Members of Congress spend 30+ hours a week fundraising instead of governing, sleep in their offices because they cannot afford DC housing, and face no legal consequence for knowingly lying to the people they represent. The permanent campaign has replaced public service. Three reforms end it.
It should be against the law for elected officials to knowingly lie to the public. Not differences of opinion — verifiable, deliberate falsehoods. If a CEO lies to shareholders, it is fraud. If a witness lies in court, it is perjury. If a president lies to 330 million Americans about matters of war, public health, or the economy, it is just Tuesday. Three reforms change this: a Truth in Government Act, 90-day campaign windows, and congressional housing.
Three pillars: Truth in Government Act — criminal penalties for knowing falsehoods by elected officials. Three-month campaign windows modeled on the UK, Canada, Japan, and France. Congressional housing near the Capitol so members can focus on governing.
There is no federal law that makes it illegal for an elected official to knowingly lie to the public. A president, senator, or representative can make a verifiably false statement of material fact — not opinion, not projection, not honest error, but a deliberate, knowing falsehood — and face zero legal consequences. Perjury applies under oath. Fraud applies to financial schemes. But lying to 330 million Americans about matters of governance? The law is silent.
The permanent campaign has consumed Congress. Per the DNC and RNC’s own training materials for newly elected members, representatives are expected to spend 30+ hours per week on fundraising calls. That is more time than most Americans spend at their full-time jobs. Calls cannot legally be made from federal buildings — but that law is universally ignored and never enforced.
Congressional salary is $174,000 per year. DC median rent is $2,200/month for a one-bedroom. Over 70 members sleep in their offices on cots, couches, or air mattresses. This makes the job inaccessible to anyone who is not independently wealthy.
Canada criminalizes false statements about candidates. The UK Ministerial Code requires resignation for knowingly misleading Parliament. UK campaigns last 6 weeks. Canada: 36–50 days. Japan: 12 days. France: 2 weeks per round. The US campaign never ends.
Sources: DNC/RNC orientation materials — cbsnews.com · Congressional salary data — crsreports.congress.gov
Campaign costs have exploded. The cost of winning a House seat has increased from approximately $100,000 in the 1970s to over $2 million today. Senate races regularly exceed $50 million. The only way to raise this money is to spend every available hour calling donors. Governing becomes the thing you do between fundraising calls.
The First Amendment broadly protects political speech, and courts have been reluctant to impose restrictions on false political statements. But the Supreme Court in United States v. Alvarez (2012) recognized that false statements of fact have limited First Amendment protection. The question is not whether a narrowly tailored truth-in-government law is constitutional — it is whether there is political will to pass one.
Congressional salaries have not kept pace with DC housing costs. Members who maintain homes in their districts cannot easily afford a second residence. The result: sleeping in offices, accepting lobbyist-funded housing, or commuting from home states and barely being present in DC. None of these outcomes serve the public.
| Country | Campaign Length | Truth Accountability |
|---|---|---|
| Japan | 12 days (official) | Strict campaign regulations including content restrictions |
| France | 2 weeks per round | Strict campaign spending limits enforced by independent commission |
| Canada | 36–50 days (Elections Act) | Elections Act criminalizes false statements about candidates |
| United Kingdom | 6 weeks (general election) | Ministerial Code requires resignation for knowingly misleading Parliament |
| CGP Proposal | 90 days | Truth in Government Act + independent commission |
| United States (current) | Permanent | No law. No accountability. No consequences for deliberate falsehoods. |
Zero federal laws prohibit elected officials from knowingly lying to the public. Canada and the UK have accountability mechanisms. The US has nothing.
| Policy | Fiscal Position | Mechanism |
|---|---|---|
| Truth in Government Act | Minimal cost | Independent commission staffing; offset by improved governance quality |
| Campaign window enforcement | Minimal cost | FEC/ethics office resources; net savings from reduced fundraising infrastructure |
| Congressional Residence | Capital investment | Federally owned building near Capitol; fair-market rent from members covers operating costs; eliminates lobbyist housing subsidies |
| Public campaign financing | See Issue #24 | Small-dollar matching and public financing replace permanent fundraising |
| Statistic | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Laws prohibiting officials from lying to the public | 0 (federal) | 18 U.S.C. |
| Hours/week fundraising (members of Congress) | 30+ | DNC/RNC orientation materials |
| Members sleeping in offices | 70+ | News reports |
| Congressional salary | $174,000/year | CRS |
| DC median 1BR rent | $2,200/month | Census / Zillow |
| UK campaign length | 6 weeks | UK Electoral Commission |
| Canada campaign length | 36–50 days | Canada Elections Act |
| Japan campaign length | 12 days | Japan Public Offices Election Act |
| France campaign length | 2 weeks per round | French Electoral Code |
| CGP campaign window | 90 days | CGP policy |
“If a CEO lies to shareholders, it is securities fraud. If a witness lies in court, it is perjury. If an elected official lies to 330 million Americans about matters of war and peace, public health, and the economy — nothing happens. That ends now.”— The Common Good Party