This column by Rex Nutting of MarketWatch was seized on by President Barack Obama and criticized by many of Obama's critics.
Lots of heat (and some light) on Obama's spending
Our fact-check on a Facebook claim that President Barack Obama isn't as big a spender as many people think drew lots of support from Obama backers and a barrage of criticism from opponents. We recap the debate.
A scorecard separating fact from fiction
Says Obama broke his promise to help homeowners facing foreclosure.
Promise: Create a Homeowner Obligation Made Explicit (HOME) score for mortgage comparisons
Update: New standards included in Dodd-Frank
Says under Mitt Romney, "Medicare could end as we know it, leaving Julia with nothing but a voucher to buy insurance, which means $6,350 extra per year for a similar plan."
Says Mitt Romney is wrong to claim that spending under Obama has "accelerated at a pace without precedent in recent history," because it's actually risen "slower than at any time in nearly 60 years."
When Mitt Romney was governor of Massachusetts, "we didn’t just slow the rate of growth of our government, we actually cut it."
Tracking our corrections and updates
We've created a new page so you can see Truth-O-Meter items that have a correction or update. The page will include articles or Truth-O-Meter ...
>>more
'There's a fair chance PolitiFact spoke to other experts' -- yes, 13 others
We've gotten some criticism today about the Pants on Fire we gave to Mitt Romney for his claim that the size of the U ...
>>more
Who is PolitiFact? Who pays for Politifact?
Updated Monday, January 9, 2012 at 11:04 a.m.
As we've gained new readers over the years, every now and then we get ...
>>more
We want to hear your suggestions and comments.
For tips or comments on our Obameter and our GOP-Pledge-O-Meter promise databases, please e-mail the Obameter. If you are commenting on a specific promise, please include the wording of the promise.
For comments about our Truth-O-Meter or Flip-O-Meter items, please e-mail the Truth-O-Meter. We’re especially interested in seeing any chain e-mails you receive that you would like us to check out. If you send us a comment, we'll assume you don't mind us publishing it unless you tell us otherwise.PolitiFact is a project of the Tampa Bay Times to help you find the truth in American politics. Reporters and editors from the Times fact-check statements by members of Congress, the White House, lobbyists and interest groups and rate them on our Truth-O-Meter:
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 partially accurate but leaves out important details or takes things out of context.
MOSTLY FALSE – The statement contains an 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.
For more details, see the Principles of PolitiFact and the Truth-O-Meter.
We’re also tracking campaign promises of President Barack Obama and Republicans in Congress. You can track the progress on our Obameter and our GOP Pledge-O-Meter.
To find out more about PolitiFact and the Times, see Who Pays for PolitiFact.
Put the Truth-O-Meter in your pocket
PolitiFact has a new app for smartphones and tablets featuring the Truth-O-Meter, the Obameter and our new Truth Index. Click here for details.
PolitiFact is tracking and rating the campaign promises of the Republican leadership and President Barack Obama.
The GOP Pledge-O-Meter follows dozens of promises made in 2010 by Republican leaders in their speeches and in the Pledge to America, their blueprint for the 112th Congress.
The Obameter follows more than 500 promises made by Obama in the 2008 presidential campaign.
Rating their promises
Beyond the Truth-O-Meter
Fact-checking around the Web
New Jersey —
On transportation financing
— Chris Christie
Rhode Island —
In 2011, Alabama and Massachusetts passed legislation allowing non-citizens who are legal residents to vote in state and local elections
— Anastasia Williams
Texas —
Says he "restored prayer and the pledge in our schools."
— Jeff Wentworth
Texas —
Says Larry Taylor gave "in-state tuition to illegal immigrants."
— Conservative Voters of Texas PAC
Oregon —
Says the city of Portland has one manager for every six "front-line" workers.
— Jefferson Smith
Keep up to date with PolitiFact:
- Sign up for our e-mail (about once a week)
- Put a free PolitiFact widget on your blog or Web page
- Subscribe to our RSS feeds on Truth-O-Meter items
- Subscribe to our RSS feeds on GOP Pledge-O-Meter items
- Subscribe to our RSS feeds on Obameter items
- Follow us on Twitter
- Fan us on Facebook
- Advertise on PolitiFact
- Shop the PolitiFact store for T-shirts, hats and other PolitiFact swag












