Are you surprised at how many people believe these Internet Myths?

Question

1. That congressmen do not pay Social security tax's.

2. That Congressmen receive their full pay for life after leaving.

3. That people who have used all their unemployment benefits aren't counted when the unemployment rate is calculated.

4. That bush's IQ is really 81.

Links for each number:

1. http://www.snopes.com/politics/taxes/pensions.asp

2. http://www.senate.gov/reference/resources/pdf/RL30631.pdf

3. http://stats.bls.gov/cps/uiclaims.htm

4. http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/hoaxes/presiq.htm

Ok people.

While the number of people who are collecting unemployment are USED in state and local unemployment retaes. they are not the only thing used.

People have to understand.

Most people who lose a job or become unemployed,

DO NOT qualify for unemployment benefits.

That is why they do not use them in calculating the national unemployment rate.

In the state of Florida, only 28% of those who apply for unemployment benefits are eligible.

There are just to many people either losing jobs, being fired, layed off, quiting jobs, transfering to new jobs,

For any system to be 100% accurate.

While the Survey may not be 100% accurate, it does serve a useful function.

It gives a baseline to compare unemployment today, vs unemployment last year or any other year.

Answer 1

true true. congress didnt pay into ssi until during the reagan administration though.

And that IQ thing yea. That goes along with that IQ by state and voter thing someone circulated and all the major media bought into it even. Claiming that people who voted for kerry were far higher in IQ that for Bush. Of course it was totally twisted the highest IQ scores ended up really coming from Montana lol.

Answer 2

1. this just started happening within the last few decades. do you think people who lived during the era that they didn't have to, are still alive? Do you think your government does things that you might have missed? If you haven't missed a thing, you need to get a job!
from your link for #2
< all Members of Congress to participate in Social Security as of January 1, 1984,>>
http://www.senate.gov/reference/resources/pdf/RL30631.pdf

2. sounds like a mistatment assumming the person served 20 years and can be any age to recieve 80% pension then recieving social security once actually retiring.
Your own link says this is a reduction from their previous retirement plans. 80% + social security a reduction??? think about it!

3. from your link:
The number of unemployed persons in the United States and the national unemployment rate are produced from data collected in the Current Population Survey (CPS), a monthly survey of over 60,000 households.

isn't this just as unreliable as a poll?
I have never ever laid eyes upon one of these surveys when i was employed or not.
Don't know anyone else that has either.

also from your link:
While not related to the national unemployment rate, UI claims data do serve as inputs into the calculation of state and local area unemployment estimates.

so basically national unemployment rate is determined by polling 60,000+ people, the avergae population of a small to medium sized city, while state unemployment is effected by how many people file??

this doesn't sound like your link debunks that myth, but supports it.
<>
oh? and what kind of einstein mathamatical genius, lawnmower man type do they have designing this equation?
the state reports how many claims that are being filed vs claims that are closed out and divides them by the population of the state.
it isn't the most accurate way of determining the rates, but it is the most accurate without direct counting each and every person's individual situation.
But it still isn't accurate enough to do anything but make unverified claims to get votes.

you said it yourself, people who don't qualify for unemployment benefits, are not figured into the results. are the jobs not filled? unemployed is unemployed. just because the "rules" say they aren't eligible, doesn't mean they don't deserve them. just means they can't prove they deserve them, which tends to happen when you work for an employer who desides you quit when you have to have off for something very important.

4. IQ isn't a measure of intelligence, nor is it a measure of common sense. all IQ establishes is how well your comprehension of specific subjects improve after being repeatedly exposed to them.
So an IQ of 81 doesn't say he is unintelligent or stupid, his own actions displays that.

You are one of those peopel that believe when the Police chief reports fewer arrest for a certian time period, that crime is actually going down and that the police are doing their jobs well huh?
well sorry to shatter your dream world, but the opposite, more arrest, likewise says they are doing their jobs well, and catching more criminals.
so which truth is reality?
these are the types of statistics we recieve from our government.

just like the FBI claiming crime has gone up, so they have to gear local police like martial law troops, and send in FBI agents to keep an eye on Americans.
does this mean police are doing a better job at catching criminals, keeping you safer, or does it mean that the "zero tolerance" ideals of self righteous fanatics is causing more stress on people and they are lashing out? could be both, could it not?

Answer 3

Fact #3 isn't worded correctly. If you read the link you would have noticed that those who are no longer receiving benefits ARE NOT part of the figures.

Not to mention that those who are UNDEREMPLOYED and working two part timers to survive ARE NOT FACTORED IN to those numbers either.

There's no way that the sucess of our economy can be theorized by judging statistics posted by our Government--Especially under this Administration. I'll take the National debt, real wage figures, foreclosure and bankruptcy no's, the negative savings percentages, Trade deficits, the no's of uninsured and the number of households living in poverty as the prominent statistics which determine the health of our economy.

A Democracy's sucess is judged by how it treats it's poorest members of society.

"Figures don't lie, buy liars can figure."

Answer 4

Right in link 3:

[Unemployment insurance] claims data do serve as inputs into the calculation of state and local area unemployment estimates.

Answer 5

Well, the internet is the info highway, and many people believe EVERYthing they see. It can go from some things in which you said, to the 9/11 "controversy," to anything else. Thing is, too many people are too lazy to actually research the truth any longer!

By the way, I won two European lottos, and I had a rich ancestor who I never heard of pass away recently and leave his money to me, this has been one helluva lucky week thus far!

Answer 6

Not really. The internet only makes *information* more widely available...it doesn't change people's critical thinking abilities.

More half-truths floating around + same old human gullibility = a lot of misguided people.

Answer 7

And don't forget that Daddy long leg spiders are more deadly than black widows

Answer 8

Actually, Bush's IQ hasn't been tested lately. After the cocaine and alcohol damage, he would be lucky if it's 81.