Today, Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) Said “No,” The Nation Does Not Have A Spending Problem. SEN. TOM HARKIN (D-IA): “Thank you, Madam Chair. I think, first of all, I want to disagree with those who say we have a spending problem. Everyone keeps saying we have a spending problem. And when they talk about that, it’s like there’s an assumption that somehow we as a nation are broke. We can’t afford these things any longer. We’re too broke to invest in education and housing and things like that. Well look at it this way, we’re the richest nation in the history of the world. We are now the richest nation in the world. We have the highest per capita income of any major nation. That kind of begs the question, doesn’t it? If we’re so rich, why are we so broke? Is it a spending problem? No.” (Committee On Appropriations, U.S. Senate, Hearing, 2/14/13)

The saga of White House Press Secretary Jay Carney’s fairy tale claims of Obama’s “fiscal constraint” and “responsible stewardship” of the nation’s finances continues. Today, the author of the original column that spurred Carney’s claims said that the White House’s citation of his research was “disingenuous” and agreed that they deserved the Pinocchios that they were awarded. After Carney attempted to highlight disagreements between fact checkers on the issue, The Washington Post’s Glenn Kessler took another look and reaffirmed his ruling: “Three Pinocchios.”

The Author Of Column That Carney Touted Says His Claims Are “Disingenuous” And That The White House Deserves Their Pinocchios

MarketWatch’s Rex Nutting Told The Washington Post’s Fact Checker: “I Have No Problem With You Assigning Pinocchios To The White House Based On This.” (Glenn Kessler, “The Facts About The Growth Of Spending Under Obama, Part 2,” The Washington Post’s “The Fact Checker,” 5/31/12)

• Nutting: “[I]t’s A Bit Disingenuous Of Them To Tout My Column As Proof Of Their Fiscal Responsibility …” “The White House clearly does not want all those 2013 spending cuts to take place, so it’s a bit disingenuous of them to tout my column as proof of their fiscal responsibility on the one hand, while trying their best to spend more money on the other.” (Glenn Kessler, “The Facts About The Growth Of Spending Under Obama, Part 2,” The Washington Post’s “The Fact Checker,” 5/31/12)

The Washington Post’s Fact Checker Reaffirmed Obama’s Three Pinocchios

The Washington Post’s Fact Checker: “We Reaffirm Our Previous Ruling. Three Pinocchios.” (Glenn Kessler, “The Facts About The Growth Of Spending Under Obama, Part 2,” The Washington Post’s “The Fact Checker,” 5/31/12)

• The Washington Post’s Fact Checker: Many Of 2009’s “Key Spending Decisions Were Actually Made By Obama.” “Obama supported and voted for Bush-started programs such as the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). Moreover, many key appropriations bills were held back by Democrats until Obama became president, and then he pushed through a $830 billion stimulus bill (which consisted of mostly spending). In ordinary times, one could argue that 2009 should be counted as Bush’s year, but in fact many of the key spending decisions were actually made by Obama.” (Glenn Kessler, “The Facts About The Growth Of Spending Under Obama, Part 2,” The Washington Post’s “The Fact Checker,” 5/31/12)