Latest Fact-checks in Deficit Clear Any Rating True Mostly True Half True Mostly False False Pants on Fire Full Flop Half Flip No Flip Any Speaker Any Date Range Last 3 Months Last 6 Months Last 12 Months 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 Any Category Michele Bachmann stated on November 9, 2011 in a Republican presidential debate in Michigan: "By 2015, we will be sending so much interest" to China that "we will be paying for the entire People's Liberation Army." Rob Portman stated on November 1, 2011 in a congressional hearing: "A couple retiring today will pay about $119,000 in lifetime Medicare taxes and receive about $357,000 in lifetime Medicare benefits. ... about 3 bucks in benefits for every dollar in taxes." Paul Valletta stated on October 27, 2011 in testimony at a General Assembly pension hearing: Rhode Island Treasurer Gina Raimondo "raised the mortality rate from 65 to 87" and "used a 1994 annuity chart" to create the pension crisis. Helen Glover stated on October 24, 2011 in an introduction to a radio interview: "The State of Rhode Island has the worst state-funded pension in the country." Randy Forbes stated on October 12, 2011 in a web ad.: "1.53 million jobs are at risk (from potential defense cuts)." Occupy Providence stated on October 19, 2011 in a protest sign: "Minimum wage = $16,000/year CEO-Goldman Sachs (Lloyd Blankfein) $16,000/Hour." George Nee stated on October 19, 2011 in a pension forum: "This is the first time in our state, and one of the first times in the country, where benefit reductions . . . has happened to people who are retired." Paul Ryan stated on October 9, 2011 in a television interview: Even a 100 percent tax on millionaires would only fund four months of government operations, failing to seriously address budget deficits and debt. Chris Christie stated on September 27, 2011 in a speech at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library: Says his administration balanced "two budgets with over $13 billion in deficits without raising taxes." Chris Christie stated on September 27, 2011 in a speech at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library: Says President Barack Obama failed "to stand up for the bipartisan debt solutions of the Simpson-Bowles Commission." John Boehner stated on September 19, 2011 in a television interview: "We have 10,000 baby boomers retiring every day." Keep Conservatives United stated on September 1, 2011 in an online video ad.: Says Rick Perry is "spending more money than the state takes in, covering his deficits with record borrowing." National Republican Senatorial Committee stated on September 19, 2011 in a news release: Says U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin is backing President Barack Obama’s plan to pass a $1.5 trillion tax increase. Bob Goodlatte stated on September 3, 2011 in a speech.: Thomas Jefferson expressed "strong support" for a balanced budget amendment in 1798. Tom Graves stated on September 1, 2011 in an article: "Two days of interest we pay to China is enough to buy one joint strike fighter [jet]." Jon Runyan stated on September 3, 2011 in a mailer posted on bluejersey.com: The deal to raise the nation’s debt ceiling will "directly link a debt ceiling increase to spending cuts for the first time ever." National Republican Senatorial Committee stated on August 23, 2011 in a news release: Sherrod Brown "has stood side by side" with President Barack Obama, presiding "over the most rapid increase in the debt over the last 2.5 years" and hurtling toward " the worst jobs record in the modern era." Richard Tomlins stated on August 22, 2011 in a recorded telephone message to Cranston residents: "Mayor Fung wants to punish our children's education by removing 12 million dollars from current funding to pay for his private charter school. Your taxes would increase by between 6 and 8 percent per year." Eric Cantor stated on August 29, 2011 in a TV interview.: On disaster aid offsets Rick Perry stated on August 13, 2011 in a campaign video on his website: Says the national debt and President Barack Obama's "refusal to control spending led to our nation's credit rating being downgraded for the first time in history." Bobby Scott stated on August 1, 2011 in a news release.: "The estimated savings of this (debt ceiling) deal only pay for half of the cost of extending all of the Bush-era tax cuts for another decade." Rob Portman stated on August 10, 2011 in a news release: U.S. debt is "now equal to 100 percent of the GDP." Michele Bachmann stated on August 11, 2011 in a debate in Ames, Iowa: When Standard & Poor's "dropped our credit rating, what they said is, we don't have an ability to repay our debt. ... I was proved right in my position" that the debt ceiling should not have been raised. Ron Paul stated on August 11, 2011 in in a debate in Ames, Iowa: "The country's bankrupt." Adam Hasner stated on August 8, 2011 in a news release: "George LeMieux voted against the majority of Republicans and joined with Democrats to create a 'Task Force For Responsible Fiscal Action' that looks strikingly similar to the 'Super Committee' now being set up in Washington to justify massive tax hikes." Jim DeMint stated on August 3, 2011 in an interview with "The State" newspaper: The debt-ceiling bill "doesn’t cut the debt. It will add about $7 trillion in new debt over the next 10 years." Tom Coburn stated on July 24, 2011 in an interview on NBC's "Meet the Press": "The government's twice the size it was 10 years ago. It's 30 percent bigger than it was when (Barack) Obama became president." Randy Forbes stated on July 25, 2011 in an opinion column. : "As a percentage of our gross domestic product, the defense budget remains just 3.6 percent. This figure is low by all historical standards." Jennifer Granholm stated on July 31, 2011 in an interview on NBC's "Meet the Press": "I cut more as a percentage out of government than any state in the country this past decade. And where is Michigan in terms of its economic growth? Cutting did not result in economic growth." Barack Obama stated on July 31, 2011 in remarks from the White House: The debt ceiling deal will result in "the lowest level of annual domestic spending since Dwight Eisenhower was president."
Clear Any Rating True Mostly True Half True Mostly False False Pants on Fire Full Flop Half Flip No Flip Any Speaker Any Date Range Last 3 Months Last 6 Months Last 12 Months 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 Any Category
Michele Bachmann stated on November 9, 2011 in a Republican presidential debate in Michigan: "By 2015, we will be sending so much interest" to China that "we will be paying for the entire People's Liberation Army." Rob Portman stated on November 1, 2011 in a congressional hearing: "A couple retiring today will pay about $119,000 in lifetime Medicare taxes and receive about $357,000 in lifetime Medicare benefits. ... about 3 bucks in benefits for every dollar in taxes." Paul Valletta stated on October 27, 2011 in testimony at a General Assembly pension hearing: Rhode Island Treasurer Gina Raimondo "raised the mortality rate from 65 to 87" and "used a 1994 annuity chart" to create the pension crisis. Helen Glover stated on October 24, 2011 in an introduction to a radio interview: "The State of Rhode Island has the worst state-funded pension in the country." Randy Forbes stated on October 12, 2011 in a web ad.: "1.53 million jobs are at risk (from potential defense cuts)." Occupy Providence stated on October 19, 2011 in a protest sign: "Minimum wage = $16,000/year CEO-Goldman Sachs (Lloyd Blankfein) $16,000/Hour." George Nee stated on October 19, 2011 in a pension forum: "This is the first time in our state, and one of the first times in the country, where benefit reductions . . . has happened to people who are retired." Paul Ryan stated on October 9, 2011 in a television interview: Even a 100 percent tax on millionaires would only fund four months of government operations, failing to seriously address budget deficits and debt. Chris Christie stated on September 27, 2011 in a speech at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library: Says his administration balanced "two budgets with over $13 billion in deficits without raising taxes." Chris Christie stated on September 27, 2011 in a speech at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library: Says President Barack Obama failed "to stand up for the bipartisan debt solutions of the Simpson-Bowles Commission." John Boehner stated on September 19, 2011 in a television interview: "We have 10,000 baby boomers retiring every day." Keep Conservatives United stated on September 1, 2011 in an online video ad.: Says Rick Perry is "spending more money than the state takes in, covering his deficits with record borrowing." National Republican Senatorial Committee stated on September 19, 2011 in a news release: Says U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin is backing President Barack Obama’s plan to pass a $1.5 trillion tax increase. Bob Goodlatte stated on September 3, 2011 in a speech.: Thomas Jefferson expressed "strong support" for a balanced budget amendment in 1798. Tom Graves stated on September 1, 2011 in an article: "Two days of interest we pay to China is enough to buy one joint strike fighter [jet]." Jon Runyan stated on September 3, 2011 in a mailer posted on bluejersey.com: The deal to raise the nation’s debt ceiling will "directly link a debt ceiling increase to spending cuts for the first time ever." National Republican Senatorial Committee stated on August 23, 2011 in a news release: Sherrod Brown "has stood side by side" with President Barack Obama, presiding "over the most rapid increase in the debt over the last 2.5 years" and hurtling toward " the worst jobs record in the modern era." Richard Tomlins stated on August 22, 2011 in a recorded telephone message to Cranston residents: "Mayor Fung wants to punish our children's education by removing 12 million dollars from current funding to pay for his private charter school. Your taxes would increase by between 6 and 8 percent per year." Eric Cantor stated on August 29, 2011 in a TV interview.: On disaster aid offsets Rick Perry stated on August 13, 2011 in a campaign video on his website: Says the national debt and President Barack Obama's "refusal to control spending led to our nation's credit rating being downgraded for the first time in history." Bobby Scott stated on August 1, 2011 in a news release.: "The estimated savings of this (debt ceiling) deal only pay for half of the cost of extending all of the Bush-era tax cuts for another decade." Rob Portman stated on August 10, 2011 in a news release: U.S. debt is "now equal to 100 percent of the GDP." Michele Bachmann stated on August 11, 2011 in a debate in Ames, Iowa: When Standard & Poor's "dropped our credit rating, what they said is, we don't have an ability to repay our debt. ... I was proved right in my position" that the debt ceiling should not have been raised. Ron Paul stated on August 11, 2011 in in a debate in Ames, Iowa: "The country's bankrupt." Adam Hasner stated on August 8, 2011 in a news release: "George LeMieux voted against the majority of Republicans and joined with Democrats to create a 'Task Force For Responsible Fiscal Action' that looks strikingly similar to the 'Super Committee' now being set up in Washington to justify massive tax hikes." Jim DeMint stated on August 3, 2011 in an interview with "The State" newspaper: The debt-ceiling bill "doesn’t cut the debt. It will add about $7 trillion in new debt over the next 10 years." Tom Coburn stated on July 24, 2011 in an interview on NBC's "Meet the Press": "The government's twice the size it was 10 years ago. It's 30 percent bigger than it was when (Barack) Obama became president." Randy Forbes stated on July 25, 2011 in an opinion column. : "As a percentage of our gross domestic product, the defense budget remains just 3.6 percent. This figure is low by all historical standards." Jennifer Granholm stated on July 31, 2011 in an interview on NBC's "Meet the Press": "I cut more as a percentage out of government than any state in the country this past decade. And where is Michigan in terms of its economic growth? Cutting did not result in economic growth." Barack Obama stated on July 31, 2011 in remarks from the White House: The debt ceiling deal will result in "the lowest level of annual domestic spending since Dwight Eisenhower was president."
Michele Bachmann stated on November 9, 2011 in a Republican presidential debate in Michigan: "By 2015, we will be sending so much interest" to China that "we will be paying for the entire People's Liberation Army."
Rob Portman stated on November 1, 2011 in a congressional hearing: "A couple retiring today will pay about $119,000 in lifetime Medicare taxes and receive about $357,000 in lifetime Medicare benefits. ... about 3 bucks in benefits for every dollar in taxes."
Paul Valletta stated on October 27, 2011 in testimony at a General Assembly pension hearing: Rhode Island Treasurer Gina Raimondo "raised the mortality rate from 65 to 87" and "used a 1994 annuity chart" to create the pension crisis.
Helen Glover stated on October 24, 2011 in an introduction to a radio interview: "The State of Rhode Island has the worst state-funded pension in the country."
Randy Forbes stated on October 12, 2011 in a web ad.: "1.53 million jobs are at risk (from potential defense cuts)."
Occupy Providence stated on October 19, 2011 in a protest sign: "Minimum wage = $16,000/year CEO-Goldman Sachs (Lloyd Blankfein) $16,000/Hour."
George Nee stated on October 19, 2011 in a pension forum: "This is the first time in our state, and one of the first times in the country, where benefit reductions . . . has happened to people who are retired."
Paul Ryan stated on October 9, 2011 in a television interview: Even a 100 percent tax on millionaires would only fund four months of government operations, failing to seriously address budget deficits and debt.
Chris Christie stated on September 27, 2011 in a speech at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library: Says his administration balanced "two budgets with over $13 billion in deficits without raising taxes."
Chris Christie stated on September 27, 2011 in a speech at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library: Says President Barack Obama failed "to stand up for the bipartisan debt solutions of the Simpson-Bowles Commission."
John Boehner stated on September 19, 2011 in a television interview: "We have 10,000 baby boomers retiring every day."
Keep Conservatives United stated on September 1, 2011 in an online video ad.: Says Rick Perry is "spending more money than the state takes in, covering his deficits with record borrowing."
National Republican Senatorial Committee stated on September 19, 2011 in a news release: Says U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin is backing President Barack Obama’s plan to pass a $1.5 trillion tax increase.
Bob Goodlatte stated on September 3, 2011 in a speech.: Thomas Jefferson expressed "strong support" for a balanced budget amendment in 1798.
Tom Graves stated on September 1, 2011 in an article: "Two days of interest we pay to China is enough to buy one joint strike fighter [jet]."
Jon Runyan stated on September 3, 2011 in a mailer posted on bluejersey.com: The deal to raise the nation’s debt ceiling will "directly link a debt ceiling increase to spending cuts for the first time ever."
National Republican Senatorial Committee stated on August 23, 2011 in a news release: Sherrod Brown "has stood side by side" with President Barack Obama, presiding "over the most rapid increase in the debt over the last 2.5 years" and hurtling toward " the worst jobs record in the modern era."
Richard Tomlins stated on August 22, 2011 in a recorded telephone message to Cranston residents: "Mayor Fung wants to punish our children's education by removing 12 million dollars from current funding to pay for his private charter school. Your taxes would increase by between 6 and 8 percent per year."
Rick Perry stated on August 13, 2011 in a campaign video on his website: Says the national debt and President Barack Obama's "refusal to control spending led to our nation's credit rating being downgraded for the first time in history."
Bobby Scott stated on August 1, 2011 in a news release.: "The estimated savings of this (debt ceiling) deal only pay for half of the cost of extending all of the Bush-era tax cuts for another decade."
Rob Portman stated on August 10, 2011 in a news release: U.S. debt is "now equal to 100 percent of the GDP."
Michele Bachmann stated on August 11, 2011 in a debate in Ames, Iowa: When Standard & Poor's "dropped our credit rating, what they said is, we don't have an ability to repay our debt. ... I was proved right in my position" that the debt ceiling should not have been raised.
Adam Hasner stated on August 8, 2011 in a news release: "George LeMieux voted against the majority of Republicans and joined with Democrats to create a 'Task Force For Responsible Fiscal Action' that looks strikingly similar to the 'Super Committee' now being set up in Washington to justify massive tax hikes."
Jim DeMint stated on August 3, 2011 in an interview with "The State" newspaper: The debt-ceiling bill "doesn’t cut the debt. It will add about $7 trillion in new debt over the next 10 years."
Tom Coburn stated on July 24, 2011 in an interview on NBC's "Meet the Press": "The government's twice the size it was 10 years ago. It's 30 percent bigger than it was when (Barack) Obama became president."
Randy Forbes stated on July 25, 2011 in an opinion column. : "As a percentage of our gross domestic product, the defense budget remains just 3.6 percent. This figure is low by all historical standards."
Jennifer Granholm stated on July 31, 2011 in an interview on NBC's "Meet the Press": "I cut more as a percentage out of government than any state in the country this past decade. And where is Michigan in terms of its economic growth? Cutting did not result in economic growth."
Barack Obama stated on July 31, 2011 in remarks from the White House: The debt ceiling deal will result in "the lowest level of annual domestic spending since Dwight Eisenhower was president."
