Congress represents the average American?

[SmokeSomeDoja]

For a representative government, most politicians (at the federal level) don't have terribly much in common with most people.

Report: 237 millionaires in Congress - Erika Lovley - POLITICO.com

Talk about bad timing.

As Washington reels from the news of 10.2 percent unemployment, the Center for Responsive Politics is out with a new report describing the wealth of members of Congress.

Among the highlights: Two-hundred-and-thirty-seven members of Congress are millionaires. That’s 44 percent of the body – compared to about 1 percent of Americans overall.

CRP says California Republican Rep. Darrell Issa is the richest lawmaker on Capitol Hill, with a net worth estimated at about $251 million. Next in line: Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.), worth about $244.7 million; Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wis.), worth about $214.5 million; Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), worth about $209.7 million; and Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), worth about $208.8 million.

[Mercury]

it's more complex than that. you have to take into consideration how many of them have masters degrees and such and then compare the ratio to public citizens with masters degrees, etc. but yeah, it's fucked up.

[SmokeSomeDoja]

imagine having that much money. you could basically do whatever you wanted. including become a public "servant."

[John F. Kerry]

thats the american dream doja- make enough money to live comfortably off the income from it.

almost impossible to attain, but quite easy to taste.

its the best motivation the world has yet conceived.


... it is rather fucked up that so many congresspeople have such huge wealth tho -

kinda makes u wonder why the wanna raise taxes on people just trying to get at the dream who make like 500k a year instead of making taxes like 80% on people who make OVER 10 MILLION a year.... now that really would not hurt them, and it would help our society, but instead its all about raising taxse on the "fake rich" the upper middle class that has worked their entire lives to have a decent nest egg that poor old millionaire barney frank wants to take away now... ,

...are u surprised they have a clause to not force congressmembers to join the public option? im not, john kerry can afford a shit load bettter than what the peasants will get.

[SmokeSomeDoja]

motivation that conveniently promotes capitalism, and produces dead hopes.

[Terry]

Wow that's nuts. I read an article that "my" senator Max Baucas is like a multi, multi millionaire and he's working w/ health insurance companies to get an uncle tom weakass healthcare plan going.

What's really terrifying to me is that money is coming from somewhere, how far are these senators willing to go to protect their piggy banks?

[zerodown]

Wow that's nuts. I read an article that "my" senator Max Baucas is like a multi, multi millionaire and he's working w/ health insurance companies to get an uncle tom weakass healthcare plan going.

What's really terrifying to me is that money is coming from somewhere, how far are these senators willing to go to protect their piggy banks?

They are willing to go very very very far, like 9/11 far...