UPDATE: ConsumerReports.org

Click here for a mobile version. If you are having trouble viewing images, Click here. As requested Fred, here's the latest news from ConsumerReports.org. It's February. See how switching to a "triple play" telecom, internet and cable package can save you some serious cash. Find out if infomercial products live up to their advertising promises. Discover how you can get rebates when you trade in your old appliances. Learn which chip/veggie dips were top-rated for nutrition. Check out our Super Bowl 2010 Guide to help you best experience the big game. See which microwaveable diet meals rated best. This month, we'll feature these reports and much more! Save a bundle With everyone continuing their cost-saving measures, now's a good time to consider "triple play" packages for telephone, internet and cable services. Click here to see our expert advice how you can bundle to save a bundle. As seen on TV Veggies that live longer in the fridge…soft, smooth feet with no mess…firmer, flatter abs in just weeks. Do infomercial products really deliver on their promises? Click here to see how 15 infomercial products fared in our tests. Cash for clunkers for appliances Use our interactive map to track rebates in your state as part of the $300 million cash for clunkers for appliances rebate program. Our free buyer's guides can help you find the best appliance buys, and our Energy Saving & Green Living guide covers other products and projects that cut energy bills. Dip, dip hooray Watching the Super Bowl isn't just about touchdowns and field goals…it's also about the food!!! In an effort to find healthy choices, we tested 10 dips for nutritional value…including creamy dips, hummus, salsa and guacamole. Click here to find out which ones Rated best for your health! Super sets Want to throw the best Super Bowl party ever? Then check out our Super Bowl Guide 2010. We've got advice and Ratings on everything from the best TVs, fine-tuning tips for your HDTV, recipes for the grill, tasty low-fat snacks, slow cooker Ratings and much more. Click here before kickoff. Mini-meals Prepackaged diet meals seem waist-line friendly, but not all are created equal. Click here to see what our experts had to say about 24 brand-name, microwaveable, diet meals. This e-mail was sent to you by ConsumerReports.org. To ensure our e-mails are delivered directly to your inbox, please add newsletters@email.consumerreports.org to your address book! If you would like to share this e-mail with a friend, please click here. Please note: This e-mail was sent from an automated address that cannot reply to incoming e-mail, including customer service inquiries. For faster service, simply choose the appropriate help topic. . Copyright © 2001-2010 Consumers Union of U.S., Inc., 101 Truman Avenue, Yonkers, NY 10703

ABC7 eNews

>>> Having trouble viewing this newsletter? View as a webpage. Top Stories Thursday, January 28, 2010 Fire destroys several small businesses | VIDEO Several business owners are already vowing to rebuild after a fire destroyed a large building that was central to the Bronzeville community's redevelopment. 2 injured Haitians arrive in Chicago | VIDEO Two people seriously injured in the earthquake in Haiti arrived in Chicago for medical treatment Thursday. Woman attacked by 3 on NW Side Chicago police are looking for three men who attacked a woman walking from a Brown Line CTA station. Middle schoolers face 'sexting' charges A 12-year-old boy and 13-year-old girl in northwest Indiana face serious criminal charges after allegedly using their cell phones to exchange nude pictures. Attendance strong at museums, zoos Chicago-area museums and zoos are reporting strong attendance in 2009, despite a tough economy. MORE STORIES Strange News Burning bagel empties Portland City Hall Nat'l investigation into stolen cigarette semis launched No fans allowed at SC high school basketball games FBI: Pa. bank heist suspect 'sick of being poor' Judge: Dance parties a no-no at Jefferson Memorial Consumer Toyota extends recall to Europe, China after US | VIDEO Apple unveils $499 tablet, $629 with AT&T data | VIDEO Strollers recalled due to fingertip amputation risk GM offers incentives to Toyota owners eBay cuts auction listing fees for some sellers Healthbeat Get Healthy in 2010 | VIDEO Running barefoot makes your soles well-heeled Findings could alter treatment for Type 2 diabetes MOST POPULAR Savio's doctor testifies at Drew Peterson hearing Woman attacked by 3 on NW Side Fire destroys several small businesses Speeding motorcyclist sentenced to 18 months City's July 3rd fireworks canceled All Most Popular Advertisement TODAY'S WEATHER OUTLOOK 14°F 7°F Breezy with sunshine and some clouds Hour-by-Hour | 7 Day Forecast | Radar & Satellite TONIGHT ON ABC 7:00 PM The Deep End 8:00 PM Grey's Anatomy 9:01 PM Private Practice 10:00 PM ABC 7 News 10:35 PM Nightline Lottery Results Your Daily Horoscope Obama: 'I've never been more hopeful' President Barack Obama's first State of the Union address focused on health care, jobs and returning the country to prosperity. RAW VIDEO: State of the Union Address RAW VIDEO: Republican Response Embattled Obama declares in speech, 'I don't quit' I-Team Report: Brigade 313 Brigade 313 is the name of an al Qaeda division operated by Chicago's most-wanted terror suspect. 'Case of the forgotten suitcase' in terror probe 2nd Chicago terror suspect knew of Mumbai attack Terror suspect's attorney knows how to make a deal Surviving Mumbai gunman: I met terror suspect Secret agent man? Terror suspect and the CIA SUBSCRIPTION OPTIONS I'd like to receive the following newsletters from abc7chicago.com Sign up for news alerts Daily Weather | Daily News | 190 North SUBSCRIPTION OPTIONS Sign up for news alerts

Politics, Political News - POLITICO.com

Politics, Political News - POLITICO.com


The Senate has voted 70-30 to confirm Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke to a second term.

Crain's Daily News prepared for Top Executives

Viewing on a PDA? Click here.   To view this email in a web browser click here. CHICAGOBUSINESS — POWERED BY CRAIN'S — Daily Business Briefing CRAIN'S LISTS SEND LETTERS TO THE EDITOR MULTIMEDIA COMMERCIAL PROPERTY SEARCH TOP HEADLINES Thursday, January 28, 2010 · Video: The next generation of Melmans · Toyota halt hits Tinley Park parts supplier UGN · McDonald's teams up with LeBron James · Macy's cutting 1,500 jobs: report · New Catholic school building slated for South Loop · Wintrust, Taylor Capital Q4 earnings offer mixed report · Motorola shares plunge on loss forecast · Baxter earnings match Street, but stock slips on outlook · Brunswick's boat inventory sinks 4Q results · In brief: @Properties hires | Equity Residential | Bucktown · 10 things to do this weekend  CRAIN'S BLOGS · State rep race shows Chicago politics in all its glory; biz group aims to limit Ill. pensions; Giannoulias leads new poll: Greg Hinz · Protect your small biz from 'inside' data theft: Enterprise City · Cubs make right choice with Mesa; like it or not, Tebow ad has a place during Super Bowl: Biz of Sports · The latest job changes and appointments: People on the Move  Final Markets Dow Jones 10,120.46 -115.70 -1.13% NASDAQ 2,179.00 -42.41 -1.91% Crain's Index 85.14 -1.030 -1.195% » View Other Top Headlines ADVERTISEMENT FDIC has employment opportunities in various locations for candidates with strong banking or financial analysis skills. For more information, contact the FDIC Call Center at 1-877-ASK-FDIC. FDIC is an equal opportunity employer. OTHER HEADLINES · Mayor Daley appoints new School Board president Chicago Sun-Times · In latest blow, Toyota extends recall to China and Europe New York Times · Bernanke's confirmation clears key Senate hurdle CNN/Money Crain's Chicago Business | 360 N. Michigan Ave. | Chicago, IL 60601 ADVERTISEMENT TODAY'S FEATURES Chicago Business Today — Jan. 28 The sons of restaurateur Richard Melman will be ready to take the crown when he retires from Lettuce Entertain You. Read More · INTERACTIVE GRAPHIC: Chicago jobs 2010 · Crain's Small Business report on WBBM · Enterprise City — a small-business blog SIGN UP FOR CUSTOM ALERTS Industries Companies   LISTEN LIVE: Traffic, weather and news from our news partner WBBM-AM.

Congressional Leaders Take on Recidivism and Corrections Spending

Contacts Martha Plotkin, CSG Justice Center, mplotkin@csg.org, 240.482.8579 Jennifer Laudano, Pew Center on the States, jlaudano@pewtrusts.org, 202.540.6321 For Immediate Release January 28, 2010 Congressional Leaders Take on Recidivism and Corrections Spending First National Summit on "Justice Reinvestment" Held on Capitol Hill Washington, DC—A bipartisan group of congressional and state leaders and experts on criminal justice policy came together yesterday to examine how states are changing their crime and corrections policies through "justice reinvestment"—an approach that uses data-driven, fiscally responsible policies and practices to increase public safety and reduce recidivism and corrections spending.   In the past 20 years, spending on corrections has grown at a faster rate than every other state budget category except Medicaid, increasing from more than $12 billion in 1988 to more than $50 billion in 2008. The Pew Center on the States reports that more than 1 in 100 American adults are now behind bars.   Despite this tremendous expenditure on prisons, recidivism rates remain high. In many states, half of all individuals released from state prison are reincarcerated within three years. "It's no secret that recidivism is costly and is overwhelming our prison system," said Congressman Alan B. Mollohan, chairman of the appropriations subcommittee that funds the Bureau of Prisons. "In a series of hearings our subcommittee held last year on prisoner reentry, we heard from a wide range of professionals who delivered a common message—that recidivism reduction is a challenge that we can meet and must meet." "The federal government must look to innovative state, local and faith-based programs to reform our broken corrections system. As the former chairman and current ranking member of the House Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations Subcommittee, which funds the Justice Department, I am deeply concerned about the recidivism crisis that is straining our corrections system at all levels. This summit will, for the first time, bring together the best leaders and programs in corrections reform," said Congressman Frank Wolf (R-VA). Congressmen Mollohan (D-WV) and Wolf (R-VA) were joined at the summit by their colleagues Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), in addition to leaders from the U.S. Department of Justice and experts in state government, law enforcement, courts, corrections and community reentry. The summit was convened by the Pew Center on the States, the U.S. Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Assistance, the Public Welfare Foundation, and the Council of State Governments Justice Center. Several states' experiences with justice reinvestment were highlighted at today's summit. In Texas, for example, the state's prison population in 2007 was projected to grow by more than 14,000 people in the following five years. Lawmakers, relying on justice reinvestment analyses, enacted policies to avert the anticipated growth and saved $443 million—of which more than $200 million was redirected to strengthen probation and parole and expand treatment services. Since these policy changes, the prison population has stopped growing, allowing the state to cancel plans to build more prisons. These developments occurred while crime rates in nearly every major Texas urban area have declined and the overall state crime rate has fallen at about the same rate as the national average.   The justice reinvestment approach has gained broad bipartisan support and unprecedented attention on Capitol Hill. In November 2009, Senators Whitehouse, John Cornyn (R-TX) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT), together with Representatives Schiff and Dan Lungren (R-CA), introduced The Criminal Justice Reinvestment Act of 2009 (S.2772/HR.4080), authorizing the U.S. Attorney General to make grants to state and local governments and tribes to help jurisdictions (1) analyze criminal justice trends to understand what is driving the growth in their local jail and prison populations, (2) develop tailored policy options to reduce corrections expenditures and increase the effectiveness of current spending and reinvestment that can make communities safer, (3) implement the proposed policies and programs, and (4) measure the impact of these changes and develop accountability measures. The legislation reflects the strong bipartisan support for expanding justice reinvestment beyond the work currently being conducted in several states. The Justice Center, in partnership with the Public Safety Performance Project of the Pew Center on the States, has led initiatives in 10 states, with additional support from a range of public/private partners that include the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the Open Society Institute and the states receiving intensive technical assistance. The Public Welfare Foundation, the Joyce Foundation, state-based foundations and states themselves have contributed to this effort as well. More information on the Justice Reinvestment Summit is available at www.justicereinvestment.org. Visit this site in the coming weeks to watch Attorney General Holder's comments, view panel discussions and access other conference materials. The Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center is a national nonprofit organization that serves policymakers at the local, state, and federal levels from all branches of government. It provides practical, nonpartisan advice and consensus-driven strategies—informed by available evidence—to increase public safety and strengthen communities. To learn more about the justice reinvestment approach, see www.justicereinvestment.org. For more about the CSG Justice Center, see www.justicecenter.csg.org. The Pew Center on the States is a division of The Pew Charitable Trusts that identifies and advances effective solutions to critical issues facing states. Pew is a nonprofit organization that applies a rigorous, analytical approach to improve public policy, inform the public and stimulate civic life. For more information, visit www.pewcenteronthestates.org. The Public Welfare Foundation supports efforts to ensure fundamental rights and opportunities for people in need. The Criminal and Juvenile Justice Program seeks out opportunities for systems change to reduce the rate of incarceration and prison population in America while ensuring public safety. To learn more about the Public Welfare Foundation, see www.publicwelfare.org.

Memo to media: Obama's comments on Supreme Court decision in line with four justices' views http://mediamatters.org/items/201001280003 Two posts on National Review Online claimed that President Obama was untruthful when he said that the Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United v. FEC "open[ed] the floodgates for special interests - including foreign corporations - to spend without limit in our elections." In fact, four justices of the Supreme Court agreed that the logic of the decision "would appear to afford the same protection to multinational corporations controlled by foreigners as to individual Americans" to make certain election-related expenditures. NRO: Obama's statements about Citizens United was demagogic, "false" Ponnuru: "[P]resident claimed, falsely, that the Supreme Court had given a green light to foreign corporations to run political ads." In a post  on NRO's The Corner blog, Ponnuru stated: "The most demagogic moment (so far!) came when the president claimed, falsely, that the Supreme Court had given a green light to foreign corporations to run political ads." Bradley Smith on NRO: "President wrong on Citizens United case." From a post  by law professor and former FEC commissioner Bradley A. Smith: Tonight the president engaged in demogoguery of the worst kind, when he claimed that last week's Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. FEC, "open[ed] the floodgates for special interests - including foreign corporations - to spend without limit in our elections. Well I don't think American elections should be bankrolled by America's most powerful interests, or worse, by foreign entities." The president's statement is false. The Court held that 2 U.S.C. Section 441a, which prohibits all corporate political spending, is unconstitutional. Foreign nationals, specifically defined to include foreign corporations, are prohibiting from making "a contribution or donation of money or ather thing of value, or to make an express or implied promise to make a contribution or donation, in connection with a Federal, State or local election" under 2 U.S.C. Section 441e, which was not at issue in the case. Foreign corporations are also prohibited, under 2 U.S.C. 441e, from making any contribution or donation to any committee of any political party, and they prohibited from making any "expenditure, independent expenditure, or disbursement for an electioneering communication... ." This is either blithering ignorance of the law, or demogoguery of the worst kind. Four justices: Logic of decision would appear to protect "multinational corporations controlled by foreigners" Stevens: Logic of decision "would appear to afford the same protection to multinational corporations controlled by foreigners as to individual Americans." From Justice John Paul Stevens opinion concurring in part and dissenting in part in Citizens United v. FEC - an opinion joined by Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, and Sonia Sotomayor (footnotes omitted): If taken seriously, our colleagues' assumption that the identity of a speaker has no relevance to the Government's ability to regulate political speech would lead to some remarkable conclusions. Such an assumption would have accorded the propaganda broadcasts to our troops by "Tokyo Rose" during World War II the same protection as speech by Allied commanders. More pertinently, it would appear to afford the same protection to multinational corporations controlled by foreigners as to individual Americans: To do otherwise, after all, could " 'enhance the relative voice' " of some ( i.e. , humans) over others ( i.e. , nonhumans). Ante , at 33 (quoting Buckley , 424 U. S., at 49). Under the majority's view, I suppose it may be a First Amendment problem that corporations are not permitted to vote, given that voting is, among other things, a form of speech. Stevens: Decision will "cripple" government's ability to prevent "corporate domination of the electoral process." Stevens also wrote: The Court's blinkered and aphoristic approach to the First Amendment may well promote corporate power at the cost of the individual and collective self-expression the Amendment was meant to serve. It will undoubtedly cripple the ability of ordinary citizens, Congress, and the States to adopt even limited measures to protect against corporate domination of the electoral process. Americans may be forgiven if they do not feel the Court has advanced the cause of self-government today. Smith himself reportedly said decision could open door to foreign corporate cash. David Weigel reported in The Washington Independent: Former FEC Chairman Bradley Smith tells me that, indeed, the decision seems to let foreign corporations spend whatever they like, as long as they find a loophole that protect them from the ban on election spending by foreign citizens. "To the extent that there may be some foreign corporations that don't fall under the category of foreign nationals, that might be something Congress can deal with," said Smith. "I think the court would probably uphold the constitutionality of that. I can't say for certain that they would." Other experts say Citizens United decision might lead to campaign money from foreign corporations Several experts argue that decision opens door to campaign money from U.S. subsidiaries of foreign corporations. Politico reported: " 'It is a plausible inference from the court's opinion that [foreign] money can't be restricted,' said Michael Dorf, a Cornell law professor who has backed giving foreigners the right to contribute to U.S. campaigns. 'For me, that's not such a terrible thing.' " Campaign finance reform advocate Fred Wertheimer stated: "Under the Supreme Court decision, foreign countries, such as China (and its Sovereign Wealth Fund, the China Investment Corporation), foreign corporations and foreign individuals are now able to make campaign expenditures to directly support or oppose federal candidates, so long as these expenditures are made through foreign-controlled domestic corporations." A post on the Center for Public Integrity website reported: Some legal observers fear the ruling would open up the floodgates for any corporation operating in the United States, no matter who owns them. J. Gerald Hebert, executive director and director of litigation at the non-partisan Campaign Legal Center, told the Center for Public Integrity that the existing prohibition on foreign involvement does not refer to foreign controlled domestic corporations. "With the corporate campaign expenditure ban now being declared unconstitutional, domestic corporations controlled by foreign governments or other foreign entities are free to spend money to elect or defeat federal candidates," he believes. You can help support our work; become a volunteer media monitor, or donate to Media Matters for America.

The right-wing response to Obama's SOTU address: "jerk," "arrogant," cocky" http://mediamatters.org/items/201001280005 Conservative media figures reacted to President' Obama's 2010 State of the Union address as usual -- with attacks on Obama and fellow Democrats. Media Matters for America has compiled some of their reactions. Attacks on Obama: "jerk," "arrogant," "fake" Hood: "[J]erk" In a January 27 post on National Review Online's The Corner, John Hood wrote: One Way to Put It Is simply this: The president looks like a jerk tonight. Hood: "[G]rating," "flippant and arrogant" In another January 27 post on The Corner, Hood wrote: Ugh. We're only a couple of minutes into the president's address, and the cadence and rhythm of his speaking voice is already grating. They come across as flippant and arrogant. Hasn't anyone ever told him that? NRO's Lopez: "[T]hin skinned" On her Twitter account, NRO's Kathryn Lopez wrote that Obama is "thin skinned": Lopez subsequently wrote that Obama "really thinks this song is about him": Erickson: "[C]ocky and snide" RedState.com's Erick Erickson wrote: "What you did not know at home listening to Barack Obama's speech tonight is that he inserted a few quips that were not in the prepared text. They were cocky and snide." Cavuto: "Gee, I'm so sorry. I was arrogant" Before the address, Fox Business' Neil Cavuto asked: "What do you want to hear out of the president tonight?" Host John Stossel replied: "Well, I'd like him to say, 'Gee, I'm so sorry. I was arrogant. We were arrogant. We thought we could reshape the world to my vision. So we wasted lots of your money." After the address, Stossel reacted by claiming Obama "certainly didn't sound humbled, I agree." Stein: "We'll see Obama with his fake modesty and his fake humility" Discussing his expectations of the State of the Union address on Fox Business, Ben Stein stated: "Well, we'll see a lot of promises, and we'll see Obama with his fake modesty and his fake humility and his fake fighting aggressiveness. But he's just going to be his same politician. So, he's just a politician. I'd love it if he said, 'I'm not the messiah; I'm a politician. I don't know very much. I'm going to take a year off until I learn more. And I'm not going to interfere and screw up people's lives anymore.' " RedState: "Obama the Patronizing Lecturer" RedState contributor Dan Perrin described Obama as "the Patronizing Lecturer," writing: "It was more like a lecture that combined a chest-beating tone that he is doing the tough work of saving the nation and he expects Congress and the nation to follow him." Nordlinger: Obama "looks arrogant," has an "upturned chin" On The Corner, National Review senior editor Jay Nordlinger wrote: "Obama looks arrogant, whether he's arrogant or not. I don't think he can help it: It's the upturned chin. When actors want to preen and so on: They turn that chin upward. Yikes." Marc Thiessen: Obama address "defensive, arrogant" On washingtonpost.com, author and former Bush speechwriter Marc Thiessen wrote: "Instead of acknowledging these concerns [about terrorism], Obama dismissed them. It was strange, defensive, arrogant -- and un-presidential." Personal attacks against Democrats Kennedy From conservative blogger John Hawkins' Twitter account: Pelosi and botox From NewsBusters' managing editor Ken Shepherd's Twitter account: Shepherd subsequently highlighted a Twitter post from someone claiming, "I can't get over how ugly that lady [Pelosi] behind obama is." Pelosi's looks From conservative commentator Jonah Goldberg's Twitter account: On The Corner, Nordlinger wrote: "Could you bounce a quarter off the House speaker's face or what? That thing just might shoot back at you and put your eye out." Adoptions of Joe Wilson's "You lie" NewsBusters' Sheppard From NewsBusters associate editor Noel Sheppard's Twitter account: From Weekly Standard editor Michael Goldfarb's Twitter account: False, dubious attacks Obama "forgot to thank the troops" On her Twitter account, Fox News contributor Andrea Tantaros claimed that "Obama remembered to blame Bush but forgot to thank the troops." However, in his speech, Obama stated: "Tonight, all of our men and women in uniform -- in Iraq, Afghanistan, and around the world -- must know that they have our respect, our gratitude, and our full support. And just as they must have the resources they need in war, we all have a responsibility to support them when they come home." Fox, Wash. Times bloggers in disbelief over Obama's "true" SOTU line that he "cut taxes" In response to Obama's State of the Union assertion that "we cut taxes," live bloggers at foxnews.com and washingtontimes.com reacted with incredulity. However, Obama did cut taxes for most Americans: The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 included $288 billion in tax relief. Lopez on "unpresidential" Obama On The Corner, Lopez wrote: "I actually try to give the president of the United States the benefit of the doubt. But the blaming of the past administration is pathetically unpresidential. And last week suggests it's a pretty dated line of attack." However, in 1982, President Ronald Reagan devoted significant portions of his speech to attacking President Jimmy Carter's administration for "the situation at this time last year." Wallace claims Obama "participant ... in building up" trillion-dollar deficits over last year Previewing Obama's State of the Union address on Fox Broadcasting Co., Chris Wallace asserted that Obama was "a participant in the last year in building up" "multi-trillion-dollar deficits." In fact, the FY 2009 deficit, which totaled $1.4 trillion, was already estimated to be $1.2 trillion when Obama came into office and "virtually the entire deficit over the next ten years" are due either to policies implemented under President Bush or to the recession, which began during Bush's tenure, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. You can help support our work; become a volunteer media monitor, or donate to Media Matters for America.

Media Matters Daily Summary

Here are today's news items from Media Matters for America, click on the title or 'read more' to read the entirety of each story. Media ignore Obama's accomplishments to claim he has "little to show for '09" In the weeks approaching President Obama's first State of the Union address, some in the media have claimed that Obama has lacked accomplishments in his first year as president and thus, in the words of Washington Times editor emeritus Wesley Pruden, Obama has "little to show for '09." In fact, Obama's first year in office has been marked by a series of significant achievements, including creating jobs as a result of the economic stimulus, eliminating wasteful spending, increasing government transparency, and expanding federal health insurance programs to cover millions more children. Read More Carlson says Obama's business tax cut talk is "surprising" and "Republin-esque" [sic]--but he's already done it Discussing President Obama's forthcoming State of the Union address, Fox & Friends co-host Gretchen Carlson said it's "surprising" and "Republin-esque" [sic] that Obama is reportedly planning to talk about tax cuts for small businesses. But the stimulus bill that Obama signed last year included tax cuts and incentives for small businesses, as did his proposed fiscal year 2010 budget, and he recently proposed another round of tax incentives for businesses to hire employees. Read More Blaming Obama for current "fiscal reality," WSJ falsely suggests health care bill will increase deficit Ignoring Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates showing health care reform will reduce deficits, a Wall Street Journal editorial asserted that President Obama should "[d]rop the health-care bill" if Democrats "really are serious" about fiscal responsibility. The editorial further attributed all of the fiscal year 2009 spending to Obama, but the increases in spending and the deficit also reflect the impact of policies enacted under former President Bush. Read More WSJ falsely claims Romer's research showed "superiority" of tax cuts over spending for stimulus A Wall Street Journal editorial claimed that "current White House chief economist Christina Romer has done economic research showing the superiority of tax cutting over spending as fiscal stimulus," presumably referring to a March 2007 paper by Christina and David Romer, who found that "tax changes have very large effects on output." However, contrary to the Journal's claim, the Romers' paper did not compare the impact of tax changes on output to the impact of spending. Read More Quick Fact: Fox & Friends promotes GOP attack over job losses since stimulus, ignoring estimates that it saved jobs The hosts of Fox & Friends and Fox Business' Dave Ramsey aired a graphic sourced to House Republicans that highlighted "Job Losses Since The 'Stimulus'" to support the claim that the stimulus "didn't work." But economic analysts have estimated that employment has increased by as many as 2 million jobs relative to where the economy would be without the stimulus. Read More Fox & Friends shocked over Democrats' "secret" plan to pass health care -- but they've been reporting it for a week On Fox & Friends, hosts Steve Doocy, Gretchen Carlson, and Brian Kilmeade seized on Dick Morris' claim that Democrats have a "secret" plan to pass health care, in which the House would pass the Senate bill as it is, and the Senate would pass an amended bill through reconciliation. But the fact that Democrats are considering this approach is not "secret"; Fox & Friends itself has reported it for a week, and it has been widely reported in other media. Read More Myths and falsehoods about the deficit In recent months, media figures have advanced a litany of false and dubious claims regarding deficits and public debt. In addition to promoting the false narrative that portrays Republicans as responsible budget stewards and Democrats as fiscally reckless, these claims advance the argument that the administration should cut spending and focus on balancing the budget in the short term, a position rejected by numerous economists who advocate for continued stimulus spending. Read More REPORT: After obsessive coverage of O'Keefe's video, Fox largely ignored his arrest Fox News' January 26 evening programming largely ignored conservative activist James O'Keefe's arrest for his alleged role in a plot to attempt to tamper with the telephone system at Sen. Mary Landrieu's (D-LA) New Orleans office, dedicating 4 minutes and 34 seconds to the story, with Fox News' three top-rated programs for 2009 not mentioning O'Keefe's arrest. By contrast, Fox News devoted more than one hour on the evening of September 10, 2009, to discussing video footage of O'Keefe and conservative activist Hannah Giles, who was posing as a prostitute while asking for assistance from employees at an ACORN office. Read More Fox & Friends priorities: Half-court basket over O'Keefe arrest Although it repeatedly promoted the undercover ACORN videos made by conservative filmmaker James O'Keefe, on January 27, Fox & Friends devoted just one brief segment to his recent arrest. By contrast, Fox & Friends repeatedly discussed a blindfolded half-court basketball shot, including a live interview with the coach who made the shot. Read More Big Falsehoods: A guide to Andrew Breitbart's lies, smears, and distortions Andrew Breitbart's "Big" websites -- Big Hollywood, Big Government, and Big Journalism -- as well as his breitbart.tv website, have in recent months laid claim to many "exclusives," touting controversial and sensationalist storylines that have been picked up by other conservative media outlets, from Fox News on down. However, a closer examination reveals that many of Breitbart's "scoops" have been based on speculation, gross distortions, and outright falsehoods. Read More Right-wing media forward conspiracy theory that NASA, NOAA manipulate climate data Investor's Business Daily and American Thinker are forwarding claims made by meteorologist Joseph D'Aleo and computer programmer Michael Smith that the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have "cherry-picked" the locations of weather observation stations in order to bias their temperature records in favor of warmer temperatures and thus produce data that supports the existence of global climate change. But climate experts have stated that Smith and D'Aleo's claims are flawed and based on an inaccurate understanding of how global temperature data is calculated and compiled. Read More O'Keefe made numerous appearances on Fox News programs to promote ACORN videos and defend his tactics Following conservative activist James O'Keefe's arrest for allegedly participating in an attempt to interfere with the telephone system at the New Orleans offices of Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu, a Media Matters for America review found that O'Keefe previously appeared at least seven times on Fox News and other Fox networks to promote videos he recorded of ACORN workers. During these appearances, O'Keefe said he was "willing to serve prison time" for potentially violating Maryland's two-party recording law, and asserted that he was "doing creative investigative journalism." Read More O'Keefe and his cohorts' record of dishonesty On January 25, conservative filmmaker James O'Keefe -- best known for his secretly recorded, heavily edited videos of his interactions with ACORN employees while supposedly dressed as a pimp -- was arrested by the FBI for his role in an alleged plot to tamper with the telephone system in Sen. Mary Landrieu's New Orleans office. In response, Media Matters for America has reviewed the false statements, misrepresentations, and unethical tactics that O'Keefe, his partner Hannah Giles, his employer Andrew Breitbart, and the right-wing media have utilized in their attacks on ACORN. Read More Right-wing media respond to O'Keefe's arrest Media Matters for America has compiled a list of right-wing media figures' reactions to James O'Keefe's January 25 arrest by the FBI for his role in an alleged attempt to tamper with the phone systems at Sen. Mary Landrieu's (D-LA) New Orleans office. Those comments run the gamut from Michelle Malkin's statement that the reported details are "damning" and her recommendations to young conservative aspiring journalists not to "get carried away" or "become what you are targeting" to Patrick Frey's statement, "I'm sticking out my neck and declaring that I think this will prove to be a big nothing." Read More After release of ACORN videos, media conservatives showered O'Keefe with praise In light of conservative activist James O'Keefe's arrest on charges related to attempts to interfere with the telephone system in Sen. Mary Landrieu's New Orleans office, Media Matters for America reviews praise conservatives heaped on O'Keefe for his heavily edited and secretly recorded ACORN videos. Read More Quick Fact: Cameron portrays GOP as "fiscally frugal," ignoring their role in creating current and future deficits Fox News chief political correspondent Carl Cameron claimed that "budget and deficit reduction" and "fiscally frugal principles and proposals" are "Republican issues." Cameron's claim is belied by Republican support for Bush policies that are far more responsible for current and projected deficits than proposals enacted since President Obama took office, as well as Republican opposition to health care reform legislation that would reduce long-term deficits. Read More Quick Fact: Fox, Wash Times bloggers in disbelief over Obama's "true" SOTU line that he "cut taxes" In response to President Barack Obama's State of the Union assertion that "we cut taxes," live bloggers for FoxNews.com and WashingtonTimes.com reacted with incredulity. However, Obama did cut taxes for most Americans: the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 included $288 billion in tax relief. Read More Media conservatives call Obama "arrogant" in assessing State of the Union address In comments before and during President Obama's first State of the Union address, several media conservatives have accused him of being arrogant. Fox Business Networks' John Stossel said that he wanted Obama to apologize for being arrogant during his speech and John Hood stated on National Review's The Corner blog that Obama's "cadence and rhythm" "come across as flippant and arrogant." Read More You can help support our work; become a volunteer media monitor, or donate to Media Matters for America.