The Hill's 2011 50 Wealthiest in Congress (profiles)

[chill_wind]

By The Hill Staff - 09/05/11 05:30 AM ET

Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) has dethroned Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) as the richest member of Congress, according to The Hill’s annual list of the 50 wealthiest lawmakers.

McCaul reported a net worth of at least $287 million, by far the most of any lawmaker.

Analysis for The Hill’s Wealthiest shows that 2010 was a banner year for many well-heeled members of Congress. Lawmakers including Republican Rep. Darrell Issa (Calif.) and Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) saw gains of millions of dollars in their fortunes.

Together, the 50 wealthiest lawmakers reported a minimum net worth of $1.6 billion, about $200 million more than the lawmakers who appeared on 2010’s list.

more: http://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/179087-the-hills-2011-50-wealthiest-congress-rish-list?page=1

Descriptions of the top 50's wealth backgrounds. If you don't have time to scroll through all 50, here's just the TOP TEN, seven of them Dems. Ranging from $287 to $44.4 million, in descending order.

McCaul
Issa
Kerry
Rockefeller
Warner
Polis
Lautenberg
Blumenthal
Feinstein
Buchanan

[Tuesday Afternoon]

1. recommend.

[Autumn]

2. These are the ones who decide what the

poor, elderly and working class are allowed to have. They have theirs so screw the underclass.

[GreenPartyVoter]

3. SO true.

[chill_wind]

4. I'm pretty sure if they don't want to eat peas

no one's going to tell them they must.

[RKP5637]

5. Yep, that's the bottom line in America today. I got mine and F you, but

that's not enough, they want yours too, even if pennies to them. It's capitalism at its finest.

[AshevilleKate]

16. Sad commentary about our society

It has long been a fact that no poor person will ever be elected to office, in the current political regimes anyway. But it also says that we continue in many ways to be a society that is to a great extent "ruled by the rich" and at their mercy.
Here is something I wish I could make happen in every state in the union. This is a challenge to every congressman and senator, every freakin' legislator we send to Washington, DC.

Assume that you are a couple with two kids. Assume you are lucky enough to both have full time jobs, (minimum wage jobs of course), dubious in this precarious economy, but one presumption to give the politicians a little bit of aid. Put forth a challenge to all senators and congressmen to live on that for one month. Pay all the taxes of course and get no freebies, because you do not qualify for assistance if you each work full time. Your kids are in school, thankfully, but still need some daycare. You of course either have a mortgage or you rent, you must pay utilities and maintain at least one car. You have to pay insurances and small incidentals like, gee, food. You have no secondary education beyond a high school degree because it is too expensive to go to school. One of the working parents has medical issues that require a fair amount of prescriptions and doctors visits. One of your kids needs braces and one has glasses that are the result of eye disease. That of course means glasses are constantly changing. Sorry, senators, no free transportation available. Sorry, no magic honorarium. No free rent. No free postage. No magic fairy. Live on it. Oh, God, "Sally" has fallen in the parking lot and broken her foot. She cannot work for two weeks. Now "Hank" must cover for the whole family. Sorry, no savings account here. Sorry, no workmen's comp case here. Sorry, no magic fairy. Live on it. Oh, God, little "Abe" needs to provide snacks for his class this week and has to have a costume for the school pageant. Stretch that shoestring some more. Sorry, no assistance here. No rich relatives either. And nope, no magic fairy. Just, you got it, live on it.

Okay, how many of these sanctimonious indulgent silver-spoon fed S.O.B.'s in D.C. are even going to acknowledge that this is reality? How many would be shocked if they saw what people are trying to do every single f'ing day?

Want to freak out your politicians? Want to shock the you-know-what out of that top 50, or for that matter, the whole bunch of them? Send the challenge just as I wrote it here. I have done that to my NC polticians, and got no response...no surprise. But maybe we start hammering home the ide that serfdom theoretically ended in the Middle Ages in Europe. That being ruled by the elite is not the way this country is supposed to be run. Walk a mile in my shoes for one month, not as I now have to for the rest of my life. Start putting the focus on America, Mr./Ms. Politician please, and stop thinking you have to be that "be all/end all" for the rest of the world. We can only be as strong as our weakest link. Bleeding ourselves dry satisfies and helps no one.

Thanks for letting me vent and get on my soapbox for awhile....sorry if I made everyone out there a little nuts. I am brand new to this, and this is only my third attempt at trying to voice my opinion. Feel free to contact me with feedback if that is an acceptable thing.

[Cool Logic]

6. Indeed, many members of the D & R of DC Financial Group constitute the 1%...

that controls 38% of US wealth.

Why do you think 1% of the population controls 38% of the wealth?

Answer: Because our Representatives let them acquire it...and by default, let themselves acquire it.

[RKP5637]

7. Exactly, they serve their own interests first, and then a few scraps go out for

"we the people" to the lambs and serfs. And their share, TPTB, grows at an ever faster rate, by design, by their design.

[INdemo]

8. That is why we need (will never see it) term limits

[RKP5637]

9. Yep, the system is skewed severely toward wealth and power by default. We basically

have no significant limitations on wealth and power in this country. Politics is the natural gravitational pull for wealth in this country, a natural, to serve their own needs best, even if it means eventual failure of the country.

[INdemo]

11. I truly believe that if Romney or Perry are elected that will

most certainly be the end of our Democracy...

[RKP5637]

13. Yep, same here. I see 2012 as one of the major pivotal points for

the future of this country. If Romney or Perry are elected the leverage toward the end of our Democracy will be too great to overcome.

I'm often concerned we are headed toward some form of a fascist theocratic dystopia. I see myself as pretty much of a level headed individual, so I make that statement with trepidation.

However, I just see us failing on so many cylinders as a nation, I just don't see how we can endure a Romney or Perry presidency and all that will bring with it ... and survive as a Democracy.

[midnight]

10. Or perhaps we need to clean out the election software fraud...

[RKP5637]

14. Excellent point!!! n/t

[INdemo]

15. With the Citizens United and the numerous pacs

that the koch Bros.have in place...that software is probably being rewritten right now and double checked..If the election is even close on 2012 we lose ..and the hell of it is with all the crazies holding Governorships they have many options..

[chill_wind]

12. Yes indeed.

[chill_wind]

17. Meanwhile, one hour from Manhattan..

The Tent City of New Jersey
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2021173/Americas-city-broken-dreams-50-jobless-destitute-people-set-forest-community-New-Yorks-doorstep.html




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