Lie of the Year: Readers' poll results

By Angie Drobnic Holan
Published on Thursday, December 16th, 2010 at 11:29 p.m.

Related rulings:

"The president of the United States will be taking a trip over to India that is expected to cost the taxpayers $200 million a day."

Michele Bachmann, Wednesday, November 3rd, 2010.

Ruling: False | Details

Says "Tom Barrett supports a government takeover of our health care"

Rebecca Kleefisch, Wednesday, October 13th, 2010.

Ruling: Pants on Fire! | Details

Says Daniel Webster thinks wives should submit to their husbands.

Alan Grayson, Saturday, September 25th, 2010.

Ruling: False | Details

"The stimulus has not created one private sector job."

Rick Scott, Friday, September 3rd, 2010.

Ruling: Pants on Fire! | Details

"Ninety-four percent of small businesses will face higher taxes under the Democrats' plan."

Randy Neugebauer, Thursday, July 29th, 2010.

Ruling: Pants on Fire! | Details

"Phoenix, Arizona, is the No. 2 kidnapping capital of the world."

John McCain, Sunday, June 27th, 2010.

Ruling: False | Details

"Congressman McCollum voted to dismantle Social Security."

Florida Democratic Party, Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010.

Ruling: Pants on Fire! | Details

"I'm glad for the wording of it (an ethics report on corporate-sponsored Congressional trips) because clearly the wording exonerates me."

Charles Rangel, Friday, February 26th, 2010.

Ruling: Pants on Fire! | Details

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We asked PolitiFact readers to pick what they thought was the most significant lie of the year in 2010, and 3,289 people voted. The decisive winner was the same one PolitiFact editors and reporters selected for the Lie of the Year: the claim that the new health care law is a "government takeover."

Here are the readers' poll results:

1. ObamaCare is a "government takeover" of health care. -- Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio; Rep. C.W. Bill Young, R-Fla.; the Republican Party of Florida; Lt. Gov.-elect Rebecca Kleefisch, R-Wis.; and others: 43.9 percent

2. "The president of the United States will be taking a trip over to India that is expected to cost the taxpayers $200 million a day." -- Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., 19.2 percent

3. "The stimulus has not created one private sector job." -- Gov.-elect Rick Scott, R-Fla., and others: 13.9 percent

4. "Ninety-four percent of small businesses will face higher taxes under the Democrats' plan." -- Rep. Randy Neugebauer, R-Texas, and others: 8.8 percent

5. The ethics report "exonerates me." -- Rep. Charlie Rangel, D-N.Y.,  6.7 percent

6. "Taliban Dan" Webster thinks wives should submit to their husbands. -- Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Fla., 2.6 percent

7. "Phoenix is the No. 2 kidnapping capital of the world." -- Rep. John McCain, R-Ariz., and others: 1.8 percent

8. Other: 1.6 percent

9. Republicans want to dismantle or privatize Social Security. -- Florida Democratic Party and others: 1.5 percent