19 Lies, by Mitt Romney

[Tamorlane]

Back in February, Paul Krugman argued that Mitt Romney is "running a campaign of almost pathological dishonesty." Was this an intemperate analysis? Perhaps. Three months later, does it seem fair? Put it this way: take a look at the 18th installment of my weekly series, chronicling Mitt's mendacity.

1. Romney promised in a speech this week, "I will lead us out of this debt and spending inferno."

Given that his stated agenda would add trillions to the debt, and Romney refuses to say how he'd pay for his tax cuts and increased Defense spending, the claim seems pretty misleading.

2. Romney claimed in the same speech that Obama has "bailed out the public-sector."

I really wish that were true. It's not.

3. Romney also argued that Obama has "added almost as much debt as all the prior presidents combined."

That's not even close to being true.

4. Romney insisted that the national debt is responsible for "the most tepid recovery in modern history."

That's ridiculously false. If the debt were holding back the economy, we'd have high interest rates and high inflation. We have the opposite.

5. Romney also said the national debt is the reason "half of the kids graduating from college can't find a job that uses their skills."

There is no universe in which this is true (or really, even coherent).

6. On the Recovery Act, Romney said, "President Obama started out with a near trillion-dollar stimulus package -- the biggest, most careless one-time expenditure by the federal government in history. And remember this: the stimulus wasn't just wasted -- it was borrowed and wasted."

The Recovery Act rescued the economy. Romney doesn't have to like it, but he shouldn't lie about it.

7. Romney added, equating the debt with a prairie fire, Obama "fed the fire. He has spent more and borrowed more."

That's false, too.

8. Referencing the Affordable Care Act, Romney argued, "Then there was Obamacare. Even now nobody knows what it will actually cost."

"Nobody" except the Congressional Budget Office, the Office of Management and Budget, and every budget expert with access to a calculator.

9. Romney argued that the Affordable Care Act is a "massive, European-style entitlement."

No, it's not. Most of Europe has socialized or government-run health care systems. Obamacare doesn't resemble France; it resembles Massachusetts' Romneycare.

10. Romney also insisted Americans "can't afford" the health-care reform law.

Actually, the ACA lowers the deficit by hundreds of billions of dollars.

11. Romney argued, "When you add up his policies, this president has increased the national debt by five trillion dollars."

That's an obvious lie. It's not Obama's policies that are driving the debt.

12. Romney claimed that more of the economy is being "absorbed ... into government."

That's the opposite of the truth.

13. Romney argued, "Medicare and Social Security are also easy to demagogue, and I expect the president to continue doing that in this campaign."

Romney has said several hundred times that Obama cut $500 billion from Medicare and is the only president to ever cut Medicare benefits. Neither is true, but both are excellent examples of demagoguery.

14. On gay adoption, Romney said "all states but one allow gay adoption."

That's not even close to being true.

15. The Romney campaign said of Obama, "He promised he would cut the debt, and he has not done that."

Obama made no such promise. He promised to cut the deficit, not the debt -- presidential campaigns really should know the difference if it's going to talk about these issues -- and Obama has cut the deficit.

16. Romney said of his controversial private-sector background, "We were able to help create over 100,000 jobs."

This is one of the more important lies Romney will tell this year.

17. On the president's watch, about 100,000 jobs were lost in the auto industry and auto dealers and auto manufacturers, so he's hardly one to point a finger."

First, the comparison is absurd. Second, the claim about the auto industry is demonstrably ridiculous.

18. On GST Steel, Romney said of his critics, "They said, 'Oh, gosh, Governor Romney at Bain Capital closed down a steel factory.' But their problem, of course, is that the steel factory closed down two years after I left Bain Capital. I was no longer there, so that's hardly something which is on my watch."

Actually, Romney retained full, sole ownership of the firm at the time GST collapsed.

19. Romney's campaign said yesterday that it's "clear" that the Obama campaign "is running a campaign of character assassination."

Asked for an example of Obama engaging in character assassination, the Romney campaign so far hasn't come up with anything.

I continue to think about something Fox News' Brit Hume said a few months ago. Reflecting on Romney's flip-flops, said, "You're only allowed a certain number of flips before people begin to doubt your character."

I'm curious -- is Romney also allowed a certain number of falsehoods before people begin to doubt his character? And if so, what is that number?

source for each lie http://maddowblog.msnbc.msn.com/_new...city-vol-xviii
inb4 right-wings say they're all true

[Eshamed51]

Some of it is just the party line or his speech writers trying to hard. Even Newt Called him a liar. Isn't it very important for mormans to tell the truth i mean the guy can't drink soda but he can spout lies to the masses a majority of the time. They can lie only to protect the cult, maybe he believes that his cult will be looked at better if he were elected.

http://www.mormonwiki.org/Lying_for_the_Lord

"A half-truth presented as the whole truth is a complete untruth." - J.I. Packer

"In matters of honesty, there are no shortcuts; no little white lies, or big black lies, only the simple, honest truth spoken in total candor... Being true is different than being honest.” - Gordon B. Hinckley

[Rune]

inb4 right-wings say they're all true

I'd be more concerned about them digging up just as many lies Obama has told since he started his first campaign.

[PSToolman]

I'd be more concerned about them digging up just as many lies Obama has told since he started his first campaign.

In before wall-of-text of misinformation from some Heritage or Freedomworks chain email.

[MrRIP]

I made a post about this a while back. Romney is the most prolific liar in political history. I stand by that.


In b4 tekkendo and his stupid ass graph

[Rune]

In before wall-of-text of misinformation from some Heritage or Freedomworks chain email.

Don't need misinformation, they're both politicians, their job is lying. They just spew different rhetoric.

[T150]

Every politician twists the truth, some less skillfully than others (romney) as he seems shamless and compulsive in his lies, making them so brazenly incorrect as if to assume no one is paying any attention.

He knows the American public well.

[goody1]

Back in February, Paul Krugman argued that Mitt Romney is "running a campaign of almost pathological dishonesty." Was this an intemperate analysis? Perhaps. Three months later, does it seem fair? Put it this way: take a look at the 18th installment of my weekly series, chronicling Mitt's mendacity.

1. Romney promised in a speech this week, "I will lead us out of this debt and spending inferno."

Given that his stated agenda would add trillions to the debt, and Romney refuses to say how he'd pay for his tax cuts and increased Defense spending, the claim seems pretty misleading.

2. Romney claimed in the same speech that Obama has "bailed out the public-sector."

I really wish that were true. It's not.

3. Romney also argued that Obama has "added almost as much debt as all the prior presidents combined."

That's not even close to being true.

4. Romney insisted that the national debt is responsible for "the most tepid recovery in modern history."

That's ridiculously false. If the debt were holding back the economy, we'd have high interest rates and high inflation. We have the opposite.

5. Romney also said the national debt is the reason "half of the kids graduating from college can't find a job that uses their skills."

There is no universe in which this is true (or really, even coherent).

6. On the Recovery Act, Romney said, "President Obama started out with a near trillion-dollar stimulus package -- the biggest, most careless one-time expenditure by the federal government in history. And remember this: the stimulus wasn't just wasted -- it was borrowed and wasted."

The Recovery Act rescued the economy. Romney doesn't have to like it, but he shouldn't lie about it.

7. Romney added, equating the debt with a prairie fire, Obama "fed the fire. He has spent more and borrowed more."

That's false, too.

8. Referencing the Affordable Care Act, Romney argued, "Then there was Obamacare. Even now nobody knows what it will actually cost."

"Nobody" except the Congressional Budget Office, the Office of Management and Budget, and every budget expert with access to a calculator.

9. Romney argued that the Affordable Care Act is a "massive, European-style entitlement."

No, it's not. Most of Europe has socialized or government-run health care systems. Obamacare doesn't resemble France; it resembles Massachusetts' Romneycare.

10. Romney also insisted Americans "can't afford" the health-care reform law.

Actually, the ACA lowers the deficit by hundreds of billions of dollars.

11. Romney argued, "When you add up his policies, this president has increased the national debt by five trillion dollars."

That's an obvious lie. It's not Obama's policies that are driving the debt.

12. Romney claimed that more of the economy is being "absorbed ... into government."

That's the opposite of the truth.

13. Romney argued, "Medicare and Social Security are also easy to demagogue, and I expect the president to continue doing that in this campaign."

Romney has said several hundred times that Obama cut $500 billion from Medicare and is the only president to ever cut Medicare benefits. Neither is true, but both are excellent examples of demagoguery.

14. On gay adoption, Romney said "all states but one allow gay adoption."

That's not even close to being true.

15. The Romney campaign said of Obama, "He promised he would cut the debt, and he has not done that."

Obama made no such promise. He promised to cut the deficit, not the debt -- presidential campaigns really should know the difference if it's going to talk about these issues -- and Obama has cut the deficit.

16. Romney said of his controversial private-sector background, "We were able to help create over 100,000 jobs."

This is one of the more important lies Romney will tell this year.

17. On the president's watch, about 100,000 jobs were lost in the auto industry and auto dealers and auto manufacturers, so he's hardly one to point a finger."

First, the comparison is absurd. Second, the claim about the auto industry is demonstrably ridiculous.

18. On GST Steel, Romney said of his critics, "They said, 'Oh, gosh, Governor Romney at Bain Capital closed down a steel factory.' But their problem, of course, is that the steel factory closed down two years after I left Bain Capital. I was no longer there, so that's hardly something which is on my watch."

Actually, Romney retained full, sole ownership of the firm at the time GST collapsed.

19. Romney's campaign said yesterday that it's "clear" that the Obama campaign "is running a campaign of character assassination."

Asked for an example of Obama engaging in character assassination, the Romney campaign so far hasn't come up with anything.

I continue to think about something Fox News' Brit Hume said a few months ago. Reflecting on Romney's flip-flops, said, "You're only allowed a certain number of flips before people begin to doubt your character."

I'm curious -- is Romney also allowed a certain number of falsehoods before people begin to doubt his character? And if so, what is that number?

source for each lie http://maddowblog.msnbc.msn.com/_new...city-vol-xviii
inb4 right-wings say they're all true

Can I assume that you will be putting up a list of all the lies that Obama told both while campaigning and in office. My guess is you'll find more than 16. Hell I can think of 6-7 just off the top of my head

[amtharin]

That is super cool OP, now do Obama....

[Bowyermania]

I'm no fan of Mitt Romney, but I would take everything Paul Krugman has to say with a grain of salt. Also, none of your rebuttals are facts they are merely your opinions.

[amtharin]

I'm no fan of Mitt Romney, but I would take everything Paul Krugman has to say with a grain of salt. Also, none of your rebuttals are facts they are merely your opinions.

Yeah, Im not so sure how you can say he lied about something he said he would do in office, when he has not even been elected yet??

[amtharin]

15. The Romney campaign said of Obama, "He promised he would cut the debt, and he has not done that."

Obama made no such promise. He promised to cut the deficit, not the debt -- presidential campaigns really should know the difference if it's going to talk about these issues -- and Obama has cut the deficit.

Is this guy serious??

[ToPHeR35]

Source: Rachel Maddow

I loled

[Bowyermania]

Is this guy serious??

Honestly, what universe are these people living in? They honestly beLieve the deficit has gone down under Obama? Wut?

[Eshamed51]

I'm no fan of Mitt Romney, but I would take everything Paul Krugman has to say with a grain of salt.

Yes, a noble prize winning economist who teaches at Princeton who would think he knows anything. Someone whos obviously mad he's not in your cool austrian school of economics.

[amtharin]

Yes, a noble prize winning economist who teaches at Princeton who would think he knows anything. Someone whos obviously mad he's not in your cool austrian school of economics.

You left out that he's also one of the biggest known political hacks there is.

Do you honestly believe him that the deficit has gone down?

[Eshamed51]

Can I assume that you will be putting up a list of all the lies that Obama told both while campaigning and in office. My guess is you'll find more than 16. Hell I can think of 6-7 just off the top of my head

That is super cool OP, now do Obama....

Post that **** yourselves. The title isn't lies Romney has told vs. Obama battle royale.

[Eshamed51]

You left out that he's also one of the biggest known political hacks there is.

Do you honestly believe him that the deficit has gone down?

Your talking about two different things. Krugman never claimed any of this i never said every word of it is true and like Dick Cheney said "deficits don't matter".. This is by Steve Benen he just used a krugman quote.

[amtharin]

Your talking about two different things. Krugman never claimed any of this i never said every word of it is true and like Dick Cheney said "deficits don't matter".. This is by Steve Benen he just used a krugman quote.

I never said Krugman said it, I simply said he was a hack, and asked you if you believe deficits have gone down. So do you??

[amtharin]

Post that **** yourselves. The title isn't lies Romney has told vs. Obama battle royale.

Id rather have one of by bishes do it, now make me a sammich phag.

[MrRIP]

Id rather have one of by bishes do it, now make me a sammich phag.

This isn't a comprehensive mitt Romney guide book. They actually have one. I believe it's 10 volumes atm

[amtharin]

I made a post about this a while back. Romney is the most prolific liar in political history. I stand by that.

I can name an obama lie for every romney lie you can name.... go

[MrRIP]

I can name an obama lie for every romney lie you can name.... go

You think you can? Your already 19 behind ITT.

[7rmr]

lol at these political threads, unfortunately, most/all of them go something like this

Thread: "Person A did something bad"

Response "So, person B did that too and it was worse"

How is this even a discussion? You all do know that you can make your own threads right? If the thread is about person A and you want to discuss person B make your own thread. Otherwise, it is impossible to actually discuss anything.

With specific reference to this thread, if you take issue with any of the 19 lies why not conclusively demonstrate how they in fact are not a lie. Or, why not say hmm, yeah those were lies.

[amtharin]

You think you can? Your already 19 behind ITT.

You think all of those are lies?

[leafs43]

Wow, quoting Rachel Maddow.


OP got a case of "I want to believe!"

And some of those aren't even lies, lol.

[MrRIP]

lol at these political threads, unfortunately, most/all of them go something like this

Thread: "Person A did something bad"

Response "So, person B did that too and it was worse"

How is this even a discussion? You all do know that you can make your own threads right? If the thread is about person A and you want to discuss person B make your own thread. Otherwise, it is impossible to actually discuss anything.

With specific reference to this thread, if you take issue with any of the 19 lies why not conclusively demonstrate how they in fact are not a lie. Or, why not say hmm, yeah those were lies.

This is how it goes in R/P. -_-

They won't defend it they just throw mud. Then someone will come in with a totally off topic argument

[MrRIP]

You think all of those are lies?

Accept them as lies and post 19 Obama lies.

Or say. This is the truth because XYZ. Preferably showing a non partisan article or website supporting your claim.

Now you said you want to do it. We can start and entirely new thread.

Obama vs Romney who lies more. You can start it. I will end it.

But still. Bring talking points from all your right wing sources and we will get to the truth on our own.

Edit: the link to the blog post has many links to fact checking sites. Also it's not from Rachel maddow. It's just her blog site

[Eshamed51]

I never said Krugman said it, I simply said he was a hack, and asked you if you believe deficits have gone down. So do you??

I don't really care.

Id rather have one of by bishes do it, now make me a sammich phag.

You're 32, lol'd keep talking **** in the rnp section tough guy.

[amtharin]

Accept them as lies and post 19 Obama lies.

Or say. This is the truth because XYZ. Preferably showing a non partisan article or website supporting your claim.

Now you said you want to do it. We can start and entirely new thread.

Obama vs Romney who lies more. You can start it. I will end it.

But still. Bring talking points from all your right wing sources and we will get to the truth on our own.

Why would I accept those, when they are not lies?? If you want to use that list, then I guess we can state future things that have not happened yet as lies.