Myths about Obama Debunked

These have all been fact-checked by Robert P. Watson, Ph.D., Lynn University.

Obama is a Muslim: as per a recent Gallup poll released this Friday 18 percent of Republicans and 11 percent overall of Americans believe that President Barack Obama is a Muslim in spite of the fact his is a Christian.

Obama is a socialist: This myth began in 2008 during a campaign stop in Ohio where then Senator Obama was caught on tape telling “Joe the Plumber”, Joe Wurzelbacher, that America needs to “spread the wealth around.” His opponent, Senator John McCain pounced on the opportunity, noting that “sounded a lot like socialism” which has remained a rallying call for conservatives ever since then. Far from “completely socializing the American economy,” Obama has shown, repeatedly, and to the consternation of liberals, that he doesn’t want to socialize any of the economy if he can avoid it. His banking plan bends over backward to buy up toxic assets while avoiding buying up whole banks. He wants to use competition to universalize healthcare. Even when vital industries have nowhere else to turn, the administration really doesn’t want to crowd out private capital.

Obama is a Wall Street pawn: while it is true that Obama bailed out the banks, the in fact did stabilize and most of the TARP money has already been repaid. Additionally, Obama has fought for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau against strong Republican opposition and has actively promoted and campaigned on the Buffett Rule along with backing a 5% surcharge tax on millionaires. In his reelection campaign, Obama has depended less on Wall Street contributors that past Democratic and Republican nominees.

Obama is not an effective public speaker: critics accuse Obama of relying heavily on teleprompters, but the fact is he often speaks off the cuff when making speeches and his agility with handling questions from reporters is well known.

Obama’s stimulus plan was a failure: a key talking point by the GOP and Tea Partiers, however last August, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated that the stimulus package created between 1.4 and 4 million jobs. Even Mark Zandi, one of McCain’s economic advisers in 2008, has called the stimulus “a significant benefit to the economy’s performance.”

Obama is a weak leader: another GOP myth, yet Obama’s commitment to the Affordable Care Act, his position on the auto industry bailout and his unprecedented attack on Osama bin Laden’s compound behind foreign borders with no prior consultation beg to differ. His positions on gay marriage, gays in the military, women’s reproductive healthcare services and immigration offer further proof of his strength of leadership. It has been said by senior officials who have worked for both Obama and Clinton that in a crisis Clinton was more creative, but Obama is more decisive and bold.

Obama was not born in the United States: do I really have to comment on this one?

Obama has raised taxes on everyone: President Obama has not raised taxes. We have the same tax rates now that we had when Bush implemented the ‘Bush tax cuts’ while he was in office. In fact, one of the first things that Obama did when he took office was further cut the taxes of 95% of the working families in the United States. He has also signed 18 tax-cuts for small businesses.

Obama wants to take people’s 2nd Amendment right to bear arms: Obama has largely ignored the issue since taking office, and when he has spoken about gun control, his rhetoric on the issue has been noticeably conciliatory, with a focus on improving the enforcement of existing laws.

Obama is doing nothing while Iran acquires a nuclear arsenal: oft repeated by conservatives, this position ignores the fact that Obama has built a significant international coalition against Iran to include the imposition of harsh international economic sanctions and has taken containment off the table of options, meaning that either Iran gives up its aspirations to acquire nuclear arms or the United States will unquestionably use preventative military force to destroy those capabilities.

Obama has been on a wild spending spree since taking office: according to the Office of Management and Budget and the CBO, President Obama has been the furthest away from a spending spree than any other President in years

Obama has engaged in a policy of appeasement: ask Osama bin Laden.

Obama can’t win: one word – BULLSHIT !

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