We are inundated with information — from Congress, the White House, special interest groups, etc.  How can one separate the facts from fiction? PolitiFact tries to do just that.

PolitiFact, which won the Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting for its coverage of the 2008 election, is a project of the St. Petersburg Times to help find the truth in politics.

Reporters and researchers from the Times examine statements by members of Congress, President Obama, cabinet secretaries, lobbyists, people who testify before Congress, and anyone else who speaks up in Washington.  They research these statements and then rate the accuracy of the statements on the Truth-O-Meter – True, Mostly True, Half True, Barely True and False. The most ridiculous falsehoods get their lowest rating – Pants on Fire.

They also rate the consistency of public officials on our Flip-O-Meter using three ratings: No Flip, Half Flip, and Full Flop.

Additionally, they have created the Obameter to help the reader assess the Obama presidency. Reporters have compiled a database of more than 500 individual promises that President Obama made during the presidential campaign. They research and rate the promise status as No Action, Stalled, or In the Works and then ultimately determine whether it earns a Promise Kept, Compromise or Promise Broken.

If you want the facts, Politifact.com is the place to go.