I think it does pay only for time in the seat and is no different than the pension plan for all other federal employees, including paying into social security. Same with health care.

But, I am open to being corrected on this, if wrong. Just please provide a source for your information.

There may be "confusion" in that most of Congress is re-elected year after year, and thus build-up a lot of generous retirement benefits...pension and health care.

I was for Ron Paul before the debate and I am still for Ron Paul after the debate.

stone6 Did you know Ron Paul refuses to participate in the government pension plan? He thinks it's a waste of taxpayer money. I agree with him.

Instead of requiring them to "serve" longer to get retirement, I'd rather do away w/ Congressional retirement. I don't really like term limits because it is an anathema to Democracy. It limits whom voters are allowed to vote for. But, if you do away w/ retirement, put them on Social Security - they'll have to quit after a few years and get a real job to build a retirement. A bonus will be a sincere effort to improve SS

Members of Congress (and all other federal employees) aren't eligible until "vested" - i.e. have been employed for at least five years and paying into the plan. I have no idea why Ron Paul would object to paying into a pension plan? Maybe he thinks he can invest better? Or, thinks it too generous and hence "unfair" to taxpayers?

Here is why he doesn't participate in the pension plan:

"Members of Congress are elected by the people to handle the affairs of this nation in a responsible, efficient manner, not to enrich themselves for a lifetime," he said. "To participate in a pension plan at taxpayers expense would for me be hypocritical and immoral. I hope everyone in the 105^th Congress will do as I have done: reject the pension and prepare for retirement without burdening the taxpayers for decades to come. To do any less is to perpetuate what is at it's most basic level an arrogant insult to the people we were elected to represent."- Ron Paul

http://paul.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=999&Itemid=28

Well, I'll take that as the second of the choices of reaasons I offered. But, members of Congress DO pay into their plan, so it isn't totally free to them. Wonder if Paul pays into social security or Medicare?

Good luck getting congress to pass anything but perks for themselves, and no wonder that everyone and the mother runs for office. Supposedly we have checks and balances, but apparently the Executive and Judicial branches can do nothing to stop this outrageous deficit spending.

REALLY Patriot? You think the executive branch doesn't have EQUALLY bloated salaries/perks? Not to mention that Obama added all those 'non-cabinet' Tsars--each of whom will have gone out and hired a highly paid staff TOO. And the judicial branch ALSO qualifies for all those salaries/perks.

And then lets just examine all the UNION government workers who, while not having the huge salaries/perk packages of Congress et al, STILL have much cushier ones than most civilian workers. And can retire at age 52 fully vested, and then go to work for someone else, and get partially vested in THEIR benefit plans.

Many years ago, I worked for the State of MO as a lowly typist, and after a 3 month training period, I earned 1 and 1/4 days PER MONTH of vacation, and 1 and 1/4 days of sick leave PER month. That is TWENTY SEVEN days of PAID time off per year, for a 22 year old typist. Now, the amount of time earned increased after 5, 10 and 20 years on the job. How many of YOU get 60 days of paid time off on YOUR job?

MSNBC had very little credibility going into this election year . Their conduct in handling these debates has taken the last little crumb of decency from the table , fair and equal debates on the mass media channels of America are no longer possible. The corporate talking heads have officially and publicly announced their Nazi alignment , and need to be prosecuted along with the rest of the criminals in Washington and Wall St. The biggest crime IS that if the country dose not come together and elect a real free choice to the whitehouse there will no longer be any guaranteeing of peace in this country

Give it a rest, I believe you have your Congress confused with an earlier congress...our sitting Congress is the 112th, not the 105th...

The GOP establishment would not allow Paul to be nominated even if it were the only way they could win. I so hope he'll still run as an Independent and continue to test both sides and us all w/ his questions.

Look at the current polls most people will vote the president in 2012

The reason,flip flops,a crook,a biggott,the only one that made some kind of honesty

is Jon Huntsman,just because he served his country when asked,just like is sons.

How many of Romney's children have been in the military? 0 they hide under the worst govenor of the commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Yes, Jon Hunstman is Honest-ly better off under Obama's administration. He's going nowhere. He's completely arrogant, narcissistic and passive aggressive with voters. (They pick corn...)

If you want any change at ALL, it has to be PAUL.

The rest represent the same old out-of-control spending and say whatever they can to get elected crap we've seen for decades. Corportist statist establishment republicrats earning money from Goldman Sachs, Big corps, Media moguls and Lobbyists to fund their campaigns and dinner parties. Ron Paul's money? grassroots supporters, veterans, active duty military. Even a CIA operative from the Bin laden unit int he 90's. Big money doesn't make anyone good for America. Real ideas do. The truth is, are we going to get the president who would work behind the scenes of Americans?, or Goldman Sachs?

Regardless of who is in Power the Entitlements will be tinkered with once this dollar Crisis comes ,

The Day the Dollar Died

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=2N8gJSMoOJc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0SmVYxrLTE

Its all right here explained warned was happening but Know one gave a dang , they only cared about the paper , while some were using this mistake to further an agenda that Technocrats and Globalists were promoting , http://www.cnsnews.com/node/75388 , and Now we have Nothing to back up the paper that makes LIFE sustainable . And those who have the supply of stuff that sustains Life are getting ready to use that against we the people of the USA and the EU as we spiral down with our deficits ,

The High Cost of the China-WTO Deal: Administration’s own analysis suggests spiraling deficits, job losses; By Robert E. Scott; February 1, 2000:
http://ning.it/cNJn9O
And
http://ning.it/bTIt9f
It has also taken Mexico\’s Jobs away over the years too. Europe\’s Jobs too. This is all because of a Simple Currency manipulation that does nothing to promote quality in our products.
Remember what Ross Perot said , we would Hear a Giant Sucking Sound with this Trade Policy , he was right . http://www.thenation.com/article/new-giant-sucking-sound

Crashing the Dollar was Planned a staged event ,

S&P PLAN to Destroy the US Dollar , Global FINANCIERS AT TEL AVIV MONETARY MEETING
http://tinyurl.com/3nk9uu8
http:// webofdebt.wordpress.com/ 2011/08/18/ sp-and-the-bilderbergers-all-part-of-the-plan/
WHERE is the OUTRAGE ?

See they want a Global central Government control of World Population and that Means NO independent Self Reliant Prosperity only Controlled Rationed Consumption while the Globalists all Play in the Sun on the Beaches while we all Live in designated Urban centers and if you resist FEMA Camp is where you will go .

The Truth About the New Detainee Policy in the NDAA .

Rep. Justin Amash, a Congressman from Michigan, explains:

http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=296584837047596
Myth busted: Yes, the NDAA does apply to Americans, and here's the text that says so.

http://www.naturalnews.com/034538_NDAA_American_citizens_indefinite_detainment.html

UN Pushes Population Control Agenda

http://www.thenewamerican.com/world-mainmenu-26/north-america-mainmenu-36/9545-un-pushes-population-control-agenda

"Seven big problems for 7 billion people . Experts weigh in on predicaments caused by a burgeoning world population , are they experts or just Marxists ?
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44990504/ns/us_news-life/

Obama or Romney it does not Matter they are part of the Globalists ,

See what I mean about the push for population controls in the world by elite globalists , and it looks like Mitt is involved so not what we need to run the USA , http://saynsumthn.wordpress.com/2011/10/18/republican-mitt-romney-consulted-population-control-eugenics-czar-john-holdren/
Romney Voted for Population-Control Fanatic Presidential Candidate
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=47842

Your vote was going to Obama anyway you socialist loving piece of crap!

LMAO at Rick....really? An individual who has stated that they would vote for Obama, and you come back with that?

Really? He's really a socialist? My God, you and the rest of Republicans are bat@!$%# crazy! You scream about personal freedoms and the government having too much power, yet you are ready to use government to enforce your religious agenda upon America. Ban Abortion, repeal "Obamacare", make it harder for people to vote, etc, etc, etc.

Hey Rick, Na na na na na na!!! You are a right wing nutjob bud...glad you're on the other side! lmao at Rick..Obama/Biden 2012, 2013,2014,2015

Stone6, probably because Romney and Obama are both big government guys. However Obama is just as good at socialism and big government than Romney is. What is the difference in Romney care and Obama care? Nothing

10/4! Good Buddy! Ron Paul for President, Gingrich for Vice President, or we R done!

a) Neither Gingrich or Paul are going to receive the nomination of the Republican Party. Gingrich thinks he's the smartest guy in the room and no one likes a wise-guy. Paul is a nice little, old man, with eccentric ideas, which sound very good, until they are thought through.

b) If, by hook or crook, either IS nominated, they will not win in a general election. When Americans profess their "conservatism," it means they don't consider themselves raving liberals; it does not mean they embrace a far right agenda. Mainstream America is conservative in that they are deeply suspicious of radical change, to the left or right.

c) Big government? Government spending is different from the size of government itself. Federal government employees have been DECREASING in ratio to the total population, for almost a generation (from a high of 14.5 per thousand to around 8.5 per thousand). The real growth in government, in terms of employees, has been at the state and local levels. So...by all means, transfer more power to the state and local governments and watch "government" grow some more.

Big government parallels the growth in the global power and influence of the United States, which in turn directly impacts our economic growth. I know of no great nation, in history, that either achieved its greatness or sustained it, by "going small."

I never tought in my life time I would get to see not one but a bunch of Sob's wanting to run this country....... and why dont the reporters ask real questions......

Really? Ddn't you endorse Governor Perry?

Ah...so you oppose Romney because he's a rich Mormon, who is politically moderate? Whatever...it's a free country...vote for whoever you want. Personally, while I would not completely throw out those factors or personal histories, I'd also consider what they are promising for the future and compare those policies against the other choices.

David--sorry, but Ron Paul will only stand for your 'freedom' if you are not a poor female or a gay person.

RICH women have always been able to get abortions--it was just called a D and C for 'heavy cramps'. Because they could pay for it.

And gays account for between 10 and 20 % of our population, and even at the lower end of that, they are about the same percent as left handed people. And in the past, left handed people were ALSO considered to be undesirables--the Latin word for 'left' is SINISTER, and in the 50's, my parents were advised to "break" my brother of being left handed so he wouldn't have that 'handicap' against him. They did, and he's been a psychological MESS the rest of his life.

Gray, Finally you said something that makes sense. Our days R numbered if a Repug is elected....or Mr. Paul!!!!!!btw,I do agree with an earlier statement you made about abolishing the federal tax on fuel. And Mittens is one arrogant, only for the richest sob.
Obama/Biden 2012

I think you are referring mostly to internet polls. Paul is a libertarian. I have no proof, but would suggest that libertarians are over-represented on the internet compared to the general population...hence, he usually does well.

Regarding national, scientific polling, while he generally falls in the top tier, I don't think he's consistently in the top spot.

Paul isn't going to be nominated by the Republican Party...maybe the Libertarian Party, if he decides to go that way. And, in that case - as he well knows - he'd only divide the Republican vote and hand the election to Obama. I think Paul has signficiant minority support within the Republican Party (maybe 30-35%), but because of what are perceived as radical positions (drugs, defense, etc), it is not an "expandable minority," which is what it will take to win the general election. You get the nomination from the base, but you run toward the middle...because that's, more or less, where you govern from. Remember, like it or not, the President represents ALL of us.

All but Huntsmen signed the Grover Norquist blood oath to never raise taxes. However, Huntsmen approves of the Paul Ryan plan to kill Medicare and Social Security, as we know it.

Dale--until you advocate a tax plan that requires EVERYONE to pay SOME taxes (even the very poor) in the form of a flat tax, I am totally against raising taxes on the group who is already paying MOST of the taxes.

When 50% of your electorate not only pays NO income tax, but also receives REFUNDS of money they never paid in, and benefits in the form of welfare, unemployment, food stamps, low income housing, WIC, etc, they will NEVER vote for someone who will balance the budget, much less pay down the deficit.

And believe me when I say I am FIRMLY in the 99%ers. The difference is, I didn't HAVE kids I couldn't afford, don't HAVE a home or car loan, and since I can no longer deduct my kids since I raised them to get out in the world and earn their own living, I pay 15% of MY income just to the feds.

On less than $50K a year.

A FAIR tax is one where EVERYONE contributes. ONLY if you pay IN do you realize the real COST of benefits. I don't WANT this country to become like Europe, going belly up because the pols 'wrote benefit packages' checks on a bank account with not enough money.

And I don't want my kids and grandkids to be saddled with debt that CURRENT government policies and hand outs committed them involuntarily to.

Would you include conservative Talk Radio and Fox in the Fourth Estate? How are they NOT part of the Liberal Media Establishment, when by definition all media is liberal?