http://mediamatters.org/tools/syndication/tag_rss/economic_issues This link is for use by RSS-enabled software to retrieve Media Matters items matching the term: Economic Issues en-US Copyright 2008, Media Matters for America http://mediamatters.org/items/200811220004 Several media outlets have used data that combines the average cost of current wages and benefits and future benefits to falsely assert or suggest that autoworkers make $70 or more per hour. But, as analysts and some media outlets have noted, the figure includes not only future retirement benefits for current workers, but also benefits paid to current retirees. http://mediamatters.org/items/200811220004 Sat, 22 Nov 2008 15:45:12 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200811190008 An <em>Augusta Chronicle</em> editorial supporting the "Fair Tax," a proposal that "replaces all federal income and payroll based taxes" with a national sales tax, falsely stated that under the "Fair Tax" people will "get their entire paycheck." In fact, Georgia residents would still have to pay the Georgia income tax, which is withheld from their paychecks. http://mediamatters.org/items/200811190008 Wed, 19 Nov 2008 13:35:19 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200811170016 On <em>Hannity &amp; Colmes</em>, Sean Hannity and Hugh Hewitt rehashed the discredited claim that President-elect Barack Obama is to blame for recent declines in the stock market. In fact, analysts have cited economic data on dropping retail sales, increasing unemployment, and other significant factors to explain recent stock-market declines. http://mediamatters.org/items/200811170016 Mon, 17 Nov 2008 16:35:51 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200811160005 On CBS' <em>Face the Nation</em>, Fox News contributor Newt Gingrich falsely claimed that Indiana and Utah -- both governed by Republicans -- have the "lowest unemployment rates in their respective regions." However, according to the most recent Bureau of Labor Statistics records, neither Utah nor Indiana has the lowest unemployment rate in its region, and several states with lower unemployment rates are governed by Democrats. <br /> http://mediamatters.org/items/200811160005 Sun, 16 Nov 2008 18:36:31 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200811160004 On <em>Fox News Sunday</em>, host Chris Wallace did not challenge the false assertion by Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) that Republican economist "Marty Feldstein says we shouldn't" enact a new economic stimulus plan. But Feldstein wrote in an October 30 op-ed that "[t]he only way to prevent a deepening recession will be a temporary program of increased government spending." http://mediamatters.org/items/200811160004 Sun, 16 Nov 2008 18:14:07 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200811120011 Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh continue to suggest that President-elect Barack Obama is to blame for the decline in the stock market, referring to the state of the stock market as an "Obama recession." In fact, analysts have refuted the proposition that the market decline has anything to do with anticipation of Obama's presidency. http://mediamatters.org/items/200811120011 Wed, 12 Nov 2008 21:16:46 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200811070011 Conservative commentators have asserted that President-elect Barack Obama is to blame for the decline of the stock market since the election. But several analysts disagree, citing weak corporate reports and the release of unemployment statistics. http://mediamatters.org/items/200811070011 Fri, 7 Nov 2008 19:09:37 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200811060005 Beyond the echelon of widely known conservative radio hosts with national audiences lies a vast network of lesser-known syndicated and regional radio hosts who have become key components of an echo chamber for conservative talking points and falsehoods. Like their better-known counterparts, these syndicated and regional radio hosts have played active roles this election season in promoting falsehoods and smears in an all-out effort to foment hate and distrust among their listeners for President-elect Barack Obama. While the hosts vary in the degree of vitriol they spew and in their ratio of rebuttable falsehoods to unbridled smears, <em>Media Matters for America </em>and <em>Colorado Media Matters</em> have identified common themes that many, if not all, have promoted over the past year. <br /> http://mediamatters.org/items/200811060005 Thu, 6 Nov 2008 12:37:03 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200811030005 <em>The Washington Times</em> falsely suggested that Gov. Bill Richardson said Sen. Barack Obama would raise taxes on Americans making more than $120,000, stating that Sen. John McCain "continued to hammer the Democrat over his plan to tax Americans making more than $250,000 -- a number that has crept down, first to $200,000, then to $150,000 and finally to $120,000." In fact, the number hasn't "crept down," and during the interview to which the <em>Times</em> was referring, Richardson said that under Obama's plan for "those in the middle class, anybody under $250,000, there is no tax increase." <br /> http://mediamatters.org/items/200811030005 Mon, 3 Nov 2008 12:36:08 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200810310016 ABC's Robin Roberts did not challenge Sen. John McCain's claim that Sen. Barack Obama "wants to raise people's taxes" -- a claim that McCain's own chief economic adviser reportedly said is inaccurate. http://mediamatters.org/items/200810310016 Fri, 31 Oct 2008 16:03:15 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200810300015 Sean Hannity falsely asserted that Sen. Barack Obama promises "to nationalize our health care," and said his is a "false promise." In fact, Obama has not proposed, much less promised, to nationalize health care. http://mediamatters.org/items/200810300015 Thu, 30 Oct 2008 15:01:06 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200810290015 After airing video of Gov. Sarah Palin's misleading assertion that Sen. Barack Obama "voted 94 times for higher taxes," Fox News' Shepard Smith affirmed Palin's claim, saying, "Well, they'll [Democrats] argue with that, but I guess down to its core, that's true." However, Smith offered no support for his purported confirmation of Palin's assertion, and FactCheck.org has described the claim as "inflated" and "padded." http://mediamatters.org/items/200810290015 Wed, 29 Oct 2008 18:22:38 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200810290010 Bill Cunningham asserted on his radio show that "people are poor in America ... not because they lack money," but "because they lack values, morals, and ethics." He also said that "unlike many countries in the world ... we have fat poor people. We don't have skinny poor people. Ours are fat and flatulent." http://mediamatters.org/items/200810290010 Wed, 29 Oct 2008 14:33:07 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200810280013 Bill Cunningham claimed that "[a]mong the so-called noble poor in America ... [b]irth control is not used so illegitimate children can be brought into the world, so the mom can get more checks in the mail from the government." Cunningham then added: "And then once the child is born, that is the key to financial riches in the poor communities -- white and black -- in America." http://mediamatters.org/items/200810280013 Tue, 28 Oct 2008 15:35:09 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200810240016 Fox News' Gregg Jarrett falsely asserted that <em>The New York Times</em> recently found that "the average plumber would pay less in taxes under John McCain than Barack Obama." In fact, the <em>Times</em> did not assess how "the average plumber" would fare under Obama's and McCain's tax plans -- he or she would get a bigger tax cut under Obama's plan, according to the Tax Policy Center -- but, rather, how their respective plans would affect an individual who is "a partner of a two-person company," that earns $280,000 "after business expenses are deducted," "[o]wns his own home and itemizes his taxes," "[i]s divorced but does not pay alimony," and "is a single parent with one dependent child." http://mediamatters.org/items/200810240016 Fri, 24 Oct 2008 17:20:15 EST