Count the millionaires in Congress

[KevinKohler]

Also FWIW, a quick check with an inflation calculator says that $1m was about $300k in 1980.

Yet, in CT, one of the most expensive places to live in the US, current median house price is 300k. In 1980, it was 85-90k.

Perspective.

 

[Lafayette]

Yet, in CT, one of the most expensive places to live in the US, current median house price is 300k. In 1980, it was 85-90k.

Perspective.

Rather, "Demand" ...

 

[NatMorton]

Yet, in CT, one of the most expensive places to live in the US, current median house price is 300k. In 1980, it was 85-90k.

Perspective.

Don't worry. With the way CT is being run, housing prices there may fall back to that level soon.

 

[KevinKohler]

Don't worry. With the way CT is being run, housing prices there may fall back to that level soon.

You'd think...but no, housing market is red hot right now...being bought up by new Yorkers with huge cash down.

 

[Lafayette]

You'd think...but no, housing market is red hot right now...being bought up by new Yorkers with huge cash down.

Right - so everyone goes out to buy a new house and in a year there is an economic downturn and nobody can sell their house!

Yes, yes, I know that is not going to happen. It could happen, but it would take a major catastrophe to trigger it.

What I am saying is what is going-on NOW in this forum. Everybody is looking at the own personal-situation, when in fact, the US is facing a major threat of economic turmoil if it does not get its act-together.

And what does that mean? It' means economic-unfairness is keeping people at or below the $26K per year that is considered the absolute minimum work-income to sustain a family of four. These are people who could not afford to go to university - and they are many!

And from where does Income Unfairness come? From the fact that someone was foolish enough not to complete high-school. Had s/he done been through HS, they would be able to enter a 3/6 month basic skills-training program. Most go off and join the Army, and there the military-service does provide funds to take courses.

But all this is simply a mediocre response to a one single fact: Post-secondary schooling is so damn expensive that the kids from poor families do not have the means to pay for the courses!

The average $11K that a state-university asks for nowadays is far, far beyond the reach of the very poor who's annual income is a bit more than double that amount. If we diminished the $718B total DoD expenditure Uncle Sam would be able to fund the states to provide quality post-secondary schooling at an affordable cost to all who ask ...

 

[Lafayette]

Yet, in CT, one of the most expensive places to live in the US, current median house price is 300k. In 1980, it was 85-90k.

Perspective.

In real-estate there is a general rule: The higher you go (in price) and the faster you do it, then the further you fall and quickly.

Fools believe in the "quick-buck" and they are aplenty in America. Whyzzat? Good question!

Difficult to answer because at the root are multiple psychological factors in play. Foremost of which is "Keeping up with the Joneses". And the other one is, "Well, if you can make a quick-buck why not do so?"

These are called "exaggerated mentalities" and there is no pill for the malady. Especially in this day-and-age of what some psychologists call the "Internet Madness" - which is nothing more than human-beings behaving like animals by having their emotions master their ability to reason.

Just look how easily Donald Dork manipulated public-opinion on the Internet. It boggles the mind to see how some humans can behave so sheepishly ...

 

[tshade]

I don't care if anyone is a millionaire, I am writing about "Income Fairness" - a subject that is likely beyond your conception?

Try me and see. Tell me why I should love millionaires because the do sooooo-much for the economy!

Go ahead - just try ...

No one is saying you should "love" them.........perhaps admire them for succeeding??

 

[Lafayette]

THE HIGHEST PER-CAPITA INCARCERATION RATE

No one is saying you should "love" them.........perhaps admire them for succeeding??

Succeeding what? Just WHAT is your yardstick? BigMoulah?

I have a very different one called Economic Fairness. Which is defined as this:

When all a people benefit from the country's success, so that opportunity and prosperity are shared. This means tackling discrimination and disadvantage, and reducing the inequality by narrowing the gaps between people.

Succeeding is when a country shows the economic distribution of income in its "natural state" - from low-to-high incomes. The distribution of income should fair and equitable - and there should not be one "cast of individuals" who are raking in millions (and for some even billions).

That sort of distribution is clearly unfair! Moreover, the American political-distribution (in Congress) is more than half that of millionaires!

What in heaven's name sort of country is that? It's one in which the "rich get richer" and the poor can go-to-hell - or prison. Whichever! (It's very-good business building prisons in America!)

From Statista here: Incarceration rates in selected countries 2021

The United States is not only the country with the highest incarceration rate worldwide, but it is also home to the largest number of prisoners. Roughly 2.12 million people were incarcerated in the U.S. in 2020. In China, the estimated prison population totaled to 1.71 million people that year. Other nations had far fewer prisoners.

The largest share of the U.S. prisoners in federal correctional facilities were of African-American origin. As of 2018, there were almost 409,600 black, non-Hispanic prisoners, compared to 394,800 white, non-hispanic inmates. The U.S. states with the largest number of prisoners in 2019 were Texas, California and Florida.

About 176,300 prisoners in state facilities were sentenced for drug-related offenses, such as trafficking and possession. Drug-related offenses were the most common cause of imprisonment in state prisons. Second most common were felonies, such as murder and robbery.

The above statement is a bit warped. The most significant incarceration-rate is indisputably by the given percentage of the total population.

The per-capita rate of incarceration is shown in the graphic just precedent to the above quotation. And in terms of a population-rate, yes, as shown in the link quoted above, the US is the country that incarcerates the most per-capita.

So, the obvious question we should be asking ourselves is Why? And, economists with their eyes-wide-open would say, Because the distribution of income is highly distorted ... !

 

[Bodi]

I'd be interested to know their net worth prior to taking office and net worth after one term. That may be a more accurate method.

Buh - Buh - Buh - BINGO!!

 

[Lafayette]

A HELLISH EXISTENCE

No one is saying you should "love" them.........perhaps admire them for succeeding??

As you like, but all they did was "luck-out". Am I envious. No, not in the least!

I am, however, highly-critical of any Public Authority that would reduce upper-income taxation so that such people should be able to enhance their riches! They don't need it and it spoils their kids rotten! (Donald-Dork being a prime example!)

But, since Kennedy foolishly started reducing upper-income taxation (as a gift to his father for his help in funding his election) we have broken a Good Habit.

Which one is that? Allow individuals to improve their financial situation but only up to a limit. Kennedy foolishly disrespected that rule, and the Replicants jumped for joy when Ronald RayGun lowered them even further. (The history of upper-income taxation in America can be seen in this infographic here.)

The Replicants have been piling in the BigMoney at the high end ever since. And at the low end! The Replicants are making more money building new-prisons for all the migrants that end up stealing in order to subsist in the US!

From here:

According to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) in 2018 Black males accounted for 34% of the total male prison population, white males 29%, and Hispanic males 24%. White females comprised 47% of the prison population in comparison to Black females who accounted for 18% of the female population.

I'm no expert in demographic data, but clearly the Hispanics and Blacks are the majority populations in jails across America - which is a shame to their races-and-cultures. They both deserve better - and to my mind the ladder UP to a better economic-existence is Free (or nearly free) Post-secondary Education.

By which all-colors in America will earn salaries significantly higher than they do today. In this manner, they will become Mainstream Americans just like everybody else who have taken the same route out-of-a-hellish-existence ...

 

[tshade]

THE HIGHEST PER-CAPITA INCARCERATION RATE



Succeeding what? Just WHAT is your yardstick? BigMoulah?

I have a very different one called Economic Fairness. Which is defined as this:


Succeeding is when a country shows the economic distribution of income in its "natural state" - from low-to-high incomes. The distribution of income should fair and equitable - and there should not be one "cast of individuals" who are raking in millions (and for some even billions).

That sort of distribution is clearly unfair! Moreover, the American political-distribution (in Congress) is more than half that of millionaires!

What in heaven's name sort of country is that? It's one in which the "rich get richer" and the poor can go-to-hell - or prison. Whichever! (It's very-good business building prisons in America!)

From Statista here: Incarceration rates in selected countries 2021



The above statement is a bit warped. The most significant incarceration-rate is indisputably by the given percentage of the total population.

The per-capita rate of incarceration is shown in the graphic just precedent to the above quotation. And in terms of a population-rate, yes, as shown in the link quoted above, the US is the country that incarcerates the most per-capita.

So, the obvious question we should be asking ourselves is Why? And, economists with their eyes-wide-open would say, Because the distribution of income is highly distorted ... !

They are successful in part because of being in the positions they are in----and don't forget WHO puts them in charge. For the most part, people make their own success here in America. But I agree that success can be measured in many different ways.

 

[tshade]

A HELLISH EXISTENCE



As you like, but all they did was "luck-out". Am I envious. No, not in the least!

I am, however, highly-critical of any Public Authority that would reduce upper-income taxation so that such people should be able to enhance their riches! They don't need it and it spoils their kids rotten! (Donald-Dork being a prime example!)

But, since Kennedy foolishly started reducing upper-income taxation (as a gift to his father for his help in funding his election) we have broken a Good Habit.

Which one is that? Allow individuals to improve their financial situation but only up to a limit. Kennedy foolishly disrespected that rule, and the Replicants jumped for joy when Ronald RayGun lowered them even further. (The history of upper-income taxation in America can be seen in this infographic here.)

The Replicants have been piling in the BigMoney at the high end ever since. And at the low end! The Replicants are making more money building new-prisons for all the migrants that end up stealing in order to subsist in the US!

From here:


I'm no expert in demographic data, but clearly the Hispanics and Blacks are the majority populations in jails across America - which is a shame to their races-and-cultures. They both deserve better - and to my mind the ladder UP to a better economic-existence is Free (or nearly free) Post-secondary Education.

By which all-colors in America will earn salaries significantly higher than they do today. In this manner, they will become Mainstream Americans just like everybody else who have taken the same route out-of-a-hellish-existence ...

In America, we make our own "luck". WE voted these guys in, don't forget. I agree that we need to work on racial justice, and we also need to stop making excuses......

 

[Lafayette]

CONGRESS - MILLIONAIRES BY-THE-BUSHEL

In America, we make our own "luck". WE voted these guys in, don't forget. I agree that we need to work on racial justice, and we also need to stop making excuses......

Yes, so let's go back to basics! That is, the very beginning:
*We ripped the colonies away from a nitwit of an English king, and set up our own government.
*Then we forgot the basics of any truly democratic republic. Because at the same time, the southern states were entirely dependent for manpower upon black-slaves. It took America another 60 years to settle that issue in a Civil War at the expense of 620,000 dead!
*It's high-time we learned about what a Free-Democracy is in essence - and it is not just slavery. Neither is it just "freedom of speech". It's more a question of fairness of one's existence. And at the bottom of our "economic pile" are millions of people who live below the Poverty Line.
*To be exact, this quote from here:

From February to June 2020: The number of non-elderly individuals living in families with combined weekly earnings below the poverty line rose by 14.1 million (28 percent), from 51.0 million to 65.1 million. (Jul 15, 2020)

There is also a matter of fairness regardless of how or where one was born. That fairness nowadays is in deep, deep danger since Replicant Ronnie RayGun started by reducing the upper-income taxation rate right up to when Donald-Dork reduced it once again (to entice funds for his reelection committee).

More than half our Congress is constituted of millionaires!

See here from OpenSecrets.org: Majority of lawmakers in 116th Congress are millionaires

The median net worth of members of Congress who filed disclosures last year [2019] is just over $1 million.

 

[KevinKohler]

CONGRESS - MILLIONAIRES BY-THE-BUSHEL



Yes, so let's go back to basics! That is, the very beginning:
*We ripped the colonies away from a nitwit of an English king, and set up our own government.
*Then we forgot the basics of any truly democratic republic. Because at the same time, the southern states were entirely dependent for manpower upon black-slaves. It took America another 60 years to settle that issue in a Civil War at the expense of 620,000 dead!
*It's high-time we learned about what a Free-Democracy is in essence - and it is not just slavery. Neither is it just "freedom of speech". It's more a question of fairness of one's existence. And at the bottom of our "economic pile" are millions of people who live below the Poverty Line.
*To be exact, this quote from here:


There is also a matter of fairness regardless of how or where one was born. That fairness nowadays is in deep, deep danger since Replicant Ronnie RayGun started by reducing the upper-income taxation rate right up to when Donald-Dork reduced it once again (to entice funds for his reelection committee).

More than half our Congress is constituted of millionaires!

See here from OpenSecrets.org: Majority of lawmakers in 116th Congress are millionaires

Listen...I'm trying to help you...but focusing on the fact that 51% of lawmakers have a net worth of just over 1 million doesn't mean much, anymore.

I'm a retail manager, and in about 10 years, I'll have a net worth of a million, maybe a hair less, depending on the housing market and my 401k.

I'm buying a house, which will be about 500k. Wow, I'm rich...right? Except wait, I live in CT, where a 500k house = 2,800 square feet, 2 car garage, 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath, 1 acre of land. Hardly a mansion. But at current inflation rate and housing market growth, assuming assuming I take care of the house...in 10 years, that house will be worth 800k. And by then, my 401k and company stock options will definitely be over 200k. And there you have it...you're lumping me, a retail worker, 1 among many hundreds of thousands, in with "millionaire lawmakers".

You need to focus on WHERE lawmakers money comes from.

 

[tshade]

CONGRESS - MILLIONAIRES BY-THE-BUSHEL



Yes, so let's go back to basics! That is, the very beginning:
*We ripped the colonies away from a nitwit of an English king, and set up our own government.
*Then we forgot the basics of any truly democratic republic. Because at the same time, the southern states were entirely dependent for manpower upon black-slaves. It took America another 60 years to settle that issue in a Civil War at the expense of 620,000 dead!
*It's high-time we learned about what a Free-Democracy is in essence - and it is not just slavery. Neither is it just "freedom of speech". It's more a question of fairness of one's existence. And at the bottom of our "economic pile" are millions of people who live below the Poverty Line.
*To be exact, this quote from here:


There is also a matter of fairness regardless of how or where one was born. That fairness nowadays is in deep, deep danger since Replicant Ronnie RayGun started by reducing the upper-income taxation rate right up to when Donald-Dork reduced it once again (to entice funds for his reelection committee).

More than half our Congress is constituted of millionaires!

See here from OpenSecrets.org: Majority of lawmakers in 116th Congress are millionaires

This is a government OF and BY the people. We need only look in the mirror for any blame....

 

[Lafayette]

ABOUT TAX FAIRNESS

About half of our Congress consists of "millionaires" - that is, people who have Net Worth of 1 million dollars.

So, if your parents left you three houses all around a major city, you have the net worth of a "millionaire".

But, that is not what I am getting at. My point is simple. Shouldn't "representative governance" have the same or a similar identity of the fellow-citizens they are representing.

Given that the Rightist Dorks are on a Power-Binge (given their robust millionaire-mentalities) shouldn't those to the Left show the opposite penchant? This is thus a question of Upper-income Fairness.

What might the definition of the above be? Try this on for size (from here):

Tax fairness is a concept which stipulates that a government's tax system should be equitable to all citizens. Opinions differ, however, in just how to reach tax fairness.

The solutions are varied, but most fall under three broad systems of taxation. They include regressive taxation, progressive taxation, and blended taxation.

Be careful of the definition of "equitable". It does not mean "equal". It means fair and impartial.

Whatever that means ...

 

[Lafayette]

This is a government OF and BY the people. We need only look in the mirror for any blame....

I could not agree more! And whyzat? Because we are mesmerized by riches! It's all over television!

We've become a "show-off" nation and we like to see the rich whilst they are "playing-around".

But, when it comes to economic-fairness everybody starts shouting, "What the HELL IS THAT?!?

Here is what it isn't:

The rich-get-richer and the poor can-go-to-hell ... ?

 

[Lafayette]

This is a government OF and BY the people. We need only look in the mirror for any blame....

Yes, OK! So, you took a course in Civics.

And just where in that course did it say "If you want to blame somebody for non-function of the Congress, then just look in the mirror!"

Nowhere - which is why, I for one, am painting such a brutal picture of Uncle Sam's World today. And whyzzat?

Because proof-positive has been shown that the country is biased towards the rich and super-rich. And the key-element of proof is in the distribution of wealth. And where might we find that?

Here: Income inequality in the United States from which, this excerpt:

In September 2019, the Census Bureau reported that income inequality in the United States had reached its highest level in 50 years, with the GINI index increasing from 48.2 in 2017 to 48.5 in 2018. ... After taxes and transfers, that income growth is more skewed toward the higher income households.

Now if you were an economist you would know what is meant by Gini Index. Which is simply a means of calculating income-unfairness (or income inequality as said above) in America.

And, if you are unable to understand the factual evidence, then that is not my fault.

But it's most certainly Your Fault ... !

 

[NoMoreDems-Reps]

From thebalance: US Military Budget, Its Components, Challenges, and Growth

Excerpt:




And who votes the budget created by the PotUS every year? Both parts of Congress, the HofR and Senate.

And what percentage of those two entities are millionaires?

From Wikipedia (here):


No further comment is necessary ...

The DEM-REP Monopoly is doing exactly what they want, and are getting the Sheep to fall in line !
Here's a very enlightening read (for both the Left and Right Voters) !

545 Politicians vs. 300,000,000 People - The American Vision

The following article was written by Charley Reese for the Orlando Sentinel newspaper on March 7, 1995, under the title “Looking for Someone To Blame? Congress Is Good Place To Start.” Reese worked for the Orlando Sentinel from 1971 to 2001 as a writer and in various editorial capacities. The...

americanvision.org

 

[skeptic llc]

Don't worry. With the way CT is being run, housing prices there may fall back to that level soon.

Soon all people will live in far right theocracy states, and houses there will be worth something. It keeps not happening, but keep the faith. Meanwhile, I continue to invest in blue states where non-moron citizens actually want to live, and to make money doing so.

 

[Bodi]

Any dumb shit that supports politicians and thinks that politicians are out to help the people/society... Is a stupid ****ing moron.

Politicians do not represent the people. They represent the rich... the special interest groups... secret deals... etc. If you think otherwise you are an idiot.

 

[Lafayette]

SOCIAL DEMOCRACY

The DEM-REP Monopoly is doing exactly what they want, and are getting the Sheep to fall in line !
Here's a very enlightening read (for both the Left and Right Voters) !

545 Politicians vs. 300,000,000 People - The American Vision

The following article was written by Charley Reese for the Orlando Sentinel newspaper on March 7, 1995, under the title “Looking for Someone To Blame? Congress Is Good Place To Start.” Reese worked for the Orlando Sentinel from 1971 to 2001 as a writer and in various editorial capacities. The...

americanvision.org

What DEM-REP monopoly.

The democracy known as the "US" is a two-party system and not by law. It historically of that kind.

If you don't like it, then change it! I for one am convinced that America needs something better than a "Democrat-party". It needs what is called nowadays a SocialDemocrat party.

But we yanks are scared shatless about he word "Social". We think that should be reserved to such activities as a "Church Social". Well, NO! Not at all!

Definition of Social Democracy (and thus a Social-Democrat Party):

Social democracy is a political, social and economic philosophy. As an economic ideology and policy regime, it is described by academics as advocating economic and social interventions to promote social-justice within the framework of a liberal-democratic polity and a capitalist-oriented mixed economy.

OK, so what is the definition of Social Justice (some would say Fairness):

Justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society.

Now that seems like a damn-right definition of a political-system worth adopting. And it is not the one at hand in the US today. There is very little Social Justice especially as regards one of its basic tenets. That is, fair (not equality!) in the distribution of Income and thus Wealth.

The US is one of the most warped in terms of Social Justice of all economies supposedly "Fair Economies" ...

And, remember, let's get beyond just the economy. In the definition above there are the words "opportunity" and "privileges". Opportunity is both social and economic. Social in the acceptance of peer-equality as as regards an individual's name, blood, family of origin or color. Economic-equality means that an individual is not refused opportunity just because of lack of an all-white skin-colour!

White happened to be the dominant skin-colour of the nation's first inhabitants who were either English, French or Spanish settlers who controlled all slave-trading and therefore adopted prejudices that have remained until this day-and-age!

NB: From here: Colonial America (1492-1763)

Quote:

The Spanish were among the first Europeans to explore the New World and the first to settle in what is now the United States. By 1650, however, England had established a dominant presence on the Atlantic coast. The first (British) colony was founded at Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607.

What American history books treat too lightly is the fact that as well as England both Spain and France had also sent "colonials" to "their colonies" on the North American continent. However, it was only at the inception of Canada as an independent nation that the "official languages" (plural) were recognized of original settlers then and citizens today of the large French community that had colonized a most northeastern part of American continent at the time ...

NB: Some islands in the Caribbean Atlantic still speak their original French-language and they send today representatives to the French parliament in Paris. (They are thus "French" citizens.)

 

[Lafayette]

MILLIONAIRES WHO ARE DECADES IN CONGRESS

The DEM-REP Monopoly is doing exactly what they want, and are getting the Sheep to fall in line! Here's a very enlightening read (for both the Left and Right Voters) !

I think, rather, the problem with Congress is more so the fact that it is very comfortably populated by millionaires who, having that order of riches, did not know what to do with themselves.

From here: Majority of lawmakers in 116th Congress are millionaires

Excerpt:

Congress is an exclusive club. It’s also a wealthy one.

More than half of those in Congress are millionaires, data from lawmakers’ most recent personal financial disclosures shows. The median net worth of members of Congress who filed disclosures last year is just over $1 million.

Much of the wealth in Congress is concentrated at the top. The top 10 percent of wealthiest lawmakers have three times more wealth than the bottom 90 percent. While some lawmakers are still paying off student loans, others are paying off their third or fourth mortgage. The group of wealthiest members includes career politicians who boosted their portfolios over decades in Congress and recently elected lawmakers.

And we-the-sheeple let this happen over the past 20/30 years. It occurred all by itself.

Millionaires/Billionaires did not know what to do with themselves so they thought, "Hey, why not get elected to Congress! Then we'll have a real purpose-in-life!"

Does anyone really think these people have much interest whatsoever with the poorest on the Income Scale down at the bottom. Or the fact that America needs a better distribution-of-income for its own economic security?

Some may have a sympathy, but none are really concerned about "Why are those poor-people there?" and "How do we get them out to a higher level of income?"

Not for one moment do the above thoughts cross their mindless-brains. Life is just great! "Hey, I'm a millionaire" and "Hey, I'm spending my time in Congress with my millionaire friends!"

Think about it! Do these people really have We, the Sheeple as their principal motive of existence as our representatives to Congress? I doubt that very, very much. And it is really quite sad, because we've been duped! We thought they'd help us instead of helping-themselves!

How did this band of Congressional-millionaires come about? JFK began reducing upper-income taxation that was almost confiscatory (to please his father who helped find the funding for his election) - and the rest was done by subsequent Replicant Presidents* simply continued doing likewise!

AND WE ARE THE SUCKERS THAT LET IT HAPPEN !

You don't want to believe that above? Just see the historical evolution of upper-income taxation here ...

 

[dirtpoorchris]

Any dumb shit that supports politicians and thinks that politicians are out to help the people/society... Is a stupid ****ing moron.

Politicians do not represent the people. They represent the rich... the special interest groups... secret deals... etc. If you think otherwise you are an idiot.

They also love easy wins if you can somehow deliver it to their plate. Like if you were to have begged Trump in public and showed trust in him his demagogic side actually might go along with it if it will end up making him look good. Probably same with Biden but hes terrified to talk to people off the script.

 

[Cynical]

a net worth of a million for people who have the education to be congress critters is really not all that shocking. what is shocking is how much some ex-politicians make due to their connections

Not only themselves but their family members as well.