Um, Selena?

You really need to check your sources better.

In her column this weekend about how many Iowa Democrats are "disgruntled" with President Obama and the direction the nation is taking.

Which, itself, is not the issue.  Heck, I'm disgruntled with Obama - though not disgruntled enough to vote for the empty suit who's got millions off shore in Switzerland and the Caymans.

But let's not go there.  Let's get back to the column.  In it, Selena Zito writes about a disgruntled small business owner:

Winery owner John Guinan said he “wanted to put a sign outside that said, ‘I can’t wait to vote,’ but I thought it was a bit over the top.”

Five years ago, Guinan and his wife, Rose, transformed an old Ford assembly plant-turned-auto-dealership into the enchanting Santa Maria Vineyard & Winery, with stone courtyards and a restaurant offering the feel of Tuscany. Guinan said it’s “the third largest winery in the state.”

He admitted his passion to vote for Mitt Romney didn’t exist until Romney picked Paul Ryan as his running mate: “Right then and there, he had my vote. Ryan is very bright, very capable, and understands the serious problems facing the finances of our country.”

The small businessman, who employs more than 70 in the town of Carroll, found Obama’s “you didn’t build that” comment “galling, but not surprising. It is reflective of the concern I had about him on the front end,” referring to the value that Obama puts on government over individuals. [Emphasis added.]

God, I really hate to do this.

According to propublica.org, Carroll County, Iowa received about $22 million in stimulus funding of which $4.8 million went in via the Small Business Administration.

According to this page at propublica.org, the Santa Maria Vineyard & Winery received a guaranteed loan from the Small Business Administration of $1,000,000.  This was the reason given:

TO AID SMALL BUSINESSES WHICH ARE UNABLE TO OBTAIN FINANCING IN THE PRIVATE CREDIT MARKETPLACE

The page dates this at April 28, 2009.

According to this page, however, the numbers are different - only $31,000.  Perhaps Mr Guinan only had access to up to a million in guaranteed loans but only took advantage of $31,000.  I don't know either way.

Doesn't matter much to my argument, of course.  He's offended at the "you didn't build that comment" even though, according to propublica, his own history supports exactly what offends him.  However successful his winery is, he didn't build it himself!  He got some help from the guv'ment.

Selena should have checked this.  But she didn't.  Took only me a few minutes to find it.  Either she should have known and she didn't or she knew and didn't include it in the piece.

So which is it, Selena, incompetence or dishonesty?

Or is the data at propublica.org wrong?