Liberal bias at urban legend site Snopes?

Does urban legend web site Snopes.com have a liberal bias? Many think so. SR Blog will take a look in a series of posts, of which this is the first.

The first to examine concerns Nancy Pelosi. Snopes' Barbara Mikkelson examines an email claim that that has circulated which accuses the Democrat House majority leader of wanting to raise capital gains taxes to 100%. Snopes determines this is false (an urban legend of sorts).

And indeed it is. But while context is important to Snopes in other matters they look into, here they are content to let a simple FALSE stand as the answer, rather than point out the whole truth, which is that Pelosi supports the repeal of the Bush tax cuts, would raise the capital gains tax rate if she had the votes to override a likely Bush veto (or if a Democrat were to take the White House), and at least some of that money would be resdistributed to the poor and working class. See

Nancy Pelosi Tax Voting Record and Independent Ratings OnTheIssues.org, updated continuously:

Voted NO on retaining reduced taxes on capital gains & dividends. (Dec 2005)
Voted NO on providing tax relief and simplification. (Sep 2004)
Voted NO on making permanent an increase in the child tax credit. (May 2004)
Voted NO on permanently eliminating the marriage penalty. (Apr 2004)
Voted NO on making the Bush tax cuts permanent. (Apr 2002)
Voted NO on $99 B economic stimulus: capital gains & income tax cuts. (Oct 2001)
Voted NO on Tax cut package of $958 B over 10 years. (May 2001)
Voted NO on eliminating the Estate Tax ("death tax"). (Apr 2001)
Voted NO on eliminating the "marriage penalty". (Jul 2000)
Voted NO on $46 billion in tax cuts for small business. (Mar 2000)
American People's Dividend: Give $300 to every person. (Feb 2001)
Rated 21% by NTU [National Taxpayers Union], indicating a "Big Spender" on tax votes. (Dec 2003)
Tax incentives for child care; eliminate marriage penalty. (Jul 1999)
Tax incentives for education, new schools, & families. (Jul 1999)

Edwards' Tax Code Plan Probably A Poor Solution, Tyler Morning Telegraph, 7/30/07

Ready for a Pelosi Tax Hike?, Human Events, 5/15/06

Hedging Your Votes, Stephen Spruiell, National Review, 7/13/07

Democrats Steal House Vote

Forbes/AP 8/3/2007: Republicans Angry Over House Vote:

WASHINGTON - House Democrats apologized Friday for wrestling what appeared to be a winning vote away from Republicans Thursday night, and on Friday evening agreed to an investigation.

Republicans continued to steam, however, over the episode in which they appeared to be the winners by a 215-213 tally on a procedural motion designed to make sure illegal immigrants would not get certain benefits from an agriculture spending bill.

Instead, with the tally clerk registering the final votes, Rep. Michael McNulty, D-N.Y., gaveled the vote to a close, saying the GOP measure had failed on a 214-214 tie.

Republicans erupted, chanting "shame, shame, shame," and then walked out in protest after McNulty permitted further Democrats to switch their votes to prevail 216-212. Despite winning that tally, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., moved for a revote as permitted under the rules, and Democrats prevailed again.

On Friday, Hoyer apologized. "The minority was understandably angry," he said.

Republicans prevailed upon their Democratic rivals to establish a special panel to investigate the manner in which the vote was handled.

Nancy Pelosi's promise to run the most ethical House ever seemed to be falling flat. Note also that the vote Democrats were impassioned about was to give benefits to illegal aliens.

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