The Michigan Truth Squad, the umpires of state politics, recently had an easier call to make than the out-at-home call against Miguel Cabrera in last night’s Tigers game.
The Truth Squad, after scrutinizing a TV ad created by the Willow Run Tea Party, seemed a bit overwhelmed at all the false and misleading information packed into one 30-second spot.
The ad clumsily implies that Gov. Rick Snyder’s support for a government bridge from Detroit to Windsor is part of a Chinese plot to build the bridge, own the structure, and gain a lever of control over the Michigan economy.
Using imagery of Chinese workers, Chinese flags and Chinese President Hu Jintao, the TV commercial suggests that Snyder’s recent trade mission to Asia was secretly an attempt to secure a construction contract for the U.S.-Canadian bridge. The spot also claims that Snyder has a track record at Gateway computers of shipping jobs to China.
What’s more, the background images and misleading text leaves the impression that big construction contracts landed by Chinese companies in other states such as New York and California have provided the Chinese government with a new economic status in those states.
The Truth Squad, a group of reporters serving as fact-checkers, found the ad was false and misleading from start to finish, relying upon xenophobia rather facts.
For example, the spot says Snyder sent Gateway jobs to China in 2004. But Snyder did not become the Gateway CEO until 2006.
The ad also wrongly implies that the Statue of Liberty and bridges in San Antonio and South Carolina were the work of Chinese firms. The Truth Squad said the biggest issue is that the ad uses fear-mongering when it implies that, when Chinese firms are involved in projects, that somehow this means the Chinese government is taking over America.
One more thing that indicates this ad clearly does not pass the smell test: the chairman of the Willow Run Tea Party claims he does not know who paid for the spot.
