Monthly Archives: February 2012

FactCheck Mailbag, Week of Jan. 31-Feb. 6

This week, readers sent us comments about our latest article on the compensation of federal workers and their private-sector counterparts. In the FactCheck Mailbag, we feature some of the email we receive. Readers can send comments to editor@factcheck.org. Letters may be edited for length.

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Is Santorum the Biggest (Senate) Loser?

Entrepreneur Donald Trump dismissed the surging candidacy of Rick Santorum by claiming that Santorum lost his Senate seat in 2006 by a wider margin than any incumbent senator in history. He’s wrong. In fact, there have been two dozen incumbent senators who have taken worse beatings than Santorum did in …
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Gingrich’s Inflated Gasoline Claim

Newt Gingrich exaggerates when he says the Environmental Protection Agency has a proposal “that would raise the price of gasoline by 25 cents a gallon.” Gingrich’s cost estimate comes from an oil industry study of “clean gasoline” recommendations made by U.S. automakers. The EPA has yet to issue a proposal, …
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CBO Offers Its Two Cents on Federal Pay

Federal workers overall get just 2 percent higher wages than private-sector employees holding similar jobs, but they receive 16 percent more in total compensation because of generous benefits. There are, however, great differences in wages and benefits depending on education levels; less-educated federal workers receive higher wages and benefits compared …
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Feb. 3: Federal Debt, Earmarks, Federal Pay

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Dueling Debt Deceptions

Q: How much has the federal debt gone up under Obama? A: During his first three years in office, it rose $4.7 trillion, an increase of 45 percent. Partisan graphics circulating via email and Facebook are both incorrect.

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FactCheck Mailbag, Week of Jan. 24-30

This week, readers sent us comments about our analysis of President Obama’s State of the Union address. In the FactCheck Mailbag, we feature some of the email we receive. Readers can send comments to editor@factcheck.org. Letters may be edited for length.

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McCain’s Erroneous Earmark Attack

Sen. John McCain incorrectly claimed that earmarks nearly doubled from $7.8 billion to $14.5 billion in Newt Gingrich’s first two years as House speaker. Actually, the increase was about half that. Furthermore, earmarks first peaked, then declined under Gingrich. By the final year of his speakership, earmarked spending was 20 …
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