The Lie of Modern "Centrism"

[Tino]

Regarding your claim of a festival of lies, please cite one thing that you considered to be a lie and let's discuss it.

We can go through the whole speech if you like.

First, here's the footage so everything can be in context.





Now the first 5 1/2 minutes are the usual blather found in speeches like this in both conventions. Go to 5:35 to hear him speak bring up the first issue of substance: The Janesville Plant and how this is an example of the "failure" of Obama's efforts to turn around the economy (that Republicans wrecked by-the-by).

This is the first bit of substance in the speech and it is a lie by implication. The Janesville plant closed in December of 2008, before Obama even took office.

We'll wade through more of the speech if you like.

Here's what Obama said:

"And I believe that if our government is there to support you, and give you the assistance you need to re-tool and make this transition, that this plant will be here for another hundred years. The question is not whether a clean energy economy is in our future, it’s where it will thrive. I want it to thrive right here in the United States of America; right here in Wisconsin; and that’s the future I’ll fight for as your president."

Doesn't it sound like he's saying that if he's elected, he'll work to keep the plant open for a long time?

Now to the (not really the point) issue of when the plant "closed."

The local paper, The News and the Gazette reported that the plant didn't close fully until April 2009. Here's a timeline:

June 2008: GM announces that the Janesville plant will stop production of medium-duty trucks by the end of 2009, and stop production of large SUVs such as the Chevy Tahoe and Suburban and the GMC Yukon in 2010 or sooner, depending on market demand.

December 23, 2008: SUV production ends, and more than 2,000 GM workers are laid off, according to the Gazette. Medium truck production continues.

January 20, 2009, Obama takes office as President. The laid-off employees have been out of work for less than 30 days. The plant is still there, ready to go. Obama does nothing.

April 23, 2009: Three month's after Obama takes office, the plant's medium-duty assembly line, which produced an Isuzu line, closes, ending vehicle production at the plant and resulting in the loss of 57 production jobs, according to the Gazette. Obama is in office when this happens, still does nothing.

GM then put the plant on standby, meaning it could reactivate the facility if it decides it needs to ramp up production.

Obama's in office, where is Obama's leadership to keep the plant here for another 100 years? Nowhere. So Ryan's point that this is an example of Obama's failure is valid. What else would you like to cover?