Political movies

TPM Fact Check: New Conservative Anti-Spending Flick Plays Real Loose With Facts

Christina Bellantoni | October 15, 2010, 8:03AM

A new film, "I Want Your Money."

When "I Want Your Money" hits theaters today, it will likely be hailed by Republicans eyeing Congressional control as exposing the Obama administration for being fiscally reckless. Already, the creator Ray Griggs has made the rounds on Fox News, which heaped praise on the filmmaker for including Fox contributors in the documentary.

But there's one big problem -- a bunch of the facts don't add up. The most egregious omission is failing to mention that Ronald Reagan, who is depicted as a fiscal hero in the film, raised taxes.

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Political movies

In Anti-Spending Flick Cartoon Bill Clinton Chases Sarah Palin, Obama Smokes In Oval Office

Christina Bellantoni | October 7, 2010, 12:19PM

A scene from "I Want Your Money"

A new conservative anti-spending film starring Newt Gingrich and Mike Huckabee aimed at influencing the midterm elections paints President Clinton as chasing Sarah Palin's skirt and includes a scene where a cartoon Ronald Reagan K.O.'s President Obama in a boxing ring.

Filmmaker Ray Griggs has told TPM in an interview he used animation in "I Want Your Money" because he wanted to educate young people about the deficit. Problem is, the facts he uses are skewed to make Obama and Nancy Pelosi look like spending bandits -- and, while he canonizes Reagan, he fails to mention that the Gipper also raised taxes.

TPM obtained a copy of the film, which includes interviews with Gingrich, Huckabee, Andrew Breitbart and Rep. Thaddeus McCotter, Griggs' narration about the good 'ol days under Reagan, interviews with tea partiers, man-on-the-street clips from New York's Times Square about the definition of socialism and several cringe-worthy animated scenes of Obama interacting with former presidents dead and living.

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