Its unrealistic to expect the typical politician to avert their re-election eyes from this budgetary temptation. We must help them help themselves, or theyll bring us all down in a maelstrom of financial decay.

John Arnold, a Houston Democrat, has inserted his foundation into political fights over how to deal with the rising cost of state and local government pensions.

Employees in the public sector have lost something they used to count on: faith that their retirement income prospects were good.

Private pensions outperformed public funds and foundations and endowments in the second quarter, returning 4 percent, according to Northern Trust Universe data.