We need some poor people in Congress. Considering the unemployment rate is 10.2%, it's pretty clear a whole lot of people don't need those jobs.
237 members of Congress are millionaires. That’s 44% of the body – compared to about 1 percent of Americans overall.
Recall there are 435 Representatives and 100 Senators.
Now look at this wealth:
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.
No wonder we cannot get any effective bills through Congress. These guys aren't just surrounded by corporate lobbyists, they are pals with the super rich. They are the super rich.
Senators’ estimated median reportable worth sunk to about $1.79 million from $2.27 million in 2007. The House’s median income was significantly lower and also sank, bottoming out at $622,254 from $724,258 in 2007.
Now what do you think about all those raises they voted for themselves?
We need people who understand or have a clue as to what
it's like to struggle to keep their head above water. We need people who understand what it means to have to one spouse work two jobs and another work one just to get health insurance for their two kids who don't have the benefit of seeing one of their parents until the weekend (assuming they don't work weekends). We need people who understand that it is difficult to pay the bills and save for ANYTHING based on meager wages/salaries. We need people who are committed to PUBLIC SERVICE and not private gain.
RebelCapitalist.com - Financial Information for the Rest of Us.
RebelCapitalist.com - Financial Information for the Rest of Us.
we need public financing of campaigns
I think the reason we have so many super rich in Congress is the money it takes to buy the seat.
A regular person doesn't stand a prayer's chance against these mega money machines and all that it buys.
But yeah, no wonder they don't focus on the average worker, the middle class or enact policy for them.
Did you see Joe Biden is broke? That's good (for us).