Deconstructing Planned Parenthood’s Failed “Forensic Analysis” Report

On August 27, Planned Parenthood released what they claimed was a “forensic analysis” report on CMP’s published investigative footage. In reality, the report is a pseudoscientific production by Fusion GPS, a political opposition-research company that has no forensic certifications. While the report, which contains multiple errors, set out to delegitimize CMP’s video evidence, it only provides evidence of the opposite: the report admits that “This analysis did not reveal widespread evidence of substantive video manipulation” and that it “shows no evidence of audio manipulation.”

Read more at the Center for Medical Progress
(Hat tip: KimR) Read More......

Oregon Doesn't Have to Go the Way of Greece

Oregon’s non-partisan Legislative Revenue Office (LRO) provides the members of the Legislative Assembly with unbiased research and analysis on issues related to taxation and school finance. It issues a report regarding Oregon state finance in February of each odd-numbered year. --The report offers a plethora of information regarding how the state taxes its citizens and spends its revenue. This document is readily available online so policymakers and taxpayers alike can learn what is being done with the billions of dollars that the state government annually collects and distributes.

Read more from Oregon State Senator Doug Whitsett
(Hat tip: KimR) Read More......

Re: Ballot Measures 68 and 69

LETTER SUBMITTED TO THE GAZETTE-TIMES (Has not been published, yet), 5/7/2010 by John Detweiler, Treasurer, Benton County Republicans - We need to read the sections on measures 68 and 69 in the May election voter pamphlet carefully. The "estimate of financial impact" for both measures says, "There is no financial effect on either state or local government expenditures or revenues." The text of measure 68 -- page 37 of the voter pamphlet -- Article X I-P Section 2 tells us that the money to repay these bonds may come from the general fund including taxes levied to pay the bonds. The text of measure 69 -- page 44 of the voter pamphlet -- Paragraph 1, the second section 1 (3) tells us that an amount of money matching the debt incurred by the borrowing institution may be appropriated from the general fund if specifically designated by the Legislative Assembly.

We have enough trouble allocating our sinusoidal general fund. In up years we start new programs that cannot be sustained and wring our hands in the down years as we cut these programs. If enacting these measures results in more bonds being issued, the payments may compete with other things funded by the general fund. Read More......

Obama Health Reform and Wait Times Visualization

PoliticalMath,, 7/4/2009 - In 2006, Massachusetts passed health care reform that implemented a number of policies that are now being mirrored in the Obama health reform plan. The president has repeatedly claimed that his plan will lower health care costs but not decrease health care quality. This visualization looks at how the Massachusetts plan has panned out in terms of cost and wait times.

This visualization depicts a checkup, not emergency care. See resources and more on Political Math's analysis Read More......

Cato scholars on Obama's health care 'infomercial'

President Obama on Wednesday [6/24] answered questions on rising costs, taxing benefits, and many other issues during an ABC News special on health care reform, "Questions for the President: Prescription for America." Cato Institute scholars Michael D. Tanner and Michael F. Cannon respond to Obama's claims. Learn more about health care reform at http://healthcare.cato.org.


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