LIE OF THE WEEK: 11-24-2006

Incoming Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi on the Democrat's "resistance" to corruption:

She pledged that after 12 years in the minority, "we will not be dazzled by money and special interests."

THE TRUTH: She followed this statement with the immediate nomination of Representative John Murtha for the second-in-command position of Majority Leader. Though John Murtha should be lauded for his service in the military and long-term support of the military in Congress, he is a very tainted candidate. He was shown in the early 1980's as being a potential bribe taker, but without enough evidence to generate legal charges against him. Furthermore, he is one of the most abusive members of the House in terms of trading earmarks for personal favors. As a leading figure in the incoming majority Democratic Party, this situation could only get worse. The Democrats are already dazzled by money and special interests so there is sadly little chance of any serious ethics reform in the foreseeable future.

LIE OF THE WEEK: 11-17-2006

President Bush on passing the site where Senator John McCain's plane was shot down in Vietnam:

"..one of the most poignant moments of the drive in was passing the lake where John McCain got pulled out of the lake. And he's a friend of ours; he suffered a lot as a result of his imprisonment, and yet, we passed the place where he was, literally, saved, in one way, by the people pulling him out."

THE TRUTH: Trying to whitewash the Vietnamese regime (which is still the same authoritarian regime for the past 40 years) as being Senator McCain's savior rather than his captor and torturer for five years is the sickest form of pandering as part of the Bush administration's focus building a stronger economic relationship. This is disrespectful to everyone who honorably served their country in the Vietnam War, especially in light of the fact that President Bush avoided real service through his stint in the Air National Guard. This disgusting behavior is proof-positive that we should tie trade to democracy and freedom and stop supporting and enriching the authoritarian regimes of the world just for economic benefits.

LIE OF THE WEEK: 11-10-2006

Maine Senator Olympia Snowe on the "mandate" of the recent elections:

"We misread the election of 2004 as a conservative mandate when 45 percent of the American people describe themselves as moderates," Snowe said. "If we move even further towards hard-core ideology, we'll be in the minority for a long time."

THE TRUTH: Whereas she is right that we should avoid moving toward a "hard-core" ideology, she has either completely misread where the American people stand or she is in denial about the truth. The last 20 years of elections prove a fundamental conservative mandate in the American electorate. The 2004 election was more about fear-mongering on homeland security than anything else. And the most recent election was not about "moderating" or becoming more liberal, it was about repudiating the arrogance of the current administration and the Republican majority in both Houses of Congress. The only thing that the Democrats had going for them was that they weren't Republicans. And the majority of the newly elected Democrats are in fact conservative on most issues. If she thinks that the Republican party should become more liberal in response to the 2006 election, she clearly doesn't understand the people she is being paid to represent.

LIE OF THE WEEK: 11-03-2006

President Bush on Senator Kerry's "botched joke" regarding studying hard and getting stuck in Iraq:

"Anybody who is in a position to serve this country ought to understand the consequences of words"

THE TRUTH: This President is the last person in the world who should be criticizing anyone for using the wrong words when intending to say something else. Though John Kerry should be criticized for many of his positions (and his constant pandering and changing positions as he followed the polls), he has consistently supported the troops in every meaningful way, not to mention that he himself volunteered and served honorably. President Bush (and many senior members of his administration) on the other hand found ways to avoid serving when it was required and has now put troops in harm's way for weeks while waiting for the election to occur until he changes policy. Though it is clearly not true, our president is considered a moron around the world for his lack of ability to articulate anything coherent on most subjects. President Bush should try to have some dignity and avoid this blatant politicizing of a simple mistake as a last gasp to win votes after six years of failed policies in almost every area. It's hard to believe that he stands where he does only five years after our country and the world rallied around him in support after the tragic events of 9/11.