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A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center

No WMDs in Iraq

Q: Were there really weapons of mass destruction in Iraq when the U.S. invaded in 2003?
A: No. The Iraq Survey Group determined that Iraq had abandoned its quest to develop chemical, biological and nuclear weapons and that it had already destroyed all of its existing stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons.

GDP vs. GNP

Q: What is the difference between GDP and GNP?
A: GDP is the market value of everything produced within a country; GNP is the value of what’s produced by a country’s residents, no matter where they live.

Leftover Campaign Funds

Q: What happens to a candidate’s leftover campaign funds when he or she drops out of the race?
A: The big rule is: no personal use.
FULL QUESTION
Do candidates for elected office keep donations to their campaigns for personal use after they lose or drop out? Or do those donations have to go into a greater party fund?
FULL ANSWER
As Bob Biersack from the Federal Election Commission points out,

Minimum Wage Workers and Poverty

Q: Is a minimum-wage worker officially in poverty?
A: A single person working full time at the minimum wage would be barely above the poverty line. A single parent would be below it.
FULL QUESTION
I have always believed that the poverty line was below minimum wage. Is the poverty line usually less than minimum wage? Historically has this situation improved over time?
FULL ANSWER:
The federal minimum wage has been $5.85 per hour since July 24,

Democratic Superdelegates

Q: Who are the superdelegates and can they change their votes once they are "committed"?
A: Democratic "superdelegates" may vote as they see fit.

Suing Over False Political Advertising

Q: Can people be sued for false political advertising?
A: Targets of false ads rarely sue. Libel law makes it practically impossible for candidates to collect damages, even if they should win.

From Congress to the White House

Q: Who was the last sitting congressman or senator to be elected president?
A: John F. Kennedy was the last president to have moved directly from Congress to the White House.

Huckabee an Evangelical

Q: Is it correct to refer to Mike Huckabee as an evangelical?
A: Yes. Huckabee describes himself as an evangelical.

The Budget and Deficit Under Clinton

Q: During the Clinton administration was the federal budget balanced? Was the federal deficit erased?
A: Yes to both questions, whether you count Social Security or not.