MYTH/FACT ON OBAMA’S “DIGNITY” AD

In The Ad, The Announcer Said Obama Passed Tax Cuts For Workers. Announcer: “Passed tax cuts for workers …” (Obama For America, “Obama Campaign Releases Second General Election Television Ad,” Press Release, 6/30/08)

The Ad Cited The Following Illinois Public Act: PA 91-0700, 5/11/00 (Obama For America , “Obama Campaign Releases Second General Election Television Ad,” Press Release, 6/30/08)

The Washington Post: Barack Obama “Did Not ‘Pass’” The Tax Legislation. "Obama sponsored or co-sponsored – but did not 'pass' – the welfare and tax measures but does not mention that these were in the Illinois legislature in 1997 and 2000." ("Obama's Patriotic Pitch," The Washington Post, 6/20/08)

On April 14, 2000, The Senate Voted Unanimously To Enact An Illinois Earned Income Tax Credit. (H.B. 3939: Senate Floor Third Reading, Passed, 59-0-0, 4/14/00, Obama Voted Yea)

On April 15, 2000, Obama Signed On As A Co-Sponsor Of The Illinois Earned Income Tax Credit Legislation. (H.B. 3939, Bill Status, www.ilga.gov, Accessed 5/13/08)

Obama Was Not The Lead Sponsor Of The Earned Income Tax Credit Legislation; He Was One Of 43 Co-Sponsors. Approximately Two-Thirds Of Senate Members Were Co-Sponsors Of The Legislation. (H.B. 3939, Bill Status, www.ilga.gov, Accessed 5/13/08)

Gov. George Ryan (R-IL) Signed H.B. 3939 Into Law On May 11, 2000 As Public Act 91-0700. (H.B. 3939, Bill Status, www.ilga.gov, Accessed 5/13/08)

When Gov. Ryan Signed The Earned Income Tax Credit Into Law, He Credited Democrat Senate Leader Emil Jones With Its Passage. “Crediting Illinois Democratic Senate Leader Emil Jones with its passage, Gov. George Ryan Thursday [May, 11, 2000] signed the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) into law, which will put about $50 in the pockets of poor workers. In signing HB 3939, which amends the Illinois Income Tax Act that established the first EITC program for individuals, Ryan said this credit will be equal to five percent of the federal earned income tax credit for the years 2000-2002.” (Chinta Strausberg, “Governor Ryan Signs Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Bill,” Chicago Defender, 5/13/00)

Sen. Jones Said He Worked With Gov. Ryan To Get H.B. 3939 Enacted. “Jones said he pushed this EITC program during the recent budget negotiations. ‘The governor hung in there with me on this issue trying to force the Republicans to go along with this. It's not the whole meal, but, it's a step in the right direction.’” (Chinta Strausberg, “Governor Ryan Signs Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Bill,” Chicago Defender, 5/13/00)

The EITC Legislation Provided Workers With Approximately $50. Gov. Ryan: “The state earned income tax credit will put about [$]50 or more in their pockets.” (Chinta Strausberg, “Governor Ryan Signs Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Bill,” Chicago Defender, 5/13/00)

MYTH: Obama Said He Passed A Law Moving People From Welfare To Work:

In The Ad, Obama Said He Passed A Law Moving People From Welfare To Work. Announcer: “He passed a law to move people from welfare to work, slashed the rolls by eighty percent.” (Obama For America , “Obama Campaign Releases Second General Election Television Ad,” Press Release, 6/30/08)

The Ad Cited The Following Illinois Public Act: PA 90-0017, 6/19/97 (Obama For America , “Obama Campaign Releases Second General Election Television Ad,” Press Release, 6/30/08)

FACT: Obama Was One Co-Sponsor Of The Welfare Legislation:

The Washington Post: Barack Obama “Did Not ‘Pass’” The Welfare Legislation. "Obama sponsored or co-sponsored – but did not 'pass' – the welfare and tax measures but does not mention that these were in the Illinois legislature in 1997 and 2000." ("Obama's Patriotic Pitch," The Washington Post, 6/20/08)

Obama Was A Chief Co-Sponsor Of H.B. 204, Which Was Signed Into Law On 6/19/97 As Public Act 90-0017. (H.B. 204, Bill Status, www.ilga.gov, Accessed 6/19/08)

The Senate Voted Overwhelmingly To Pass The Welfare Legislation. (S.B. 204: Senate Floor Third Reading, Passed, 56-1-1, 5/31/97, Obama Voted Yea)

NOTE: S.B. 204 Implemented The Laws Under The 1996 Federal Welfare Legislation, Which Obama Said He Disagreed With:

“[Gov.] Edgar Said The New Legislation Will Bring The State Into Compliance With Last Year’s Federal Welfare Reform Requiring States To Move 25 Percent Of Their Welfare Recipients Into The Work Force By Sept. 30, And 50 Percent By 2002.” (Bob Black, “Edgar Signs Welfare Reform Bill,” Chicago Sun-Times, 6/20/97)

Obama: “I am not a defender of the status quo with respect to welfare. Having said that, I probably would not have supported the federal legislation, because I think it had some problems.” (Sen. Barack Obama, State Of Illinois 90th General Assembly Regular Session Senate Transcript, 5/31/97, www.ilga.gov, p. 42)

OBAMA SPONSORED BILL TO EXPAND HEALTH CARE PROGRAMS DURING BUDGET DEFICIT

Obama’s Ad Said He Passed Health Care Insurance For Kids:

In The Ad, The Announcer Said Obama Passed “Health Care For Kids.” Announcer: “Passed … health care for kids.…” (Obama For America , “Obama Campaign Releases Second General Election Television Ad,” Press Release, 6/30/08)

The Ad Cited The P.A. 93-0063. (Obama For America , “Obama Campaign Releases Second General Election Television Ad,” Press Release, 6/30/08)

FACT: Obama Was The Chief Senate Sponsor Of P.A. 93-0063 To Expand Two State Government Health Care Programs:

In Illinois , Obama Sponsored Legislation To Expand The State’s KidCare And FamilyCare Programs. “Gov. Blagojevich … signed a bill expanding two programs providing health insurance coverage for low-income families and their children. … The measure, sponsored by Rep. Sandra Pihos (R- Glen Ellyn ) and Sen. Barack Obama (D-Chicago)...” (“Health Care For Poor Expanded,” Chicago Sun-Times, 7/2/03)

S.B. 130 Passed The Illinois Senate With A 42-13-2 Vote And Became Public Act 93-0063 On 6/30/03. (S.B. 130: Senate Floor Third Reading, Passed, 42-13-2, 3/26/03, Obama Voted Yea; P.A. 93-0063, www.ilga.gov, 6/30/03)

The Bill Brought 20,000 Children And 65,000 Working Parents Into The State-Sponsored Plan In The First Year And Another 300,000 Over The Course Of Three Years. “The measure expands KidCare, the state's health insurance program for uninsured children, by an additional 20,000 Illinois children. … It also expands FamilyCare, a program providing health insurance to uninsured parents whose children are insured under Medicaid or KidCare, to an additional 65,000 Illinois working parents in the first year and 300,000 parents over three years.” (“Health Care For Poor Expanded,” Chicago Sun-Times, 7/2/03)

Obama’s Bill Cost Millions For The State And Federal Government And Was Introduced During The State’s $3.6 Billion Deficit:

Obama’s Measure To Expand Health Insurance Coverage For Low-Income Families And Children Cost The State $26 Million And $48 Million For The Federal Government. “The measure, sponsored by Rep. Sandra Pihos, R-Glen Ellyn, and Sen. Barack Obama, D-Chicago, will cost the state about $26 million this year, Blagojevich said. The state also will get $48 million from the federal government for the program, Blagojevich said.” (Maura Kelly, “Blagojevich Approves Expanding Health Programs,” The Associated Press, 7/1/03)

State Sen. Steven Rauschenberger (R) Pointed Out That Obama’s Bill Came During A Time When There Was A $3.6 Billion Budget Hole And The State Didn’t Have The “Wherewithal” To Pay For The Program. “We’ve got extraordinary financial circumstances in the balance of the ‘03 fiscal year. I think we’re now talking maybe in the range of 1.3-billion-dollar meltdown in the fiscal year we’re in. We’re projected by the Governor’s own numbers to be looking at a 3.6-billion-dollar hole. … So, I would just urge Members to seriously consider that this is not the right time, that this ought to be a part of the budget negotiations. I know the sponsor [Obama] has the best intentions and the underlying bill is good, but I think it’s the wrong time to expand eligibility, to – to make those kind of promises when we don’t have the wherewithal to pay for ‘em.” (Sen. Rauschenberger, State Of Illinois 93rd General Assembly Regular Session Senate Transcript, 3/26/03)

Obama Justified The Expansion Saying It Was An “Intelligent, Modest Step, Even In Difficult Times.” Obama“[W]e get more bang from the buck because of the federal match. It doesn’t make sense for us to leave this money on the table. … And this represents, I think, a intelligent, modest step, even in difficult times, for us to move forward and deal with the insurance crisis that so many families are experiencing.” (Sen. Obama, State Of Illinois 93rd General Assembly Regular Session Senate Transcript, 3/26/03)