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发帖数: 29846 | 1 Seven of the Top Ten Wealthiest Members of Congress Are Democrats
Yes America, there is a wealth gap. Seven of the top ten wealthiest members
in Congress are Democrats.
The results are based on a new study released today by the non-partisan
Center for Responsive Politics. The Center did an analysis of the financial
statements filed by members of Congress for 2010 income and net worth.
This revelation of extreme wealth by Democratic politicians is completely
contrary to the public image of the Democratic Party. President Obama has
castigated “millionaires and billionaires,” suggesting they are evil
people, largely Republican or conservative. The issue of the Democratic
Party as the millionaire party has not yet made it into the mainstream media
. But the facts are indisputable. Democratic members of Congress tend to be
wealthier than their Republican counterparts.
According to the Center, 36 Senate Democrats and 30 Senate Republicans
reported an average net worth in excess of $1 million in 2010. The median
estimated net worth among members of the Senate Democrats was $2.58 million.
Senate Republican median net worth was $2.43 million.
And, the wealthy Democrats tend to inherit their money. Republicans tend to
earn it.
Senators John Kerry (D-MA), Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) and House Minority Leader
Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) all came by their fortunes through marriage or
inheritance. Senator Kerry, who was born into wealth, has listed his net
worth as high as $281 million, while his wife Teresa is estimated to be
worth $1 billion. Ms. Heinz did not earn her wealth either. She inherited
the money from her husband Senator John Heinz, who died in an airplane crash.
Senator Rockefeller, representing dirt poor West Virginia, inherited his
fortune from his family. He is reported to be worth $136 million.
While the economy continued to tank in 2010, Rep. Pelosi reported her own
wealth to grow by 62%. Pelosi’s husband, Paul, is a financier. They own a
multi-million dollar vineyard and a number of million dollar homes. They
have a net worth of $196 million.
Former Democrat Rep. Jane Harmon (D-CA), who in 2010 was listed as the third
wealthiest member of Congress, was married to the late stereo magnate
Sidney Harman of Harman-Karmen fame. Together they were worth $493 million.
Only Republican Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX) married into major money. His net
worth went from $12 million to $502 million in two years. The explanation?
He married an heiress to the Clear Channel radio empire.
Among those who actually got their money by earning it, Republicans were in
the slight majority. Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), a self-made millionaire
earned his wealth by creating the Viper car security system. He is estimated
to be worth more than $700 million. Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho) started as a
rancher and attorney. His wealth is cited as $88 million.
Rep. Vernon Buchanan (R-FL), one of only three Republicans to make the top
ten earned his money through real estate and car dealerships. He is
estimated to be worth over $323 million.
Much has been made about Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) being the wealthiest
Republican in the U.S. Senate. But he is ranked only number 14 because there
are so many wealthier Democrats ahead of him. He doesn’t make the Top Ten.
He worked as a construction superintendent. Then started his own company.
Today he is worth $107 million.
Among Democrats who earned their income, Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) first
made his money as a mobile phone franchiser, later as a high tech venture
capitalist in Northern Virginia just outside of Washington.
Warner is reported to have learned about the telecommunications industry
while working for Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT). Sen. Dodd decided not to run for
re-election as he was under a cloud for taking a below-market mortgage from
the CEO of now bankrupt Countrywide Financial.
For those who are keeping score, Dodd recently landed a sweet job as the
head of the Motion Picture Association of America after he declined to run
for re-election in 2008. The Hollywood Reporter says his annual salary will
be pegged at $1.5 million.
Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO), earned his fortune in the flower and greeting card
business. He was the founder of Pro-Flower and an e-commerce greeting card
company which he sold to Excite.com for more than $700 million.
New Jersey’s long time Democratic Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) rounds out
the top ten. He originally was with a high tech company and is worth $116
million. New Jersey, considered one of the most corrupt states in the
country, has had many home-grown Democratic gazillionaires for a long time.
Former Democratic Senator and New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine last week
resigned as CEO of MF Global, a well established company he ran into the
ground. As of last week federal investigators were trying to determine why
the company is missing $900 million. It closed its doors last week and laid
off more than 1,000 employees.
The issue of politics and money has been a complicated one. President
Barack Obama brought in far more money from Wall Street in his 2008 campaign
than his Republican opponent Sen. John McCain (R-AZ). Obama raked in $1
million from Goldman Sachs employees that year. While his numbers are lower
this year, the President has attracted $15.2 million from the financial
services industry that he attacks so frequently.
Many Democrats run institutions on Wall Street. Jamie Dimon, the CEO of J.P
. Morgan has been a long-time Democratic supporter. So too has Goldman Sachs
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Lloyd C. Blankfein.
When will the mainstream media figure out that Democrats are part of a
millionaire’s club too? Maybe someone should tell the Occupy Wall Street
protesters, if they are still in their park.
Note: This post erroneously stated that Rep. McCaul represents Florida, and
that Rep. Jared Polis is a senator. Both have been corrected, and we regret
the errors. -bp | l**w
发帖数: 865 | 2 The median
estimated net worth among members of the Senate Democrats was $2.58 million.
Senate Republican median net worth was $2.43 million.
there is no much difference.
Why there is no house figure? |
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