Comparison of Economic Stimulus Plans

Associated Press

A comparison of the $827 billion economic recovery plan drafted by Senate Democrats and moderate Republicans with an $820 billion version passed by the House. Additional debt costs would add about $350 billion or more over 10 years. Many provisions expire in two years …

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GOP Senators ‘Caved in’ on Stimulus, Ron Paul Says

By Mark Preston | CNN Political Editor

CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts (CNN) — Former presidential candidate Ron Paul criticized President Obama’s economic recovery proposal but said Saturday that blame for the financial crisis is deep-seated and includes Republicans who failed to hold the line on spending during the Bush administration.

He also offered a harsh critique of the three Republican senators who have said they will vote for the economic recovery proposal. A vote is scheduled for early next week.

Paul, a Republican representative from Texas who sought the GOP nomination for president, said that although some people call Obama’s plan to jumpstart the economy a “stimulus package,” he thinks it is a “pure spending package.”

The message came on a video posted on YouTube …

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To see Ron Paul’s YouTube video, click here.

McCain: Democrats No More Bipartisan than GOP

Associated Press

WASHINGTON – Republican Sen. John McCain says that Democratic lawmakers putting together an economic stimulus plan are no more open to input from the opposing party than the GOP was during the Bush administration.

The Arizona Republican says that he thought there was going to be a change in the tone of partisanship in Washington when the Obama administration took over, but he adds that he’s not seeing it …

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Petraeus Pushes NATO Allies to Step Up Afghan Fight

By James G. Neuger and Tony Czuczka | Blommberg.com

Feb. 8 (Bloomberg) — The U.S. pushed European NATO allies to send more troops to Afghanistan, warning of a resurgence in terrorist violence in the country that gave rise to the Sept. 11 attacks.

U.S. Army General David Petraeus said the security situation has “deteriorated markedly” since 2007 and appealed for more troops and war-fighting equipment to bolster stability as nationwide elections test Afghanistan’s ability to govern itself.

“I would be remiss if I did not ask individual countries to examine very closely what forces and other contributions they can provide,” Petraeus, commander of U.S. forces in the Middle East and Central Asia, told the Munich Security Conference today …

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Campaign 2010 Begins

Democrats launch radio ads attacking 28 House Republicans, taking some facts out of context.

FactCheck.org

Here we go again.

The first round of attack ads in the 2010 midterm elections was announced this week by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Its new radio spots accuse 28 Republican House members variously of voting against tax breaks for working people, voting against money for schools, voting against creating jobs and voting against health insurance coverage for millions of children.

The ads aren’t exactly false, but they don’t tell the whole story. Popular programs that the GOP members opposed actually were small parts of a huge package of spending and tax-cut measures that Republicans criticized as poorly designed and wasteful. And some of the ads attack Republicans for supporting measures, such as last year’s financial rescue package, that Democrats also supported in even greater numbers …

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Sorting Truth from Fiction, Truth-O-Meter

PolitiFact

PolitiFact writers and editors spend considerable time deliberating on the truthfulness of statements made by politicians and media pundits and then decide which of the following six types of rulings should apply:

TRUE – The statement is accurate and there’s nothing significant missing.

MOSTLY TRUE – The statement is accurate but needs clarification or additional information.

HALF TRUE – The statement is accurate but leaves out important details or takes things out of context.

BARELY TRUE – The statement contains some element of truth but ignores critical facts that would give a different impression.

FALSE – The statement is not accurate.

PANTS ON FIRE – The statement is not accurate and makes a ridiculous claim.

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Related News: See PolitiFact’s assessments of chain emails.