Alexander the Not-So-Great
Last week, Tennessee Senator Lamar Alexander claimed that cap-and-trade will cost consumer $1,761 a year – a little tidbit of info he got from Beck who got it from Drudge who got it from lyin’ right wing blogger who got it from a fuzzy-math fueled right-wing “think tank.”
Politifact took a look at the claim the Senator sent out in a press release and said, “you lie!”
His [Alexander's] statement that households will pay $1,761 in new taxes every year is based on a blogger’s incorrect assumptions and overly simple math. The estimate does not account for revenue that will be returned to consumers in the form of rebates and other efficiency measures. Furthermore, the number is based on old numbers; the Treasury estimate was written on the premise that all permits would be sold, which, ultimately, is not the form that the Waxman-Markey legislation has taken. Finally, both Alexander and McCullagh portray money raised by selling these permits as a tax. We rate Alexander’s claim False.
And while doing so, they also note that Alexander “is relying not on a study by an economist, but on an estimate from a blogger.”
Which makes me wonder, does Senator Alexander have staff that can fact-check his assertions before they are sent out in a press release or is he so caught up in taking his marching orders from radical right-wing cable news hosts and bloggers that he can’t be bothered with silly concepts like “truth?”
I thought that’s what exclamation points were for. Silly me!
No, no… the commas are for emphasis, my friend.
Thanks, Ryan. By the way, you don’t need the commas in your sentences. I would rewrite: “You are already learning! Give yourself a gold star!”
OK, I’ll shut up.
Sorry. I love the written word.
Thank you, Dean… you are learning, already! Gold star for the day, for you!
BWLIB, I wouldn’t lie to you..
http://www.opposingviews.com/articles/opinion-cap-and-trade-will-cost-you-a-suitcase-of-beer
http://hotair.com/archives/2009/04/22/on-second-thought-gop-cap-and-trade-cost-estimates-on-the-money/
It’s a tax.. on everyone..
President Obama said he wouldn’t raise taxes on anyone in the <$250k bracket… HE LIED.. again and again.
Thanks for the tip. By the way, English is always capitalized.
Dean.. you don’t start sentences with conjuctions. Not in english, anyway.
What grammar faux pas did you think I made, Mr. Snark?
“From what I can find, this is a conservative number, compared to what many economists are saying it will cost Americans.”
What economists? Where? Send links please.
Dean, I can’t have a conversation with someone that doesn’t use good grammar. Work on it, please.
From what I can find, this is a conservative number, compared to what many economists are saying it will cost Americans.
You see, this is an expensive tax on the American people, and you are ok with it because you assume it will save the environment.
That is really comical, at best.
Hmm. What part of “incorrect assumptions” did you not understand?
There is no burden of proof, Judge Wapner. This is a chat.
The original point of the thread is that Alexander is using bogus figures to argue his point. But if his figures are bogus, then it only follows that his arguments are bogus.
Dean, neither you or BWLIB proved that the figure was untrue..
You only said that he got it from a right wing blogger.. that is all.
I guess the burden of proof is on you..
Proove to me that it isn’t going to cost the average American almost $2k per year..
And no, President Obama saying it isn’t proof.
If it’s untrue, then why is a smart guy like Sen. Alexander using bogus figures to make that point?
Cap and Trade is the subject.. right?
It will cost the average American money.. every month, if not everyday.
The President said he wouldn’t raise taxes on people that make less than $250k, and that was a lie. This is a tax on EVERYONE.
YOU LIE, PresBO!
And I’m adding that instead of standing up to extremism, he enables it for fear that he’ll be thrown out on his butt.
Anyone care to agree or disagree?
I’m saying that Lamar Alexander used false information that he got from radical right-wing bloggers and talk show hosts to further the agenda of his party at the expense of the people he was elected to serve.
So, you aren’t saying cap-and-trade won’t cost Americans money.. you are just talking about Mr. Alexander?
PS… I don’t like him either.. he’s soft, like a liberal.
Lamar Alexander has often had a chance to be a firm conservative voice who defends his ideals without catering to the extremist elements, but in the final analysis, he always seems unwilling or unable to do this.
I’m saying that Senator Alexander should stick to facts instead of lies when discussing important policy matters.
I’m also saying that Senator Lamar Alexander from Tennessee shouldn’t allow radical right-wing bloggers and talk show hosts to shape his opinion on policy matters.
Mary, are you implying that Cap and Trade will not cost anyone more money?