Hi, what are you looking for?Can we turn Ukraine into Austria?  Or perhaps Finland?Along with a host of others, former Greek Minister of Finance Yannis Varoufakis has argued that the foundation for peace between Russia and Ukraine lies in the neutralization of the latter. And many in Europe and North America might prefer an outcome that soothes the conscience and allows Ukraine to maintain a degree of independence from Russia, however shadowy. Fortunately or no, the comparisons don’t hold up; trying to turn Ukraine into Cold War Austria or Cold War Finland is bound to lead to...…Hi, what are you looking for?Can we turn Ukraine into Austria?  Or perhaps Finland?Along with a host of others, former Greek Minister of Finance Yannis Varoufakis has argued that the foundation for peace between Russia and Ukraine lies in the neutralization of the latter. And many in Europe and North America might prefer an outcome that soothes the conscience and allows Ukraine to maintain a degree of independence from Russia, however shadowy. Fortunately or no, the comparisons don’t hold up; trying to turn Ukraine into Cold War Austria or Cold War Finland is bound to lead to...WW…

President Joe Biden claims the 10-year assault weapons ban that he helped shepherd through the Senate as part of the 1994 crime bill “brought down these mass killings.” But the raw numbers, when adjusted for population and other factors, aren’t so clear on that.There is, however, growing evidence that bans on large-capacity magazines, in particular, might reduce the number of those killed and injured in mass public shootings.A day after the Boulder, Colorado, , in which 10 people were killed by a gunman in a grocery store on March 22, Biden spoke in support of two that would expand...…President Joe Biden claims the 10-year assault weapons ban that he helped shepherd through the Senate as part of the 1994 crime bill “brought down these mass killings.” But the raw numbers, when adjusted for population and other factors, aren’t so clear on that.There is, however, growing evidence that bans on large-capacity magazines, in particular, might reduce the number of those killed and injured in mass public shootings.A day after the Boulder, Colorado, , in which 10 people were killed by a gunman in a grocery store on March 22, Biden spoke in support of two that would expand...WW…

House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy misleadingly argues that federal aid to state and local governments is unnecessary because state and local tax receipts were “the highest… in American history” in the third quarter.State budget experts say the third quarter revenues were inflated, because almost all states moved the deadline for filing state taxes from April 15 to July 15 due to the pandemic, pushing more tax receipts to the third quarter. Many states also extended the deadline to submit sales tax receipts to the state, shifting revenue between quarters.“It is critical to look at the...…House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy misleadingly argues that federal aid to state and local governments is unnecessary because state and local tax receipts were “the highest… in American history” in the third quarter.State budget experts say the third quarter revenues were inflated, because almost all states moved the deadline for filing state taxes from April 15 to July 15 due to the pandemic, pushing more tax receipts to the third quarter. Many states also extended the deadline to submit sales tax receipts to the state, shifting revenue between quarters.“It is critical to look at the...WW…

The percentage of mail-in ballots rejected in Georgia due to signature issues this year was about the same as in the 2016 and 2018 general elections.Nevertheless, a tweet from President Donald Trump wrongly compared the number of ballots rejected for signature issues in this election to the number of ballots rejected in past elections for all reasons (usually for being received too late) to baselessly suggest something nefarious is afoot.Almost ZERO ballots rejected in Georgia this election. In years past, close to 4%. Not possible. Must have signature check on envelopes now. Very easy to...…The percentage of mail-in ballots rejected in Georgia due to signature issues this year was about the same as in the 2016 and 2018 general elections.Nevertheless, a tweet from President Donald Trump wrongly compared the number of ballots rejected for signature issues in this election to the number of ballots rejected in past elections for all reasons (usually for being received too late) to baselessly suggest something nefarious is afoot.Almost ZERO ballots rejected in Georgia this election. In years past, close to 4%. Not possible. Must have signature check on envelopes now. Very easy to...WW…

We reviewed all of President Donald Trump’s speeches at campaign rallies over five days, from Oct. 12 to Oct. 16. There were six speeches and combined, Trump spoke for more than eight hours, averaging about one hour and 20 minutes per speech.Below is a compilation of 46 of the false and misleading claims he made; Trump often repeated those claims at multiple rallies. We have organized them by subject matter.Trump spoke in , on Oct. 12, his first rally since recovering from COVID-19. It was the shortest of the five speeches, at just over an hour. The following night, the Republican nominee...…We reviewed all of President Donald Trump’s speeches at campaign rallies over five days, from Oct. 12 to Oct. 16. There were six speeches and combined, Trump spoke for more than eight hours, averaging about one hour and 20 minutes per speech.Below is a compilation of 46 of the false and misleading claims he made; Trump often repeated those claims at multiple rallies. We have organized them by subject matter.Trump spoke in , on Oct. 12, his first rally since recovering from COVID-19. It was the shortest of the five speeches, at just over an hour. The following night, the Republican nominee...WW…

Less than a week after being hospitalized due to COVID-19, President Donald Trump now says, “I don’t think I’m contagious at all.” But according to medical experts and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, the president may very well still be contagious and ought to be isolated.In a phone interview with Maria Bartiromo of Fox Business on the morning of Oct. 8, Trump said he was feeling good and looking forward to resuming campaign rallies.“I think I’m better to a point where I’d love to do a rally tonight, I wanted to do one last night, but I think I’m better to a point...…Less than a week after being hospitalized due to COVID-19, President Donald Trump now says, “I don’t think I’m contagious at all.” But according to medical experts and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, the president may very well still be contagious and ought to be isolated.In a phone interview with Maria Bartiromo of Fox Business on the morning of Oct. 8, Trump said he was feeling good and looking forward to resuming campaign rallies.“I think I’m better to a point where I’d love to do a rally tonight, I wanted to do one last night, but I think I’m better to a point...WW…

Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar says President Donald Trump has been “clear” in calling for the public to “wear face coverings when you can’t social distance.”The official messaging from the White House has been, as Azar put it, “clear and unambiguous” since early April. But the president’s statements have been anything but.In the last two weeks, Trump has offered tepid endorsement for masks, saying: “The mask, perhaps, helps.” He has also raised doubts about the science, noting that health experts who now advocate public mask-wearing were once opposed to it. “I guess I’m...…Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar says President Donald Trump has been “clear” in calling for the public to “wear face coverings when you can’t social distance.”The official messaging from the White House has been, as Azar put it, “clear and unambiguous” since early April. But the president’s statements have been anything but.In the last two weeks, Trump has offered tepid endorsement for masks, saying: “The mask, perhaps, helps.” He has also raised doubts about the science, noting that health experts who now advocate public mask-wearing were once opposed to it. “I guess I’m...WW…

In recent rallies, President Donald Trump has repeatedly conflated winning a Nobel Peace Prize with being nominated for one, and has wrongly faulted the media for ignoring his nomination after making former President Barack Obama’s nomination in 2009 “the biggest story I’ve ever seen.”The media attention for Obama came after he won the Nobel Peace Prize. Trump has been nominated, but that’s not the “big thing” he makes it out to be. There are for the Nobel Peace Prize for 2020 — 211 are individuals and 107 organizations.Any one of thousands of people can nominate someone for the prestigious...…In recent rallies, President Donald Trump has repeatedly conflated winning a Nobel Peace Prize with being nominated for one, and has wrongly faulted the media for ignoring his nomination after making former President Barack Obama’s nomination in 2009 “the biggest story I’ve ever seen.”The media attention for Obama came after he won the Nobel Peace Prize. Trump has been nominated, but that’s not the “big thing” he makes it out to be. There are for the Nobel Peace Prize for 2020 — 211 are individuals and 107 organizations.Any one of thousands of people can nominate someone for the prestigious...WW…

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office in January rising debt for the rest of President Donald Trump’s presidency and beyond. Yet, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin claimed that before COVID-19 hit, the U.S. was experiencing “extraordinary” economic growth that “would pay down the debt over time.”Treasury officials say the claim is based on Trump’s , submitted in early February, which claims to put the federal budget “on a path to a balanced budget in 15 years.”But that budget assumes economic growth that far exceeds consensus forecasts, including the CBO’s. It also assumes the...…The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office in January rising debt for the rest of President Donald Trump’s presidency and beyond. Yet, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin claimed that before COVID-19 hit, the U.S. was experiencing “extraordinary” economic growth that “would pay down the debt over time.”Treasury officials say the claim is based on Trump’s , submitted in early February, which claims to put the federal budget “on a path to a balanced budget in 15 years.”But that budget assumes economic growth that far exceeds consensus forecasts, including the CBO’s. It also assumes the...WW…

The latest concern raised by the Trump campaign about mail-in voting is that some states run by Democrats will allow votes to be cast and counted after Election Day.Specifically, Hogan Gidley, the national press secretary for the Trump campaign, warned that Nevada legislators have created a loophole that would allow voters to “wake up on Wednesday morning, see that they don’t like the results and then go drop their ballots in the mail,” and that those votes would be counted.But Gidley is exaggerating the potential for what he called “massive fraud” in part because his concern is...…The latest concern raised by the Trump campaign about mail-in voting is that some states run by Democrats will allow votes to be cast and counted after Election Day.Specifically, Hogan Gidley, the national press secretary for the Trump campaign, warned that Nevada legislators have created a loophole that would allow voters to “wake up on Wednesday morning, see that they don’t like the results and then go drop their ballots in the mail,” and that those votes would be counted.But Gidley is exaggerating the potential for what he called “massive fraud” in part because his concern is...WW…