Lie of the Year: Right call on Obama's "you can keep it"?

Overall, I'd say no.

Boy, in one sense I certainly disagree with Politifact for saying that President Obama's statement about old health plays onder Obamacare, the "you can keep your old play" comment is the Lie of the Year.

I mean, every time a Ted Cruz or a Gohmert Pyle opens his mouth, the lie of the year could pop out.

On the other hand, if you want to talk about politicians with some degree of credibility outside of wingnuts, and how one lie is a stand-in for a whole series of problems?

In that case, it's hard to argue with Politifact.

In a third sense, Politifact has had its own errors and misjudgments before, like claiming that GOP statements about essentially ending Medicare or Social Security weren't that. Related to that is the regular impression I have that Politifact is often bending over too far in some attempt to prove its "balance."

And, hence, an illustration of some of what's wrong with national mainstream media.

On the fourth hand, getting back in part to the second hand, the one comment serves as a stand-in for a whole 

On the fifth hand, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper's blatant domestic spying lie to Congress should have been the Lie of the Year. 

I don't care that he's not an elected politician. It was blatant for other reasons.

There was a time, after the Watergate dust settled, that executive branch officials didn't tell bald-faced lies to Congress. They shaded things, perhaps, but they didn't tell outright lies.

Second, the fact that he did it on Obama's biggest black eye, spying on Americans, makes it worse.

Third, the fact that he did it with premeditation makes it worse.

Fourth, the fact that Congress has so far not referred him for charges of perjury or similar makes clear that Congress is a lapdog.