We felt like President Barack Obama gave us a direct assignment on Friday afternoon.
In his retreat with Republicans on Jan. 29, 2010, Obama and Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas, were sparring over deficits, when Obama issued this challenge.
"I am happy to have any independent fact-checker out there take a look at your presentation versus mine in terms of the accuracy of what I just said," Obama said.
It was like the president was speaking directly to us here at PolitiFact.
In this item, we'll examine Hensarling's side of the exchange.
Hensarling began by saying that an alternative 2010 budget offered by House Republicans in April would have grown government spending far slower than the Democrats' plan.
"And since that budget was ignored," he said, "what were the old annual deficits under Republicans have now become the monthly deficits under Democrats. The national debt has increased 30 percent."
Hensarling asked if Obama's 2011 budget would "continue to take us down the path of increasing the cost of government to almost 25 percent of our economy."
Obama said the question sounded more like a talking point from someone running a campaign and was an example of why it's so hard to achieve bipartisan legislation.
But was Hensarling right that the old annual deficits under Republicans are now the monthly ones under the Democrats?
Only if you do some serious cherry-picking.
CONTINUED>>>>
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2010/jan/29/jeb-hensarling/rep-hensarling-says-annual-deficits-under-republic/
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