Fact Check "Congressional Reform Act of 2012"

If you’ve come across claims that members of Congress receive full pay for life after just one term, know that this is a myth, not fact. It shows a fundamental misunderstanding of how congressional compensation and benefits actually work. Let’s set the record straight.

1. Congress Uses the Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS)

Members of Congress are part of FERS—the same retirement system used by postal workers, janitors, and other federal employees. They do not have lifetime tenure, as all members serve either 2-year (House) or 6-year (Senate) terms.

Additionally, congressional pensions have actually decreased in value over time. On average, pensions now pay about $30,000 less per year than they did previously.

2. No Pension Without Meeting Strict Requirements

Unless a member of Congress meets federal retirement eligibility requirements, they do not receive a pension. The requirements include:

• Serving at least five years in Congress or another federal position.
• Being of retirement age (62+ for a standard pension, or 50+ with 20 years of service).
• Pensions are only a small percentage of their original salary.

3. Members of Congress Pay Into Social Security

Since 1984, all members of Congress have been required to pay into Social Security—just like any other working American.

4. Congress Pays Into FERS Like Other Federal Employees

Just like other federal employees, members of Congress contribute to FERS as part of their retirement plan. There’s no special loophole or exclusive congressional retirement system.

5. The Bigger Issue: Insider Trading, Not Salaries

While many argue about congressional pay, a more pressing concern is insider trading. Some members of Congress have access to information about upcoming legislation that could impact industries and markets, allowing them to make financially strategic investments.

In 2012, an attempt was made to pass stricter regulations, but the effort was ultimately blocked. This remains a more urgent issue than pension myths.

6. Congress Hasn’t Voted Themselves a Raise in Years

Despite common misconceptions, members of Congress haven’t voted to raise their salaries in quite some time. Their pay remains set unless adjusted through legislative action.

7. Congressional Healthcare: Federal Employee Plans

Most members of Congress participate in the same healthcare plans available to other federal employees. Some opt for private insurance, but there is no exclusive, taxpayer-funded healthcare plan for Congress alone.

8. No, Congress Isn’t Immune to Arrest

Another common myth is that members of Congress cannot be arrested. The only exception is outlined in the Constitution: they cannot be detained while traveling to or from the Capitol for a vote. This rule was created to prevent political manipulation—not to grant legal immunity.

9. What Contracts?

One particularly baffling claim suggests that members of Congress have some sort of secret contracts. In reality, there are no special contracts for Congress—just publicly available salary and benefits structures.

Bottom Line: Get the Facts, Not the Myths

The idea that Congress enjoys massive, unearned benefits is based on misinformation. While there are certainly areas for reform (such as insider trading laws), the viral claims about congressional pensions, pay, and privileges are simply not true.

Before sharing political claims, always check the facts. And if you want more political myths debunked, stick around—we’ve got plenty more to cover!

America's Infrastructure Is Crumbling

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This week Congress once again failed to pass a continuing resolution to fund the government. One of the issues they continue to push down the road is the issue of infrastructure funding.

Most of our funding for infrastructure comes from sales tax on gasoline. As vehicles become more efficient, less gas is needed and funding for our infrastructure diminishes.

The American Society of Civil Engineers’(ASCE) most recent report card on the U.S. infrastructure scored a D+. And according to the World Economic Forum, the U.S. now ranks 16th overall in quality of infrastructure, behind other major countries like France, Spain and Japan. According to the ASCE report, an estimated $1.7 trillion in additional spending is needed by 2020 for our surface transportation to be adequately improved.

A recent report showed that there are at least 61,000 bridges which are structurally deficient and in need of serious repair or replacement. These bridges see tens of millions of drivers daily and there is no telling when the next one will fail.


Our roads, for example, require a lot of maintenance, especially after long winters. Potholes and rough roads cost drivers an estimated $324 a year on car repairs. Many cold-weather states and cities sink much of their transportation budgets into repairing these roads yearly.

Right now 42% of America’s city highways are considered highly congested. And that costs our nation's economy an estimated $101 billion in wasted time and fuel each year. Maintaining our infrastructure is also very costly.

Everyone in Congress will tell you that they are very concerned about the nation's crumbling infrastructure, but no one can agree on an approach to repairing it. Short resolutions have pased

The biggest issue is how to fund it. The most commonly suggested plan would be to raise the gas tax a few cents in order to bolster federal Highway Trust Fund revenue. House Republican leaders want to change corporate tax laws that encourage U.S. companies to park foreign profits overseas and use this revenue to fully pay for highway and transit aid. The change would allow corporations to transfer money back to the U.S. at a lower tax rate.

Senator Bernie Sanders, former presidential hopeful, introduced a bill last year which would have increased infrastructure spending by $1 trillion over five years. "My legislation puts 13 million people to work repairing the backlog of infrastructure projects all across this country,” Sanders said. “These projects require equipment, supplies and services, and the hard-earned salaries from these jobs will be spent in countless restaurants, shops and other local businesses. It’s no surprise that groups across the political spectrum – from organized labor to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce – agree that investing in infrastructure will pay dividends for future generations.”

One suggestion by former republican presidential hopeful Ohio Governor John Kasich, was that the federal government decrease their gas tax, thereby allowing individual states with greater infrastructure needs to increase their own gas taxes accordingly, thereby cutting out the middle man and making sure the funding goes to the states with the greatest need.

"Instead of sending our gas tax money to Washington, where federal bureaucrats skim some off the top to pay for their own agencies, Congress should dramatically cut the 18.4 cents-per-gallon federal gas tax to just a few cents per gallon — just enough to pay for interstate connectivity and other safety concerns. States would then be free to set their own gas tax rates, aligned to their own needs as identified by their own residents, communities, and leaders."

For years, transportation experts have called for a massive investment to save a network of roads, bridges and transit systems that has fallen into disrepair. Will Congress work to solve this problem now or punt the question down the road again?

Readers poll: Who Are You Planning to Vote For?

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Who Are You Planning to Vote For?

Donald Trump

Hillary Clinton

Gary Johnson

Jill Stein

Evan McMullin

Someone Else

Poll Maker

The GOP Debates Are a Joke. Here Is How to Fix Them.

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After watching nearly every GOP debate for the 2016 election I've come to the conclusion that we need to fundamentally change the way the debates are run. Because when they yell over each other, ratings go up and we know that these networks only care about the ratings. The focus should be on policy and experience, instead it's about entertainment. These debates are not centered on who is the best choice for president, but who gives the best gotcha line. Even the post debate coverage is often short clips of jabs that one candidate did against another. 

Here are 7 suggestions to fundamentally change the way the debates are run:

1. Debates not controlled by network news. Whether it's CSPAN, or an independent group, we need to get the networks out of the debates. They want their ratings to go up, not for us to have high quality debates. All networks shall have access to broadcast the debates. Also all debates will be broadcast live on the internet, without a paid subscription. There will be  time for a break in which ads can be played, but they must not be of a political nature.
2. Mute the other candidates mics when a candidate is speaking or the moderator is asking a question. No one can talk over another candidate, and candidates cannot get into shouting matches.

2. All questions must be related to a policy question, or a candidate's experience. No more questions about what someone else said. 

3. No response time for personal attacks, and all personal attacks reduce future talking time by 30 seconds per attack. Policy attacks are open game. Character attacks are off limits.

4. Once the field narrows to 5 candidates, allot a longer time for each initial response. One minute is hardly enough time to cover important policy topics.

5. The audience is to be quiet or removed from the debate. This has been done before. There is no need to have an audience and the booing and cheering interrupts and wastes time. Mics should not be placed to pick up the Audience
6. Each candidate will be asked an equal number of questions and time to speak. Time of each candidates speaking will be measured and if one candidate is getting less time, they will be allotted additional time to answer a question.
7. 20 seconds to the end of the time that is allotted per question the candidates will be given a warning buzz. 10 seconds after their allotted time their mics are muted.

If we treat the debates like they're a circus or a wrestling match then they are only good for entertainment. If we treat our nation's selection of the next president of the United States with respect, we will possibly see a rise of better policies, and maybe more civility in politics. 

Who Won Tonight's Debate?

The final debate before the nation's first primary in New Hampshire is in the books. Who do you think won tonight's debate? Who lost? Who had the best moment? Vote now and tell us your thoughts in the comments.

Who do you think won tonight's debate?

Chris Christie

Ted Cruz

Donald Trump

John Kasich

Marco Rubio

Jeb Bush

Ben Carson

Do Quizzes

10 Qualities of a Great President

The role of the President of the United States is one of the most demanding and influential positions in the world. A great president must possess a unique blend of skills, character, and vision to lead effectively. Here are ten essential qualities that define a great president:

From my observations of U.S. history, I would say there are 10 qualities of a great president. They are:

1. A love of our country It would be rare to find a president who truly does not love their country, but it truly should be the number one requirement for the job. This person will be a parental figure for our country, bringing counsel and comfort. They will be the example to all other leaders within our country in the way they should act. Good leaders lead from love, not from greed or lust for power. They truly love everyone in that country, and want to help bring all to higher heights. If you look at George Washington, FDR, Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams Ronald Reagan and Abraham Lincoln, I can't think of many men who loved their countries more. All of them showed that love in their leadership in war and in peace. Because of their love of our country, they sought to move us forward 

2. Vision of the future Each president must look to the future with a clear vision of what America will become. Presidents need to look beyond here and now, seeing the vast future of possibilities and framing a future for the country. The problems they must solve are not just the current ones that are occurring, but possible future ones. Ronald Reagan clearly saw the end of the Cold War, and prepared our country for that future. John Adams knew the only way our country would be secure and truly independent of European powers was for us to have a strong military, especially a navy. Our founders understood the need for a strong but limited government of the people. Each great president's vision of the future has led us into new heights as a country, and if we work to elect another great president, we can reach higher heights than ever before.

3. Accountability and adaptability Great presidents understand that mistakes happen, and they own up to those mistakes. They also understand there is a limit to their power. Understanding that their accountability is to the people, they are open and honest about their intentions and their actions. Great presidents own their mistakes, and then adapt to meet the needs of the time. They work to make our nation better by finding ways to be better leaders.  

4. Respect Often respect is overlooked in our search for a president. When I speak of respect, I am referring to respect for the office of the president, respect for the people who have entrusted you with great power, and respect for those who disagree with you. Too often we look at political correctness as the problem in Washington DC, but in my opinion it is a lack of respect that I find most disturbing. To have respect for someone who disagrees with you means you are willing to hear them out, and consider their opinion as well. Under the Washington administration, he leaned on Congress heavily, understanding that his presidency required power from the will of the people as expressed by their elected representatives.

5. Empathy and Compassion Great presidents bring people together. They don't blame everything on the previous administration or the opposing party. They always have their eye on one single idea: unity brings us strength. We can only build a greater nation on stronger bonds of unity.

6. Courage As commander in chief and chief executive, it is extremely important that a president have courage. Every presidency has, and every future presidency will, face tough challenges with the potential for terrifying outcomes. Millions of lives will be at stake, and with that comes the need to be courageous and strong in the face of those challenges. During his tenure as president, Lincoln faced a country torn apart, and throughout all of the trials and disappointments he held us together with courage in the face of opposition.

7. Honesty In our basic social contract as a society, we must remember that honesty and integrity are essential to our survival as a nation. As we come together, we trust each other and rely on each other for security and strength. Honesty is essential to trust. Dishonesty breaks the bonds of trust that bind us together as a nation, making us weaker as a whole. 

8. Compassion On the battlefield and here at home, each president must have compassion. Compassion for the mother who loses a son away at war. Compassion for the individual who lost their home to natural disaster. They must have compassion for each individual and see them for who they are-brothers and sisters sharing this planet. As leader of the free world, our nation still shines as an example, and part of that is the compassion and giving that we have shown and continue to show. 

9. Great communicator It’s simply impossible to be a great leader without possessing the skills of a great communicator. Whether you think of FDR, John Adams, JFK, Abraham Lincoln or Ronald Reagan, each of our great president's have been great communicators. Especially in times of trial, we have relied on our presidents to comfort us, strengthen us, and lead us forward through great speeches. Being able to clearly and persuasively articulate policies, goals, and national values is crucial for any president to unite and guide the country

10. Being a servant of the people last of all comes a reminder that they are always here to serve our country, not their own ambition. The position of president is not that of celebrity in chief, but of servant in chief. Each president should remember and respect their office. While selecting a president we should remember that this person will join the ranks of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, FDR, JFK, and Reagan.