In this crucial election, news reporters have an
obligation to educate the public about the facts regarding the major issues and
call out the candidates every time they lie.
That's why I created a petition urging the major
news corporations—ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, FOX, and MSNBC—to live up to their
obligation to report the truth. The petition says: Mainstream media: Fact-check
and call out candidates when they lie. You have an obligation as journalists to
educate the public on the facts of the major campaign issues.
Here is a list of five lies that Paul Ryan told
when he gave his speech at the Republican National Convention last night. Every
single news outlet should report on these lies.
1. Lie: President Obama is the "greatest
threat" to Medicare.
Truth: Obama didn't make any cuts
to Medicare benefits; he made cuts to provider
reimbursements to improve cost efficiency and extend the fiscal
security of Medicare by eight years. According to the Medicare actuary,
"[Obama's] Affordable Care Act makes important changes to the Medicare program
and substantially improves its financial outlook."1
But Ryan actually does want to cut
benefits. He proposed dismantling Medicare and replacing it with a
voucher system, leaving millions of seniors to come up with more money to pay
for care out of pocket.2,3
2. Lie: President Obama didn't save a
General Motors plant in Wisconsin.
Truth: First, Obama wasn't
even in office when the GM plant closed. Second, Obama never made a
promise to save it.4
3. Lie: President Obama ignored
recommendations of a bipartisan debt commission.
Truth: Paul Ryan actually sat on
that commission. And he led Republicans in voting down the commission's own
recommendation. So the commission never gave a report to Obama, because
Ryan himself voted to kill the report before it
could.5
4. Lie: President Obama is responsible for
the downgrading of the U.S. Credit Rating.
Truth: House Republicans,
including Paul Ryan, held the full faith and credit of the United States hostage
to try to ransom it for trillions of dollars in cuts to social programs without
increasing taxes on the wealthy one dime. Standard & Poor's said
specifically, "We have changed our assumption on [revenue] because the
majority of Republicans in Congress continue to resist any measure that would
raise revenues." That's why our nation's credit rating was
downgraded.6,7
5. Lie: Ryan wants to protect the
"weak."
Truth: Ryan's biggest feat in his
political career was proposing a budget with dramatic cuts to
programs benefiting the poor. He'd cut
Medicaid by one third, take away health care insurance from 30 million
Americans, and cut Pell Grants for 1 million students. All so that he
could give more tax breaks to the rich.8
Thanks!
–Brenda Witt
Sources:
1. "Fact check: Paul Ryan at the
RNC,"
USA Today, August 30, 2012
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=279602&id=50193-17524336-wCOFElx&t=8
This petition was created on SignOn.org, the progressive, nonprofit petition site.
SignOn.org is sponsored by MoveOn Civic
Action, which is not responsible for the contents of this or other petitions
posted on the site. Brenda Witt didn't pay us to send this email—we never rent
or sell the MoveOn.org
list.
No comments:
Post a Comment