More Tax Deceptions

As noted, what Obama once supported would have increased taxes for a single taxpayer at that income level, but not for a family. The smallest possible "family" would be a single parent with a single child, and such a single parent would have to make $58,650 to have been affected. As noted, a family of four would have to make $90,000. And in any case, Obama's plan would cut taxes for families at all those levels, not increase them.

The ad also falsely claims Obama proposes higher taxes on "the sale of your home." In fact, neither Obama nor McCain propose any change in the current exemption for home sales, which allow all profits to go untaxed up to $500,000 for a couple or $250,000 for a single person, provided that the home has been a primary residence at least two of the previous five years. Obama has proposed an unspecified increase in the tax rate for capital gains, but this would fall only on home-sale profits that exceed the current exclusion and would therefore affect only a very small percentage of all sellers.

False "History"
Later the same day, the McCain campaign released another 60-second radio ad, titled "Recipe." This one is in English, and it's also misleading.

John McCain 2008 Radio Ad: "Recipe"

Announcer: Life in the spotlight must be grand for Barack Obama. But is he ready to lead in tough economic times?

Official records document, Barack Obama has a history of raising taxes – even on middle class Americans making just $42,000 a year.

If elected president, Obama's promises would mean even more taxes on income, electricity, oil, small business, seniors, your life savings, your family.

Painful taxes when times are tough enough.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal calls Obama's ideas "a recipe for economic disaster."

The Washington Post says Obama's policies are "poorly crafted" and will result in "higher prices at the pump."

And The Wall Street Journal reports Obama's plans will "stunt small business" and threaten "America's economic competitiveness."

More taxes. Higher gas prices. A recipe for economic disaster.

That's the real Obama.

McCain: I'm John McCain and I approved this message.

Announcer: Paid for by John McCain 2008.

It says: "Official records document, Barack Obama has a history of raising taxes – even on middle class Americans making just $42,000 a year." But that's false. No taxes were increased, and the vote that the McCain campaign refers to could not by itself have resulted in any increase on anybody.

The measure for which Obama voted was a budget bill for fiscal 2009. Budget bills set revenue and spending targets for appropriations and tax-writing committees, but don't by themselves legislate any changes in taxes or spending.

It is correct to say that Obama's vote showed a preference for the Democratic budget package, which included an increase in the 25 percent tax bracket, over the Republican alternatives. But it is false to say that this amounts to "a history of raising taxes," since no taxes were actually increased. It is also misleading, as we've noted, because Obama has campaigned consistently on a promise to cut taxes for most taxpayers while raising them only on the most affluent.

A Continuing Pattern of Deceit
These three new McCain ads continue what has become a pattern of deceit, with McCain repeatedly misrepresenting what Obama is proposing.

Here are some of McCain's previous false claims, with links to previous analyses:

- McCain falsely claimed Obama's plan would increase taxes on 23 million small-business owners, when the vast majority of them would get a cut. Any increase would actually fall only on the most affluent, a few hundred thousand business owners.

- McCain falsely claimed Obama "says he'll raise taxes on electricity," though Obama has said no such thing and his tax plan contains no proposal for a tax on electricity.