PolitiFact

US taxes corporations at highest rate -- Except they don't pay any taxes

October 12, 2011 by Uppity Wisconsin

Incredible.

That means unbelievable.

The Journal Sentinel's PolitiFact, which prides itself on putting things "into context" -- which is how it justifies its frequently warped conclusions -- says Rep. Fat Jim Sensenbrenner's (Isn't that what the F stands for? See photo) claim that US corporations pay the highest tax rate in the world -- 35% -- is true.

No mention of the fact that the Government Accountability Office says that two-thirds of US corporations pay no federal income tax at all.  Zero.  Zip. Zilch. Nada.

In fact, PolitiFact Ohio (it's a franchise operation) checked a claim by Rep. Marcia Fudge that some of the biggest corporations pay NO taxes. Her statement rated true.

Any corporation that is paying 35% needs a new accountant.

Mark Neumann's "truthful" math: Facts are pesky, pesky things

September 28, 2011 by Uppity Wisconsin

NeumannThe Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Politifact (I like to call it Politifactoid) feature today examined a statement by former GOP congressman and current US Senate candidate Mark Neumann and judged it "truthful." His statement:

Did you know that if the federal government spent $30,000 on behalf of every family of four or group of four in America, that the federal budget would be balanced today? They’re spending $46,000 on behalf of every family of four in America today, every year."

Which is the logical equivalent of saying this: If you trimmed the human population of Earth back down from the current seven billion to two billion, you'd balance the eco-system and save the planet. That may be true, just as Neumann's comment about the federal budget deficit may be true, but the devil, as usual, is in the details.

PolitiFact still calling fouls weeks after the game has ended

August 29, 2011 by Uppity Wisconsin

The Journal Sentinel's PolitiFact has been on a roll recently, ruling on claims made by Republlicans and conservative groups during the recall election campaigns. 

The latest one, today, finds the right-wing Club for Growth made false claims against Democrats in a TV spot it ran -- starting on June 14!

The teaser for the finding, which involves a claim that Dems spent $5-million on a scoreboard for the Bucks, says the claim is "an air ball -- or perhaps an error ball."

Cute, but, those campaigns are over.  Calling a foul after the final horn has sounded and the teams have left the court and gone home doesn't accomplish much.

Once again, we rule PolitiFact Totally Irrelevant.