The 50 Richest Members of Congress (2011)

[Generic Other]

This is why they do not represent us who they squash beneath their thumbs.

http://www.rollcall.com/50richest/the-50-richest-members-of-congress-112th.html

[Booster]

1. I had a feeling Barbara Boxer wouldn't be on that list. I wish the

list included how they made that much money - now that would be interesting.

[spanone]

2. they don't have a clue how most people live

best congress money can buy....we need a refund

[RKP5637]

4. It's ridiculous these people get voted into office. I know, some are OK, but IMO

they can't relate to the masses, they just can't.

[brentspeak]

11. How do you explain that some of the most progressive Democrats are on that list?

Is Jared Polis aligned with the Powers That Be against the average person? Is Rose DeLauro? Lloyd Doggett??

The OP does a massive disservice by posting the list and implying that everyone on it is out to crush us. No need to compound the OP's mistake by a blanket agreement.

[Better Believe It]

How do you define "progressive"?

[brentspeak]

16. Does this help?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lloyd_Doggett

Political positions

Doggett has long supported more open government, and is also a leading advocate for campaign finance reform. On the Ways and Means Committee, he has sought to close many overseas tax shelters. Rep. Doggett has authored legislation to create tax incentives for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and to create a nationwide Silver Alert system.


Abortion

Doggett is pro-choice. In 2003 he voted against a bill that would have banned all partial-birth abortions. He was given a 100% by the NARAL,<1> indicating a pro-choice voting record. He voted in favor of a bill to provide federal funding for embryonic stem cell research in 2007.


Environment

Doggett is a strong supporter of environmental preservation. He is one of the leading opponents in the House of drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Reserve in Alaska. The League of Conservation Voters gives Doggett a 100%,<2> indicating that Doggett supports the League of Conservation Voter's interpretation of environmental preservation.

In June 2009, Doggett voted in favor of the American Clean Energy and Security Act, a bill that would have established an emissions trading system for American producers of carbon dioxide. Doggett remarked “It has been a difficult and significant decision”. “I just decided that I will have a better chance to make changes later in the process if I acted in good faith now. But don't think this means I'm signing off on the conference report,” Doggett said.<3>


Gay Rights

Doggett voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment in the 109th Congress. He voted against HR 4380 and HR 2587, bills that would have banned adoption by same-sex couples.<4> However, in 1996, Doggett voted for the Defense of Marriage Act.<5>
Healthcare

On March 21, 2010, Rep. Lloyd Doggett voted for H.R. 3590 and H.R. 4874, also known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.


Immigration

Doggett supports a guest worker program for illegal immigrants. In 2004, he voted against a bill that would have required hospitals to report illegal immigrants who received hospital treatment to the U.S. Department of Justice. The anti-immigration group FAIR gave him a score of 0% in 2003,<6> indicating that Doggett does not support FAIR's interpretation of comprehensive immigration reform.


Iraq

Doggett was one of the leading opponents of the authorization of the Iraq War in 2003 and called for a timetable for U.S. troops pulling out of Iraq. On May 24, 2007, Doggett was one of 140 Democrats and 2 Republicans to vote against HR 2206, a bill that would provide emergency supplemental appropriations for funding the war, and in 2009 he was one of only 30 Representatives to vote against HR 2346 which provided funding to continue war.<7>

[Better Believe It]

40. Not much. What about the economic crisis and the attack on our living standards and unions?

This seems to be the major issue among working folks right now.

Perhaps being filthy rich makes it more difficult to understand our problems.

I hope you can provide some solid evidence that Mr. Doggett is 100% opposed to the idea that working people and the elderly need to make more economic sacrifices in order to reduce government deficits .... you know .... the whole "shared sacrifices" propaganda.

[Better Believe It]

15. How do you define "progressive"?

[Inuca]

33. For once, I 100% agree with you :-) n/t

[swilton]

38. Who I didn't see on that list

Sanders, Kucinich, DeFazio are several progressive names that come to mind.

[RKP5637]

3. Yep, servents of the public. And at 13% approval. n/t

:smoke: :silly:

[southerncrone]

5. I'd like to see the list of the 50 "poorest" Members of Congress.

That would be telling. I suspect it would prove that one must have a fairly big stash to run or be elected.
Which means the majority of Americans are NOT represented by their peers. We need to realize that those who don't share our situations are not likely to act in our best interests.

We need to elect REAL Americans. But first we must make it possible for a REAL American to run.

ELECTION REFORM!!!

[RKP5637]

10. Exactly!!! ELECTION REFORM!!! Until we get the money out of

politics and all of the bribes this country will continue to be one F'en mess for the majority of citizens.

[NYC Liberal]

22. Here you go:

http://www.opensecrets.org/pfds/overview.php?type=W&year=2009&filter=C&sort=A

[southerncrone]

37. Thanks, NYC Liberal!

Think THIS also underscores the fact that our TAX system needs a rework.

[brentspeak]

6. Forced to unrec. Don't smear all of those on the list

Among the Democrats, only Mark Warner, Claire McCaskill, Shelley Berkley, Diane Feinstein, and Ben Nelson stand out as corporate politicians.

Being wealthy hasn't prevented Jared Polis, Lloyd Doggett, Frank Lautenberg, Rose DeLauro, Tom Harkin (to name just a few on that list), from being on our (the public's side). These are legitimate progressive Democrats, and we should be glad they're there for us.

[DCKit]

17. Most of our fellow DU posters are adults... or at least act like adults, most of the time.

I appreciate your POV, but I think most of us reading that list would know to separate the names into the two appropriate camps.

However, the fact that this bunch (on whole) has seen their net worth rise about 217% since 2007 gives me serious pause about even the (D) members. They've codified immunity from insider trading in to the law.

Sorry, but I don't trust anyone these days.

[brentspeak]

23. I disagree

No one with a passing knowledge of the Democrats on that "richest" list could possibly be ignorant of how truly progressive some of them are, and how blatantly/ridiculous it is for the Good Guys to be lumped in with the crooked members of Congress simply because they are comparable in terms of personal wealth. As I recall, FDR was not exactly a poor man.

http://www.newhavenregister.com/articles/2011/08/10/opinion/doc4e41a5a70bd42012340572.txt?viewmode=fullstory

ROSA DeLAURO: Explains her debt ceiling vote (letter to the Register)

The Republican majority in the House of Representatives used the debt ceiling vote to take our country and our economy hostage in the name of deficit reduction. They chose to cut funding for vital social programs — education, food safety, law enforcement, cancer research and home heating assistance — instead of ending tax cuts for the wealthy or eliminating the billions of dollars in oil subsidies we pay each year.

And, the deal calls for additional cuts in just a few months that will threaten to end Medicare as we know it, cut Medicaid and compromise the future of Social Security.

While a balanced approach historically has been taken to reduce deficits, this deal places the burden of reduction squarely on the backs of the middle class and seniors, while not asking the richest Americans and corporations to help.

Even more importantly, these cuts will slash investments critical to creating jobs and economic growth. A report from The Century Foundation shows this deal instead will destroy approximately 1.8 million jobs and restrict capacity for economic growth in the long term.

I could not support such an unbalanced approach, which will weaken our already fragile economy.

Rosa L. DeLauro, New Haven

A Democrat who is actively trying to raise taxes on herself seems an unlikely candidate for mistrust.

[Name removed]

25. Deleted message

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[rustydog]

7. How can we hope these people have our interests and not theirs at heart.

Do you serve America or Corporate rich America?

There truly are two Americas.

[iemitsu]

8. rec'd because they all deserve to be smeared.

no one on that list has a clue what surviving from pay check to pay check means.
hard to argue that they represent us isn't it?

[brentspeak]

13. Yeah, progressive Democrats like Polis, DeLauro, and Doggett "deserve" to be smeared

Nice try, but don't think you fooled anyone here.

[iemitsu]

18. i'm not trying to fool anyone.

these rich representatives sat in congress while our futures and security were voted "gambled" away.
and they were there while the crimes that were committed were swept under the carpet.
they may not personally be evil but they were part of the congress that broke the backs of the american working class.

[brentspeak]

24. Uh, yeah...

[Generic Other]

30. Uh yeah

Most of us have been told for months to plug our noses and vote for the candidate with the big "D" next to his/her name because we have no choice. Not because they stepped forward to champion our causes in their tepid way. Using the excuse that they are outnumbered every goddamned time they give in without a fight.

If they cared about the working people of this country, they would not squander our resources in pointless wars, give themselves and their friends huge tax cuts, steal workers' retirement pensions, gut our education system, refuse to deal with the reqal needs and issues of working Americans while busily privatizing our resources and utilities in the name of profiting their cronies like the fucking grifters they are.

I want my representatives to declare war on the real enemies of the people of this country. THEMSELVES.

[FirstLight]

9. Should go viral!

reposted on FB...this is exactly the reason our congress critters can't relate to the average person...


utterly disgusting...especially since there even more that we DON'T know about as far as assets they have offshore or hidden

[tabbycat31]

12. Last week, one of them asked to be taxed more at a press conference

Just because they're rich does not make them all bad.

[brentspeak]

14. Notice that the OP hasn't followed-up to explain why she thinks all the Dems on that list are "bad"

Hey, OP -- where'd you run off to? Please explain to us why you think the progressive Democrats on that "richest members of Congress" list should be lumped in with the Republicans and corporate Democrats as politicians who want to "squash us beneath their thumbs".

[Generic Other]

27. Where'd I run off to?

Not to hide behind my Swiss bank accounts, that's for sure. I am no more impressed by the cowardly inaction of my party than I have been by the deliberate criminality of the other side. Sorry if that upsets you. Tell me which of these RICH Democrats have been burning the airwaves defending the working people of this country.

Mostly not. When they even talk about raising payroll taxes on the working class while extending tax cuts for themselves? Where are my millionaire Democratic representatives and senators standing in the halls of Congress arms locked in solidarity with those of us who make the real sacrifices in this country? Our children's blood, our hardearned money, our sweat. While the rich ones "tsk tsk" at us and form cat food commissions and think of clever new ways to steal the bread from our tables all the while demanding that we live within our means.

FUCK the rich in Congress. They don't represent me. They represent anyone who gives them money. That is the state of politics in this country. And what's worse, many of the Democrats including the president enable the worst abuses of the GOP because they really don't care either.

[brentspeak]

32. Ok, thanks for admitting that you're completely clueless and are comfortable smearing good Democrats

Doggett, Lautenberg, DeLauro, and several other Dems on your list have been http://ctmirror.org/story/8560/fiscalcomm">opposed to the catfood commission, have http://doggett.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=81:rep-doggett-demands-tax-fairness-from-corporations-that-hide-income-in-overseas-tax-shelters&catid=49:latest-news&Itemid=149">advocated for tax increases on the wealthy (themselves), and actually have taken to the airwaves defending the working people of this country.

When they even talk about raising payroll taxes on the working class...

Uh, the issue is that the Obama administration wants to cut the Social Security payroll tax, a traditionally GOP-pursued goal which would eventually open the door to the dissolution of Social Security's future funding. Lloyd Doggett, in particular, http://www.myharlingennews.com/?p=16622">has been opposed to this, and is therefore doing a hell of a lot more than you to preserve Social Security from the catfood commission.

Please post when you first know what you're talking about.

[Generic Other]

36. I stand by my observation that millionaires do not represent me

or know much of anything about the concerns of working people or the poor. One or two exceptions does not represent some vindication of your argument that Democrats who are wealthy best understand and represent the concerns of working people.

None of them spend enough time opposing the excessive zeal of the right. None of them.

[EC]

19. Well, then it should follow that they have money

so there is less possibility of them being bought? I guess that would depend on how they got their money. Rather it's old money or nouveau?

[canoeist52]

20. List of the 25 poorest Senators in 2009 (net worth)

from the Center for Responsive Politics and Open Secrets.org

http://www.opensecrets.org/pfds/overview.php?type=W&year=2009&filter=S&sort=A

[Generic Other]

28. Great site

http://www.opensecrets.org/pfds/averages.php

Average wealth in Senate 13 mil. Average weal5th in House 3 mil. Yeah these people know about how the average American puts food on the table. They do not represent the majority of Americans. Their action and inaction has more than proven this to be so.

[Historic NY]

21. Well they're not on the bread line.......& they have low tax rates....

[in_cog_ni_to]

26. Go figure...No Bernie Sanders or Dennis Kucinich on that list.

:eyes:

[kctim]

29. Hypocrites, one and all

[closeupready]

31. Yup. K&R. Rich Dems vote self-interestedly. In other news, scientists say water is wet.

nt

[Inuca]

34. I can't believe some of comments I read here

Do you people look at the names on the list? Do you really think that if you are rich you cannot understand what the poor and middle class have to put up with? OK, you do not understand it "in your guts", but come on, most of these people are very smart, they do not think with their guts, they have other organs better fitted for thinking. Not to mention that some of them, such as Lautenberg, started up as anything but rich. And you do know one name that would have been in the list I am sure were he still alive, Ted Kennedy. Would have been also on the list of "they do not give a shit because they have to much money"?

[Auntie Bush]

39. Agreed. A relative of mine is a multi-millionaire and they are super liberals

and always vote democratic. I asked her once, "Since you have money...why are you a Democrat? Aren't they against your own interests?" She said that just because she had money didn't mean she had no compassion or interest it what's fair and just. I thought that was a good answer and explains how most rich Dems feel or think.

[KamaAina]

35. What's really striking is that it takes $6M just to get on the list.

:wow: