Edwards is 9th on the list of Wealthiest US Senators. Kerry is #1.

[Junkdrawer]

Funny, I don't remember Kerry's wealth being debated last year...

Senate millionaires

John Kerry, D-Massachusetts: $163,626,399
Herb Kohl, D-Wisconsin: $111,015,016
John Rockefeller, D -West Virginia: $81,648,018
Jon Corzine, D-New Jersey: $71,035,025
Dianne Feinstein, D-California: $26,377,109
Peter Fitzgerald, R-Illinois: $26,132,013
Frank Lautenberg, D-New Jersey $17,789,018
Bill Frist, R-Tennessee: $15,108,042
John Edwards, D-North Carolina: $12,844,029
Edward Kennedy, D-Massachusetts: $9,905,009
Jeff Bingaman, D-New Mexico: $7,981,015
Bob Graham, D-Florida: $7,691,052
Richard Shelby, R-Alabama: $7,085,012
Gordon Smith, R-Oregon: $6,429,011
Lincoln Chafee, R-Rhode Island: $6,296,010
Ben Nelson, D-Nebraska: $6,267,028
Lamar Alexander, R-Tennessee: $4,823,018
Mike DeWine, R-Ohio: $4,308,093
Mark Dayton, D-Minnesota: $3,974,037
Ben Campbell, R-Colorado: $3,165,007
Chuck Hagel, R-Nebraska: $2,963,013
Olympia Snowe, R-Maine: $2,955,037
James Talent, R-Missouri: $2,843,031
Arlen Specter, R-Pennsylvania: $2,045,016
Judd Gregg, R-New Hampshire: $1,916,026
John McCain, R-Arizona: $1,838,010
James Inhofe, R-Oklahoma: $1,570,043
John Warner, R-Virginia: $1,545,039
Kay Bailey Hutchison, R - Texas: $1,513,046
Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky: $1,511,017
Harry Reid, D-Nevada: $1,500,040
Sam Brownback, R-Kansas: $1,491,018
Thomas Carper, D-Delaware: $1,482,017
Ted Stevens, R-Alaska: $1,417,013
Maria Cantwell, D-Washington: $1,264,999
Barbara Boxer, D-California: $1,172,003
Orrin Hatch, R-Utah: $1,086,023
Mary Landrieu, D-Louisiana: $1,080,014
Bill Nelson, D-Florida: $1,073,014
Charles Grassley, R-Iowa: $1,016,024
*These figures are base estimates provided by senators on their financial disclosure forms.

http://edition.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/06/13/senators.finances/


That being said, the "do we really want so many Millionaires representing us?" question is a good one, IMHO.

[saltpoint]

1. Off with their heads!

Filthy scum!

[dolo amber]

2. The top 5 are all Dems

:rofl:

[Horse with no Name]

5. That's probably because they are honest

:)

[Bucky]

13. Actually, it's a sign of why we need campaign finance reform

People get to the senate one of two ways today. (1) They're rich and they fund their own campaigns or (2) they represent the interests of rich people and get funding help from lot of rich people.

[Junkdrawer]

18. Bingo. n/t

[pampango]

29. I am still surprised that 8 of the top 10 are not Republicans,

instead of the other way around. I would sure draw different conclusions from this list if that were the case.

[Yavin4]

32. Now You Know Why So Many of Them Were Stealing

Easier to bribe someone with nothing. No?

[Pathwalker]

3. My Senators must be slackers.

Neither one is on the list.

[tabasco]

23. Haha! Yeah they probably sit around passing the bong with my senators.

Mine aren't on the list either.

[Horse with no Name]

4. That's probably not a fair list

Did it count all the lobbyist money the Repugs have in offshore accounts?

[Junkdrawer]

6. And a lot of Family wealth is in Foundation money that doesn't make the list.n/t

[mondo joe]

30. If it's in a foundation it's not their money anymore. NT

[Snotcicles]

7. How much of it was inheritance? nt

[etherealtruth]

8. 8 of the top 10 are Dem's

It's not how much you have ... it's what you do with what you've got. Politicians with populist agendas (the successful one's) can do more good with their policies than if they donated all of their personal wealth to charity.

[SaveOurDemocracy]

9. O M G ! ! !

WTFE!!! I thought what mattered was their stance on important Constitutional and social issues ... their voting record ... etc???

Will we be requiring stool samples next to have the DU lab evaluate what their diet consists of?

[Bucky]

10. Peter Fitzgerald? Jim Talent?

How old is this information?

[Junkdrawer]

12. 2003...I welcome an updated list. n/t

[Rosemary2205]

11. I don't think that is all bad.

First off it takes millionaires - or close to it - to travel in the circles required to attract the big money needed for a statewide or national campaign. Until we get public financing of elections and get the corps and lobby groups out of politics this is part of the beast.

However, you still have the situation where millionaires are more likely to understand the financial ins and outs of how the nation's economy and international trade works. I'm not saying someone like me can't understand it - or that all millionaires do - I'm just saying the person with the right education on the subject is more likely to end up a millionaire.

[bdamomma]

14. yea, they are certainly rolling in it, if you have the money you

can run for President.

[originalpckelly]

15. Well, they're not billionaires...

so they must be looking out for our best interests.

[More Than A Feeling]

16. So that's who that panhandler outside the Dirksen Building was!

It was Charles Grassley!

[Quixote1818]

17. Kerry didn't make "Two America's" his theme though.

Edwards has opened himself up for criticism because of his campaign theme.

[mondo joe]

31. Two Americas isn't about bring people DOWN - it's about everyone having opportunity

to move UP.

[question everything]

19. At which Senate is Jon Edwards currently seat?

He has not been a US Senator for over two years now, so what is your point?

[Junkdrawer]

20. My point is that we live in a system where mostly Millionaires...

represent us, and then are "shocked" when a candidate buys a mansion. :wtf:

[indepat]

21. My God, is it any wonder this country surely has among the most regressive tax schemes in

the western world, particularly when considering all taxes paid at all levels of government. Just look at how much in income taxes this administration has saved these senators.

[NoPasaran]

22. This must be an old list

Edwards hasn't been in the Senate for a couple of years.

[Mass]

24. It was NOT? Where were you? \nt

[LittleClarkie]

25. I wonder if that includes Teresa

And yeah, it was mentioned last time. Alot.

I'm not bigotted against the rich for merely being rich, however. Depends what they do with their good fortune.

[Rosemary2205]

28. Could be wrong but I think Teresa is a multi-billionaire.

if so then her wealth is definately not included.

[Rex]

26. Chump change.

No offense to em...but the BFEE deals in Bs, not Ms.

[Matariki]

27. I want MY million

waiting....