For the first time in history, the majority of members of Congress are millionaires.
We’re also witnessing the the most corrupt US government we’ve ever seen.
Gee, think there could be a connection?
For the first time in history, a majority of lawmakers in Congress are millionaires at a time when Americans feel that Congress and those in the “Boomtown” that is Washington, D.C. are becoming more removed from their everyday lives.
According to a Center for Responsive Politics’s analysis of “the personal financial disclosure data from 2012 of the 534 current members,” 268 lawmakers in Congress had an average net worth of at least $1 million. That was up from 257 from the year before.The Center for Responsive Politics found that the “median net worth for all House members was $896,000 (Democrats averaged $929,000 to Republicans’ $884,000) and, for Senators, $2.5 million.” In the Senate, “the median net worth for Senate Democrats was $1.7 million, down from $2.4 million in 2011; for Republicans: $2.9 million, up from $2.5 million in 2011.” According to the report, “the median for congressional Democrats was $1.04 million and, for Republicans, $1 million.”
Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) is the wealthiest lawmaker in Congress with a reported average net worth of $464 million in 2012 and the “least-wealthy member was Rep. David Valadao (R-Calif.), who reported an average net worth of negative $12.1 million.” According to the Center, Valadao is in debt “due to loans for his family’s dairy farm.”
To calculate the net worth of members of Congress, “the Center added together members’ significant assets, such as corporate bonds and stocks, then subtracted major liabilities such as loans, credit card debt and property mortgages.” The average net worth of each lawmaker in Congress can be found here.
And why would that be, obviously crooked dealings!
We have the best congress money can buy—–right on Keith
If you adjust for inflation, this was never true of a million 2014 dollars’ purchasing power in our more prosperous periods? I thought the middle class then was basically what a barely-millionaire would be now. That’s in worth, not annual income.
shed these anchors against freedom n liberty,take their money to heal their damages and never look back
Ivar..speak English please!!?
Term limits!
Kick all of them out!
If they are not millionaires they are very poor congressmen.
Are those teeth real……..she aint……..
If we vote them out in November that cuts off Part A of the money train, than keep them from lobbying that cuts off Part B of the money train. Term limits would be the final nail in the coffin of corruption. Than to put the dirt on the grave shut down the K Street lobbyists.