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.
TPM obtained a copy of the film, which includes interviews with Newt Gingrich, Mike Huckabee, Andrew Breitbart, Rep. Thaddeus McCotter and others.
Griggs tells “I Want Your Money” viewers at the film’s conclusion that the national debt increased $182 million during the 92-minute movie.
He presents the mistaken Air Force One Manhattan flyover as if it was part of the stimulus bill, and uses some animated chalkboard math to suggest it was Obama who added to the deficit and not George W. Bush.
Griggs does admit in the fillm that “spending went up more under Bush … mostly due to the war in Iraq,” though he includes 9/11 footage, indicating to his audience that the two were inextricably linked.
He details the Democratic takeover of Congress, but says that “the spending was so great that President Bush brought out his veto pen for first time in his presidency.” Actually, Bush’s first veto was a bill allowing the funding of embryonic stem cell research, passed by a Republican Congress in July 2006. Bush’s sixth veto was over spending battles with Democrats, in November 2007.
Former California Gov. Pete Wilson blames the state’s Democratic legislature, and Breitbart proclaims “California has been run into the ground by radical economic policies of the left,” while images of Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D) and Speaker Nancy Pelosi flash on the screen.
Griggs used animation to try and attract young-uns to his flick.
An animated Reagan lectures Obama through most of the film, as the president is portrayed as arrogant and unwilling to entertain anything other than a socialist vision of government. At one point, Reagan offers Obama a snack but Obama puts his feet up on his Oval Office desk and lights up a cigarette.
Fiscal fact-fudging aside, the film includes some goofy right-wing jokes and paints President Clinton as chasing Sarah Palin’s skirt.
As Obama and Reagan step into the ring to settle their fiscal differences over fisticuffs, Clinton puts his arms around Palin and Pelosi.
“If you want to hang out after this fight is over, I do have a room upstairs,” the cartoon Clinton says, as Secretary of State Hillary Clinton pops up to shout, “You pig!”
In another scene, cartoon Clinton is shown spying on Palin, dressed in a red suit. “Mmmm-hmm! Some day that girl is going to be the first woman ever to run for president,” Clinton says.
Up pops Mrs. Clinton with, “You pig!” She slaps her husband and tells him, “I ran for president!”
Watch the trailer:
