CBS News: ‘Bachmann offers big numbers, little proof’
Monday, March 29, 2010 at 8:26 am
- 14 Comments
CBS News gave Rep. Michele Bachmann some sharp criticism when they fact-checked her appearance on that outlet’s long-running political talk show “Face the Nation” At issue were Bachmann’s claims that prior to 2008, “100 percent of the private economy was private” and that “30 percent of American physicians would leave the profession if the government took over health care.” CBS News found evidence that directly contradicts Bachmann’s statements.
Bachmann said, “[N]ow we have the federal government taking over ownership or control of 51 percent of the American economy. This is stunning. Prior to September of 2008, 100 percent of the private economy was private.”
CBS News says:
Ms. Bachmann offered no facts to back up her assertion that the government owns or controls 51 percent of the U.S. economy.
According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis data since 1929, the highest percentage of government spending as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product was during World War II when government spending was 47.9 percent (in 1944). The lowest level of government spending as a percent of GDP was 9 percent in 1929 at the outset of the Great Depression.
At no time during this period was the United States’ GDP 100 percent private.
The 2009 level of federal government spending was 20.6 percent.
Back in October, Bachman put the figure at 30 percent, although her apparent source for that figure said it’s an estimate.
Bachmann also said: “The New England Journal of Medicine released a survey the week that President Obama signed Obamacare stating that over 30 percent of American physicians would leave the profession if the government took over health care. That’s very serious going forward.”
CBS News said: “The New England Journal of Medicine has denied it conducted or published the survey cited by Ms. Bachmann.”
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Comment posted March 29, 2010 @ 10:09 am
I think Michele has been conversing with that other screwball from up north.You know the half Governor from Alaska;”Sarah the simple”.They both have a tendency to fabricate,or if they can’t fabricate,they just lie.
Comment posted March 29, 2010 @ 12:03 pm
I’m waiting for Jimmy or another one of the right wing trolls to come to Michelle’s defense – how are they going to spin this one?
Comment posted March 29, 2010 @ 1:08 pm
With all of the crap and outright lies that come out of her mouth, I can’t for the life em me understand how she got elected in the first place. If she gets reelected this fall? Yikes.
Comment posted March 29, 2010 @ 5:40 pm
She’s been saying this for a while now. Couldn’t CBS have fact checked her BEFORE they had her on and then, oh I don’t know, ASKED for some proof? Isn’t Bob Schieffer supposed to be a journalist? Its easy to post something on the web after the fact, but apparently too difficult to do a little research and confront these serial liars when it would do some good. After all, you can’t train a dog by waiting until after they’ve piddled on the floor, you need to catch them in the act. Michelle’s been piddling for a long long time with no one caring enough to show her the error of her ways.
Comment posted March 29, 2010 @ 5:56 pm
Don’t talk Bachmann piddling. Jimmy will get a boner!
Comment posted March 29, 2010 @ 6:09 pm
“Isn’t Bob Schieffer supposed to be a journalist?”
No,he’s not – he’s a conservative apologist and his main function is to NOT insult his guests – Democatic or Republican – so they will continue to appear on his show.
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Comment posted March 29, 2010 @ 6:50 pm
For those who have been paying attention to Bachmann, the CBS fact-check was unneccessary. The 100% figure Bachmann used is right, only she applied it to the wrong thing. She should have applied it to illustrate that 100% of the time she has no idea what she’s talking about. It is difficult to educate one’s self on the issues when one’s time is consumed with attending multiple events intended to promote one’s own agenda: self and self only
Comment posted March 29, 2010 @ 9:26 pm
Give her a break. She is pretty so can get away with nonsense. If she was fat and ugly no one would listen to her. Palin has the same karma going for her. It is hopeless.
Comment posted March 30, 2010 @ 12:43 am
I suppose it’s an improvement that corporate media fact-checked her. Too bad it’s just the CBS web site and not The Evening News, where more of her constituents might see that she’s making things up. It’s a shame CBS let her spokesman have the last word, and just lie in a different way.
Pingback posted March 30, 2010 @ 1:39 pm
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Comment posted March 31, 2010 @ 8:12 am
Are we tired of this yet? Are we surprised? This woman goes out there to our nation and those who see her, thinks of Minneosta. Wow, huh? We need her out of here. Let’s save some money on our budget by getting her out.
Pingback posted April 3, 2010 @ 7:19 pm
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