FactCheck.org summarized the top falsehoods of the year in “Whoppers of 2009.” It’s a month old at this point, but still interesting. The list begins with falsehoods from conservatives, then falsehoods from liberals, and then hits some individual topics. Some falsehoods that made the list:
- Statements about “death panels” by Sarah Palin and others.
- Claims that Obama is proposing a single-payer system like Canada’s, which none of the major bills have advocated (not that it matters at this point).
- That the government would dictate which medical procedures doctors can perform.
- Four different healthcare-related statements by President Obama.
- Fear-mongering about the H1N1 vaccine (which, thankfully, didn’t develop into the health crisis which, initially, it looked like it might).
- Continued nonsense from the birther people, who insist Obama wasn’t born in the USA.
- Various unfounded statements that Obama would restrict gun rights in various ways.
It’s quite an interesting summary, and good to be reminded about what was and wasn’t true amidst all the things we heard in 2009.
