DEMOCRAT DEBATE FACT CHECK
Democrats Gather In Phoenix To Pander, Mislead And Get The Facts Wrong
CLARK ON MILITARY FAMILIES
Clark Claims:
Clark Claims Military Personnel Do Better Under Democrat Administrations. “I think there’s a fundamental difference between Republicans and Democrats on this issue, because it’s simply true, the Republicans do like weapon systems and Democrats like people. And so, I can tell you, and I would speak for anybody up here, when we take this government back in 2005, we’re going to look after pay.”
(Wesley Clark, CNN’s Democrat Candidate Debate, Phoenix, AZ, 10/9/03)
But Fact Is:
President Bush Has Provided Historic Increases In Military Compensation Over Clinton. Under former President Clinton, military pay decreased an average of almost 2% per year relative to Consumer Price Index. Since President Bush took office, military pay increased an average of 5.2% per year relative to Consumer Price Index.
(“Military Pay In Comparison With ECI And CPI,” Department Of Defense;”Defense Spending Highlights,” CQ Almanac, 2000, pp. 2-29 – 2-46)
Kerry Voted Against Military Pay Increases At Least ELEVEN Times.
(S.1087, CQ Vote #397: Passed 62-35: R 48-4; D 14-31; I 0-0, 9/5/95; H.R.2126, CQ Vote #579: Adopted 59-39: R 48-5; D 11-34; I 0-0; H.R.1530, CQ Vote #399: Passed 64-34: R 50-3; D 14-31; I 0-0, 9/6/95; H.R. 1530, CQ Vote #608: Adopted 51-43: R 47-2; D 4-41; I 0-0, 12/19/95; S.1124, CQ Vote #5: Adopted 56-34: R 42-3; D 14-31; I 0-0, 1/26/96; S.1745, CQ Vote #187: Passed 68-31: R 50-2; D 18-29; I 0-0, 7/10/96; H.R.3230, CQ Vote #279: Adopted 73-26: R 50-3; D 23-23; I 0-0, 9/10/96; S.Con.Res.18, CQ Vote #72: Motion agreed to 54-44: R 2-40; D 52-4, 3/24/93; S. Con. Res. 18, CQ Vote #73: Motion Agreed To 55-42: R 2-39; D 53-3, 3/24/93; H.R. 1335, CQ Vote #98: Motion agreed to 51-49: R 0-43; D 51-6, 4/1/93; S.Con.Res.18, CQ Vote #46: Adopted 69-30: R 31-12; D 38-18, 3/23/93)
Lieberman Voted Against Military Pay Increases At Least THREE Times.
(S.Con.Res.18, CQ Vote #72: Motion agreed to 54-44: R 2-40; D 52-4, 3/24/93; H.R. 1335, CQ Vote #98: Motion agreed to 51-49: R 0-43; D 51-6, 4/1/93; S.4, CQ Vote #26: Passed 91-8: R 52-3; D 39-5, 2/24/99)
Gephardt Voted Against Military Pay Increases At Least Once.
(H.R. 1530, CQ Vote #865: Adopted 267-149: R 209-17; D 58-131; I 0-1, 12/15/95)
KERRY ON VETERANS’ HEALTH CARE
Kerry Claims:
Kerry Claims President Not Addressing Veterans’ Health Care. “We have 135,000 veterans waiting six months to see a doctor for the first time just to get their prescription drugs.”
(Sen. John Kerry, CNN’s Democrat Candidate Debate, Phoenix, AZ, 10/9/03)
But Fact Is:
“President’s FY2004 Budget Is The Largest Annual Increase For …
Veterans Affairs Ever Requested …” (“The President’s Budget Briefing Book, FY 2004,” The White House, 2/3/03)
President’s FY 2004 Budget Proposal Fixes Six-Month Waiting Period, Which Exists Due To Rapid Growth Of Low-Priority Veterans. “In this budget, the President proposes to refocus attention on VA’s core medical care mission of providing needed services to veterans with military disabilities, low incomes, and special needs such as spinal cord
injuries by charging other lower-priority veterans in the system an annual enrollment fee and increased drug co-payments. Lower-priority veterans have grown from two percent in 1998 to over 31 percent of VA enrollees in 2002. As a result, 236,000 veterans now must wait six months or longer today for an appointment – a situation that will be
eliminated with this budget.”
(“The President’s Budget Briefing Book, FY 2004,” The White House, 2/3/03)
American Legion National Commander Called President’s 2004 Budget “Substantial Request And A Good Sign From The Administration.” (The American Legion, Press Release, 2/4/03)
FY2004 Budget Proposal Increases Discretionary Funding 7.4% From FY2003. (Department Of Veterans Affairs, Press Release, 2/3/03)
FY2004 Budget Proposal Provides $2 Billion Increase In Veterans’ Health Care Funding.(Department Of Veterans Affairs, Press Release, 2/3/03)
President’s FY2003 Budget Requested $1.2 Billion Over FY2002 Veterans’ Medical Care. (U.S. Senate Republican Policy Committee Website, http://rpc.senate.gov, Accessed 3/4/03)
KERRY ON OVEREXTENDED MILITARY
Kerry Claims:
Kerry Claims “We Have Overextended The Military.”
(Sen. John Kerry, CNN’s Democrat Candidate Debate, Phoenix, AZ, 10/9/03)
But Fact Is:
But Kerry Proposed Massive Defense Cuts Of Billions Of Dollars And Numerous Key Programs Throughout His Career.
(S. 1580, Introduced 2/29/96; S. Con. Res. 13, CQ Vote #181: Rejected 28-71: R 2-51; D 26-20, 5/24/95, Kerry Voted Yea; S.1163, Introduced 6/24/93; S. Con. Res. 18, CQ Vote #73: Motion Agreed To 55-42: R 2-39; D 53-3, 3/24/93, Kerry Voted Yea; S. Con. Res. 106, CQ Vote #73: Motion Agreed To 53-40: R 38-1; D 15-39, 4/9/92, Kerry Voted Nay; H.R. 2707, CQ Vote #182: Motion Rejected 28-69: R 3-39; D 25-30, 9/10/91, Kerry Voted Yea; S. Con. Res. 29, CQ Vote #49: Motion Rejected 22-73: R 1-39; D 21-34, 4/25/91, Kerry Voted Yea)
EDWARDS ON TAX CUTS FOR RICH
Edwards Claims:
Edwards Claims Bush Tax Cuts Hurts Middle Class. “This president is in the business of shifting the tax burden in America from wealth and the wealthy, to work and the middle class, and it’s wrong for two reasons.”
(Sen. John Edwards, CNN’s Democrat Candidate Debate, Phoenix, AZ, 10/9/03)
But Fact Is:
Middle Class Workers Benefit Most. “The percentage of federal income taxes paid by families with incomes of $50,000 or less before the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts was 5.6 percent. The percentage of federal income taxes paid by families with incomes of $50,00 or less after the president’s pro-growth 2001 and 2003 tax cuts is 2.9 percent. The
proportion of the tax burden borne by poor working families in America has been cut in half by the president’s tax cuts. For comparison, the top one percent pays 37 percent of total income taxes and the top 5 percent pays 56 percent – and those proportions have gone up.”
(Robert Grady, Op-Ed, “Would You Buy This Idea?” The Washington Post, 9/28/03)
Tax Burden Not Taken Away From Upper Class. “[F]amilies with income of $100,000 or more receive a smaller than average percentage reduction in income taxes so they will pay a larger share of the total income tax burden under [the Jobs and Growth Act].”
(“Distribution Of The President’s Growth Package,” Office Of Tax Analysis, Department Of The Treasury, 1/7/03)
CLARK ON HIS IRAQ POSITION
Clark Claims:
Clark Claims Iraq Position “Very Clear.” “I think my position on Iraq has been very, very clear from the outset.”
(Wesley Clark, CNN’s Democrat Candidate Debate, Phoenix, AZ, 10/9/03)
But Fact Is:
October 2002: Clark Indicated His Support For Use Of Force Resolution And Said He Would Advise Congressmen To Vote For It. “Retired U.S. Army Gen. Wesley Clark said Wednesday he supports a congressional resolution that would give President Bush authority to use military force against Iraq, although he has reservations about the country’s move toward war. Clark … endorsed Democrat Katrina Swett in the 2nd District race. He said if she were in Congress this week, he would advise her to vote for the resolution, but only after vigorous debate.”
(Stephen Frothingham, “Gen. Clark Supports Swett, Raises Concerns About Iraq Policy,” The Associated Press, 10/9/02)
August 2003: Clark Ducked Question On How He Would Have Voted On Iraq Resolution.
CNN’s BOB NOVAK: “So you would be the same as Senator Kerry and Congressman Gephardt? You vote yes, but then you start dancing when a few — when you have some casualties in Iraq? Is that fair?”
CLARK: “I’m not dancing. I’m not dancing one bit. I’m telling you exactly what was wrong with that resolution. That resolution was a carte blanche to the administration to go to the U.N. and then do what they wanted.”
(CNN’s “Crossfire,” 8/1/03)
One Day After Becoming Candidate, Clark Says He Would Have Voted For Use Of Force Resolution. “‘At the time, I probably would have voted for it [Use of Force Authorization], but I think that’s too simple a question,’ General Clark said. A moment later, he said: ‘I don’t know if I would have or not. I’ve said it both ways because when you get into this, what happens is you have to put yourself in a position – on balance, I probably would have voted for it.'”
(Adam Nagourney, “Clark Says He Would Have Voted For War,” The New York Times, 9/19/03)
Two Days After Becoming Candidate, Clark “Would Never Have Voted For War.” “‘I never would have voted for war,’ Clark … said during an interview with The Des Moines Register. Reports published Friday quoted Clark as saying he probably would have supported the resolution.”
(Thomas Beaumont, “Clark Says He Wouldn’t Have Voted For War,” The Des Moines Register, 9/20/03)
KERRY ON BUSH TAX CUT
Kerry Claims:
Kerry Claimed 10% Tax Bracket Was Democrats’ Idea. “If you get rid of the whole Bush tax cut, you’re getting rid of the Democratic part of the cut that we put in, the 10 percent bracket.”
(Sen. John Kerry, CNN’s Democrat Candidate Debate, Phoenix, AZ, 10/9/03)
But Fact Is:
In January 2000, The Washington Post Noted Candidate Bush’s Tax Cut Proposal Set Lowest Tax Rate At 10%. “For example, the first $43,050 of a married couple’s taxable income is now taxed at 15 percent. Under the Bush plan, the first $12,000 would be taxed at 10 percent and the next $31,050 at 15 percent.”
(Eric Pianin and Albert B. Crenshaw, “GOP Fight Bares Schism On Taxes,” The Washington Post, 1/22/00)
KERRY ON PRESCRIPTION DRUG PLANS
Kerry Claims:
Kerry Claims We Need “President Who Is Determined To Have A Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit …” (Sen. John Kerry, CNN’s Democrat Candidate Debate, Phoenix, AZ, 10/9/03)
But Fact Is:
Kerry Voted Against 2004 Budget That Included $400 Billion For Prescription Drug Benefit And Medicare Modernization. The Fiscal 2004 Budget Resolution included a ten-year, $400 billion Medicare overhaul with prescription drug benefit.
(S.Con.Res.23, CQ Vote #108: Adopted 56-44: R 50-1; D 6-42; I 0-1, 3/26/03, Kerry Voted Nay)
Kerry Opposed Bipartisan Prescription Drug Benefit. “Senator John F. Kerry, a Massachusetts Democrat who was at presidential campaign events in California, missed the vote. ‘He opposed the legislation in the Finance Committee and he had his ‘no’ vote recorded today,’ said Kelley Benander, a spokeswoman for the Kerry campaign.”
(S.1, CQ Vote #262: Passed 76-21: R 40-10; D 35-11; I 1-0, 6/27/03, Kerry Did Not Vote; Wayne Washington, “‘Full-Court Press’ By Bush Plays Part In Medicare Victory,” The Boston Globe, 6/28/03) Kerry Missed All 35 Votes On Prescription Drug Bill Because He Was Campaigning.
GEPHARDT ON CLINTON TAX HIKE
Gephardt Claims:
Gephardt Touts Clinton Economic Program. “We got a great story for the American people and the middle class and all the people of the country. We did this. I led the fight for the Clinton economic program in 1993. It created 22 million new jobs. We didn’t get a Republican vote in the House or the Senate. We passed it by one vote in both houses. And it’s clear, we get this. We know how to do this.”
(Rep. Dick Gephardt, CNN’s Democrat Candidate Debate, Phoenix, AZ, 10/9/03)
But Fact Is:
But In 1998, Gephardt Said Economic Status Quo Was Not Working For Everyone. “The economic status quo is not working for everyone. This isn’t meant as a criticism of anyone. It’s simply a reminder that we have more work to do to make the economy grow for all Americans.”
(Rep. Gephardt, “Taxes: The Time To Reform Is At Hand,” Press Release, 1/20/98)
In 1998 He Also Said Wages Were Stagnant And Struggling Families Needed Relief. “Americans are enjoying increased levels of employment but stagnant wages, it is imperative to give some relief to those struggling to support their families.” (Rep. Gephardt, “Taxes: The Time To Reform Is At Hand,” Press Release, 1/20/98)
In 1995, President Clinton Admitted That He Raised Taxes Too Much. “Probably there are people in this room still mad at me … because you think I raised your taxes too much. It might surprise you to know that I think I raised them too much, too.”
(President Bill Clinton As Quoted In E. J. Dionne Jr., “…And Clinton’s Blunder,” The Washington Post, 10/24/95)
And In 1998, Even Gephardt Said Taxes Were Too High. “Just days ago, millions of tax forms started arriving in mailboxes all across the country. … They see a tax return that takes far too much time and effort to calculate. And to add insult to injury, they see taxes that are simply too high.”
(Rep. Gephardt, “Taxes: The Time To Reform Is At Hand,” Press Release, 1/20/98)
DEAN AND GEPHARDT ON SMALL BUSINESS
They Claim:
Dean Claimed They Would Support Small Business Owners. “The way to help this country’s economy is to invest in small businesses, allow them to have health insurance and help them pay for health insurance, and get them capital.”
(Howard Dean, CNN’s Democrat Candidate Debate, Phoenix, AZ, 10/9/03)
Gephardt Claimed They Would Support Small Business Owners. “A small business like yours is having to pay a lot of tax [sic], and my plan would help you and your employees and the employees of every corporation in the country.”
(Rep. Dick Gephardt, CNN’s Democrat Candidate Debate, Phoenix, AZ,
10/9/03)
But Fact Is:
Both Gephardt And Dean Want To Eliminate All Of Bush Tax Cuts, Which Would Severely Impact Small Business Owners, Who Receive 79% Of Savings Of Cut In Top Tax Rate. “Of the 750,000 tax filers that would benefit from a reduction in the highest marginal tax rate, more than two-thirds (over 500,000 filers) have some small business income from a sole proprietorship, partnership or S corporation. These small business owners would receive 79 percent of the $13.3 billion in tax savings from reducing the top marginal rate to 35 percent in 2003 instead of 2006.”
(“How The Top Individual Income Tax Rate Affects Small Businesses,” Joint Economic Committee, 5/6/03)
