggestion is false; neither Clinton nor Obama has proposed a "nationalized health-care system." http://mediamatters.org/items/200805050002 Mon, 5 May 2008 15:34:50 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200804300008 On <em>The Situation Room</em>, Dana Bash uncritically aired a clip of Sen. John McCain saying of health care plans put forward by Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama: "This will accomplish one thing only. We will replace the inefficiency, irrationality, and uncontrolled costs of the current system with the inefficiency, irrationality, and uncontrolled costs of a government monopoly." In fact, neither Clinton nor Obama has proposed a "government monopoly" on insurance coverage; rather, both have called for individuals to choose their own insurance. http://mediamatters.org/items/200804300008 Wed, 30 Apr 2008 17:27:13 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200804290008 CNN's Dana Bash, Wolf Blitzer, and Kyra Phillips all uncritically aired video of Sen. John McCain's false attacks on Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton regarding health care, in which McCain suggested that the Democratic candidates favor a "one-size-fits-all, big-government takeover of health care," and that "[t]hey want the government to make the decisions." In fact, neither Obama nor Clinton has proposed a "big-government takeover of health care"; both have called for individuals to choose their own insurance. http://mediamatters.org/items/200804290008 Tue, 29 Apr 2008 19:40:49 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200804220005 <em>This Week</em>'s George Stephanopoulos did not challenge Sen. John McCain's assertion that "history shows every time you have cut capital gains taxes, revenues have increased -- going back to Jack Kennedy." Stephanopoulos did not note that, notwithstanding a potential short-term revenue increase, many economists have challenged the claim that revenue goes up over the long term as a result of capital gains tax rates being cut. http://mediamatters.org/items/200804220005 Tue, 22 Apr 2008 17:17:31 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200804180012 During the April 16 Democratic presidential debate, Charles Gibson asserted of capital-gains tax cuts that "in each instance, when the rate dropped, revenues from the tax increased. The government took in more money. And in the 1980s, when the tax was increased to 28 percent, the revenues went down." In fact, economists dispute Gibson's assertion. Moreover, looking forward, the Joint Committee on Taxation estimated that the 2006 extension of the 2003 cuts on capital-gains taxes would result in decreased revenues over 10 years. http://mediamatters.org/items/200804180012 Fri, 18 Apr 2008 20:41:19 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200804150010 The <em>New York Post</em>'s Charles Hurt wrote that when Sen. Hillary Clinton proposed national health-care reform as first lady, "Americans revolted over her proposals," adding that "she still doesn't understand that most people believe the federal government is the <em>only </em>thing that could actually make health care worse." In fact, recent polling suggests that a majority of Americans support health-care reform proposals that expand the government's role. http://mediamatters.org/items/200804150010 Tue, 15 Apr 2008 20:17:12 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200804110002 On Fox News, <em>The Washington Examiner</em>'s Bill Sammon said of House Democrats' move to suspend the 60-day requirement for voting on the United States-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement: "I call it more like the 'nuclear option,' because that's what the Democrats called the Republican threat to change the rules back when they were trying to get judges through." Sammon was referring to a 2005 Republican-proposed Senate rule change that would have effectively eliminated the ability to filibuster judicial nominations. But the term "nuclear option," as it pertains to judicial filibusters, was originally coined by Republican Sen. Trent Lott -- not by Democrats. http://mediamatters.org/items/200804110002 Fri, 11 Apr 2008 13:55:26 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200804080007 A <em>Wall Street Journal</em> article on Sen. John McCain's chances of winning California in the general election reported that "McCain's appeal to Hispanics is central to his strategy in the state -- especially if the Democratic nominee is Sen. [Barack] Obama, who has polled well behind Sen. [Hillary] Clinton among Hispanics there." However, the article did not mention general election polling that shows McCain significantly trailing both Obama and Clinton among California Hispanics. http://mediamatters.org/items/200804080007 Tue, 8 Apr 2008 18:31:20 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200804070003 <em>The Wall Street Journal</em> reported that Sen. John McCain "displayed a strong populist streak over the housing crisis this weekend, blasting what he called the 'outrageous' and 'unconscionable' compensation of Bear Stearns and Countrywide executives and their 'co-conspirators,' " but did not mention that McCain reportedly expressed support for the Fed's decision to extend a $30 billion line of credit to facilitate the acquisition of Bear Stearns by JP Morgan Chase. http://mediamatters.org/items/200804070003 Mon, 7 Apr 2008 14:21:58 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200804030008 A <em>CBS Evening News </em>report on the national debt, the current level of which both anchor Katie Couric and correspondent Anthony Mason described as "mind-numbing," failed to quote a single Democrat and did not point out the extent to which deficit spending by Republican-led Congresses has contributed to the debt. http://mediamatters.org/items/200804030008 Thu, 3 Apr 2008 17:46:10 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200804030007 On <em>The Situation Room</em>, John King uncritically reported that "[i]n a statement, a McCain spokesman took a shot at the other party, saying, 'Americans can't afford the Democrats' liberal agenda to raise taxes, nationalize health care, cut off trade, and crush the economy under big government.' " Following what has become a pattern in the media, King failed to note the significant falsehoods and misleading claims in McCain's statement and simply read it without challenge. http://mediamatters.org/items/200804030007 Thu, 3 Apr 2008 17:33:04 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200803310014 A March 30 <em>New York Times</em> article about the debate over government aid for homeowners facing foreclosure contrasted "Democrats emboldened by the Federal Reserve's intervention in the collapse of Bear Stearns [who] are demanding help for 'everyday Americans,' " with "Republicans including Senator John McCain, the party's presumptive nominee, [who] are urging restraint, reluctant to commit taxpayer funds to what they say is simply a bailout." The article did not mention that McCain reportedly agreed with the Fed's decision to step in to avert the collapse of the investment bank Bear Stearns. http://mediamatters.org/items/200803310014 Mon, 31 Mar 2008 20:11:05 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200803310008 CNN's Lou Dobbs claimed that, "with the exception of Iraq, there isn't much difference among" Sens. Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and John McCain. In fact, on health care, Obama and Clinton have both proposed plans to expand coverage, which McCain has denounced. Obama and Clinton also both support comprehensive immigration reform; McCain abandoned his previous support for comprehensive immigration legislation during his campaign for the Republican nomination. http://mediamatters.org/items/200803310008 Mon, 31 Mar 2008 17:30:00 EST