CLAIMS

FACTS

Announcer: “Has Sherrod Brown been fighting for Ohio?  Since Brown’s been in Washington, he’s helped our national debt increase more than $11 trillion dollars by voting for every bailout proposed by Bush and Obama.”

Wars And Bush Tax Cuts Alone Account For Almost Half Of The Budget Deficit in 2019. The Center for Budget and Policy Priorities wrote “By themselves, in fact, the Bush tax cuts and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan will account for almost half of the $20 trillion in debt that, under current policies, the nation will owe by 2019. The stimulus law and financial rescues will account for less than 10 percent of the debt at that time.” [Center for Budget and Policy Priorities; 5/10/11]

Congressional Budget Office: Medicare Prescription Drug Program By Itself Added More to Federal Deficit Than TARP, Stimulus and Health Care Reform Combined.  In October 2010, the New York Times reported “Calculations by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office and other independent fiscal experts show that the $1.1 trillion cost over the next 10 years of the Medicare prescription drug program, which the Republican-controlled Congress adopted in 2003, by itself would add more to the deficit than the combined costs of the bailout, the stimulus and the health care law.” [New York Times, 10/19/10]

• ·         Brown Voted Against Medicare Prescription Drug Program That Will Cost $1.2 Trillion.  In November 2003, Sen. Brown voted against the Medicare Prescription Drug plan that will cost $1.2 trillion.  [House Vote 669, 11/22/03; Washington Post, 2/9/05]
• ·

Sen. Brown Voted Against Iraq War Which CRS Said Would Cost U.S. At Least $806 Billion Through March 2011.  In October 2002, Sen. Brown voted against authorizing the Iraq War, which the Congressional Research Service said would cost the United States at least $806 billion up to March 2011.  [House Vote 455, 10/10/02; Congressional Research Service Report, 3/29/11]

2001: Sen. Brown Voted Against $1.35 Trillion In Tax Cuts That Mostly Went To Wealthiest Americans.  In May 2001, Sen. Brown voted against the $1.35 trillion in tax cuts that mostly went to the wealthiest Americans.   [House Vote 149, 5/26/01]

2003: Sen. Brown Voted Against $350 Billion Tax Cuts Mostly Went To Wealthiest Americans.  In May 2003, Sen. Brown voted against the $350 billion in tax cuts that largely went to the wealthiest Americans.  [House Vote 225, 5/23/03]

• ·         In 2010 55% Of Tax Breaks Went To Top 10% Of Earners. In a June 2011 memorandum, the Economic Policy Institute found “In 2010, the top 1% of earners (i.e., tax filers making over $645,000) received 38% of the breaks in the 2001-08 tax changes; 55% of the tax breaks went to the top 10% of earners (those making over $170,000).”  EPI went on to note that “the top 0.1% of earners (i.e., making over $3 million) received an average tax cut of roughly $520,000, more than 450 times larger than the share received by an average middle-income family.  [Economic Policy Institute Policy Memorandum, 6/1/11]

Announcer:  “He also voted for the failed $831 billion stimulus…

Politifact: Four Independent Analyses Concluded The Stimulus Saved Or Created Between 1.3 Million And 3.6 Million Jobs.  In June 2011 after giving the NRSC a “False” rating for a stimulus attack in Virginia, Politifact wrote “Separately, the council’s report cited four independent analyses by the Congressional Budget Office and three private economic analysis companies. Here’s what the groups found:

• ·        CBO: Between 1.3 million and 3.6 million jobs saved or created.
• ·        IHS/Global Insight: 2.45 million jobs saved or created.
• ·        Macroeconomic Advisers: 2.3 million jobs saved or created.
• ·         Moody’s Economy.com: 2.5 million jobs saved or created.” [Politifact, 6/20/11]
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V&M Star Executives Told Youngstown Vindicator $20 Million In Stimulus Funds “Played A Role In Speeding Their Decision” To Open New A New Pipe Plant.  In a January 2012, The Cleveland Plain-Dealer reported that nearly $20 million in stimulus funds were used to to help V&M relocate a railroad line spur and pay for infrastructure for its new plant.  The Plain Dealer reported that  and that V&M executives told the Youngstown Vindicator that the stimulus “played a role in speeding their decision.”  [Cleveland Plain Dealer, 1/23/12]

Stimulus Funds Were Used To Bring Broadband To More Than 705,000 Households In Appalachia.  In May 2011, The Portsmouth Daily Times reported “U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, cheered Monday’s groundbreaking of a project that will expand access to broadband for 34 counties in Appalachia. The project would deploy more than 1,900 miles of fiber optic network to more than 705,000 households and connect nearly 600 community anchors. The funds were awarded to the Ohio Middle Mile Consortium, which Brown helped to facilitate after he fought to devote $2.5 billion worth of Recovery Act broadband funding for rural broadband projects.”  [Portsmouth Daily Times, 05/26/11]

Announcer: “…and for President Obama’s health care takeover that Ohioans overwhelmingly reject.  Today, more than 400,000 Ohioans are out of work.  Families are struggling and our health care costs are skyrocketing.  Tell Sherrod Brown we need real results, not more spending.”

PolitiFact Called “Government Takeover Of Health Care” 2010’s Lie of the Year.  In December 2010, PolitiFact reported “PolitiFact editors and reporters have chosen ‘government takeover of health care’ as the 2010 Lie of the Year.’”  PolitiFact went on to note “The phrase is simply not true.” [PolitiFact, 12/16/10]

Almost 850,000 Jobs In Ohio Are Supported By The Auto Industry. According to the Center for Automotive Research, there are 848,304 jobs in Ohio supported by the auto industry.  [Center for Automotive Research – Industry Contribution Report, April 2010, pg. 48]

Columbus Dispatch:  “The Automotive Industry Is Sizzling.”  In March 2012, The Columbus Dispatch reported “Private business investment in Ohio has nearly doubled during the past three years. The automotive industry is sizzling, fueled in large part by a massive federal bailout, cost restructuring and demand by consumers to replace their aging cars.”  [Columbus Dispatch, 3/18/12]

1.45 Million Jobs Saved As A Result of the Auto Rescue.  According to the New York Times, “Four years later, there are 1.45 million people who are working as a direct result of the $80 billion bailout, according to the nonpartisan Center for Automotive Research, both at the carmakers and associated businesses downstream in the economy. [New York Times, 2/25/12; Center for Automotive Research]

February 2012: General Motors Posts Highest Profit In Its History.  In February 2012, the Plain Dealer reported “General Motors earned $7.6 billion last year, the best results in its history and a figure that will generate the biggest profit sharing checks its workers have ever received – about $7,000 each.” [Plain Dealer, 2/16/12]