PolitiFact Georgia Editor
Jim Tharpe, Georgia PolitiFact Editor, has worked as a reporter and editor for newspapers in Florida, South Carolina, Alabama and Georgia. For 11 years at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, he has written about everything from state politics to whale sharks. A graduate of the University of Florida, Tharpe was a 1989 Nieman Fellow at Harvard University.
The latest Truth-O-Meter items from Jim Tharpe
Says President Barack Obama’s proposed budget includes two new tax increases that would collect about $14 billion.
The Georgia Lottery paid out $2.3 billion in prizes during the last fiscal year.
Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have cost every U.S. family $45,000.
U.S. Rep. John Barrow of Georgia has helped support the implementation of "Obamacare."
Then-Gov. Carl Sanders put 56 percent of the state budget into education, a figure that has not been achieved since.
In just six years, Georgia has dropped from first in the nation from a business-friendly legal climate to 24th.
"Do you know those former Soviet Bloc countries have all moved to flat taxes?"
On allowing a vote on universal gun background checks in the U.S. Senate.
About 3 percent of Gov. Nathan Deal’s appointments have been African-American.
Congress has spent 66 of the first 100 days of this term in recess.
Recent stories from Jim Tharpe
A $1 billion dealAtlanta Mayor Kasim Reed and Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank announced recently they’ve agreed to the financial framework of a $1 billion stadium to replace the 20-year-old Georgia Dome. The deal must still be approved by the 15-member Atlanta City Council.
A look at how Saxby Chambliss has done on the Truth-O-MeterSaxby Chambliss, Georgia’s senior U.S. senator, surprised the political world Friday when he announced he’s not running for a third term in 2014, despite recent claims he was ready to take on any and all challengers. The decision has several politicians and officeholders considering whether to run for the seat. In the meantime, PolitiFact Georgia thought we’d look back at how Chambliss has fared on our Truth-O-Meter.
PolitiFact's 2012 Truth-O-Meter statsThe year 2012 is fading faster than a Mayan end-of-the world prediction. So the scribes at the AJC Truth-O-Meter decided to take a look back at the year that was --- a year of more than 200 fact checks by your local team of truth-seekers, collectively known as PolitiFact Georgia.
Election and voter ID claims get examinedToday ends a long -- and often annoying -- season of political ads, robocalls from famous politicians and glossy fliers sitting in your mailbox from someone who wants your vote. PolitiFact Georgia decided to take a look back at a few claims about voting and elections that have been tested on the Truth-O-Meter this election cycle. Below are abbreviated versions of these fact checks. Look for the complete versions at the PolitiFact online sites. Want to comment on our Truth-O-Meter rulings? It's easy. Just go to our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/politifact.georgia?fref=ts. Readers can follow us on Twitter at PolitiFactGA.
Obama and Romney on jobsOne of the hottest topics of this presidential campaign has been jobs -- how many have been created and lost, and who has the best plans for restoring them. Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama have honed in on this key area and made several attempts to outshine the opposition. Below are abbreviated versions of fact checks about the candidates’ statements during the campaign. Look for the complete fact checks at the PolitiFact online sites. Want to comment on our Truth-O-Meter rulings? It’s easy. Just go to our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/politifact.georgia?fref=ts. Readers can follow us on Twitter at: PolitiFactGA.
Obama and Romney square off over international relationsBy Jim Tharpe PolitiFact Georgia The 2012 campaign between President Barack Obama and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has produced some memorable statements on how both men view U.S. relations with other nations. Romney and Obama even had a debate devoted to international relations, even though they spent a good deal of that showdown talking about domestic issues. Below are abbreviated versions of some of our rulings about international relations from the campaign. Look for the complete fact checks at the PolitiFact online sites. Want to comment on our Truth-O-Meter rulings? It’s easy. Just go to our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/politifact.georgia?fref=ts. Readers can follow us on Twitter at: PolitiFactGA.
"Obamacare" gets examined on the Truth-O-MeterThe 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, often called Obamacare, has stirred plenty of emotions and truth-twisting by its supporters and critics. Below are some abbreviated versions of fact checks of statements about it by President Barack Obama and Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney during the campaign. Look for the complete fact checks at the PolitiFact online sites. Readers can comment on our Truth-O-Meter rulings at our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/politifact.georgia?fref=ts. And they can follow us on Twitter at: PolitiFactGA.
PolitiFact examines candidates claims on MedicareThe future of Medicare, the federal health care program for older and disabled Americans, has been a key issue in the race for the White House. The issue came into sharp focus after Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney named U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin as his running mate. In 2011, Ryan proposed a hotly debated plan to ensure Medicare remains solvent. President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden have consistently claimed the GOP approach would end Medicare guarantees for seniors. The Republicans have countered the Obama administration has cut Medicare spending through the controversial 2010 health care law. Below are some abbreviated versions of fact checks of statements by the candidates on the issue. Look for the complete fact checks at the PolitiFact online sites. Readers can comment on our Truth-O-Meter rulings at our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/politifact.georgia?fref=ts. And they can follow us on Twitter at: PolitiFactGA.
A campaign full of red-hot statementsBy Jim Tharpe PolitiFact Georgia In politics, there are truths. There are falsehoods. And there’s Pants on Fire. PolitiFact and the AJC Truth-O-Meter complete hundreds of fact checks every year. And a few fall into that fiery netherworld of the ridiculously misleading. The 2012 campaign between President Barack Obama and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has produced some memorable misstatements. Below are abbreviated versions of some of the top Pants on Fire rulings of the campaign. Look for the complete fact checks at the PolitiFact online sites. Want to comment on our Truth-O-Meter rulings? It’s easy. Just go to our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/politifact.georgia?fref=ts. Readers can follow us on Twitter at: PolitiFactGA.
Obama and Romney on women's issuesWomen are a key demographic of this presidential campaign. Both Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama have targeted this swing group, trying to sway female voters on issues such as contraception, equity pay and employment. The focus on females has produced some of the most memorable statements during the campaign from both men and their running mates, Vice President Joe Biden and vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan. Below are abbreviated versions of fact checks about the candidates’ statements during the campaign. Look for the complete fact checks at the PolitiFact online sites. Want to comment on our Truth-O-Meter rulings? It’s easy. Just go to our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/politifact.georgia?fref=ts. Readers can follow us on Twitter at: PolitiFactGA.
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