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Viral Spiral
FactCheck Mailbag
FactCheck Mailbag, Week of May 7-13.
See letters from previous weeks“ Why is that worth noting? Does it change the facts? ” -
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2012 Players Guide
Tag Archives: Congress
‘Godless Dollars’
Q: Did the government issue new dollar coins without the words "In God We Trust"? A: Congress ordered the words to be stamped on the edges of the coins, but an unknown number of "Godless dollars" were produced by mistake.
Posted in Ask FactCheck
Tagged chain e-mail, Congress, First Amendment, mint, social issues
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Crime to Denounce Homosexuality?
Q: Would the "hate crimes" bill make it a crime to denounce homosexuality from the pulpit and give legal protection to pedophiles? A: No on both counts. The First Amendment is still operative, and pedophiles would get no breaks under this bill.
Posted in Ask FactCheck
Tagged chain e-mail, Congress, First Amendment, hate crimes, social issues
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An Unlawful Congress?
Q: Have 84 members of Congress been arrested for drunk driving in the last year? Have seven been arrested for fraud? A: We judge these statistics to be not credible. They originated nearly a decade ago with a Web site that still refuses to provide any proof or documentation, or …
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Posted in Ask FactCheck
Tagged capitol hill blue, Congress, drunk driving, fraud, George W. Bush
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Mandatory Public Service
Q: Is Congress creating a mandatory public service system? Are participants not allowed to go to church? A: The national service bill does not mandate that youth must participate nor does it forbid anyone who does participate from going to church.
Illegal Backyard Garden?
Q: Would a new bill in Congress make my backyard organic garden illegal? A: A House bill proposes to split the Food & Drug Administration, creating a separate entity to oversee food safety. It’s aimed at food sold in supermarkets and doesn’t say anything about organic gardening, pesticides, farmers’ markets …
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Social Security for Illegal Immigrants?
Q: Is Congress about to give Social Security to illegal immigrants? A: Congress hasn’t voted on any measure to pay benefits to illegal immigrants, and has no plans for any such vote.
AIG Bailout
Q: Did Congress bail out AIG because it insures members’ pensions? A: This widely e-mailed claim is a hoax. It actually was the Federal Reserve that bailed out AIG, not Congress. And federal pensions aren’t insured by AIG or any other company.
IRAs, 401(k)s and You
Q: Are congressional Democrats talking about confiscating IRA and 401(k) investment accounts? A: No. There’s no plan to seize these accounts. One House witness at a committee hearing proposed to allow some people to trade their old accounts for a new type that would be less risky.
Posted in Ask FactCheck
Tagged 401(k), Congress, Democrats, Harry Reid, IRA, Nancy Pelosi, taxes
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Felons in Elected Office
Q: Can a convicted felon serve in elected office? A: The Constitution allows a convicted felon, such as Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens, to be a member of Congress, even if in prison. It’s up to the Senate or House to decide who may serve. As for state offices, different laws …
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