Who are the wealthiest?
August 31st 2010 21:56
The richest members of Congress actually got even wealthier last year, even though 2009 saw one of the worst economic downturns in America since the Great Depression, according the magazine "The Hill"which released its annual ranking of lawmakers' estimated wealth.
"Members of Congress are required to file financial disclosure forms each year, and often report finances in broad ranges. The Hill took the bottom number of each range reported, and incorporated the sums of their liabilities and assets to come up with each number.
The 50 wealthiest lawmakers were worth an estimated $1.4 billion in 2009 - about $85.1 million more than in 2008. The growth is due, in part, to the fact that the stock market actually rebounded last year, helping lawmakers who had large investments.
Three Republicans and seven Democrats made up the top 10 slots, which are nearly the same as the previous year. Senator John Kerry, D-Mass., topped the list for the second year in a row with a whopping estimated worth of $188.6 million. Congressman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, however, joined the list for the first time, replacing representative Harry Teague, D-N.M.
Here are the top ten, along with their estimated worth.
1. Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.): $188.6 million
2. Rep. Darrel Issa (R-Calif.): $160.1 million
3. Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.): $152.3 million
4. Sen. Jay Rockefeller ( D-W.Va.): $83.7 million
5. Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas): $73.8 million
6. Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.); $70.2 million
7. Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.): $56.5 million
8. Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.): $53.5 million
9. Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.): $49.7 million
10. Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-Calif.): $46.1 million"
I understand they have the top fifty if you go into the website the URL is in the Reference Section of this posting.
Wow! Isn't this an interesting list, the top ten wealthiest congressional leaders! As the article states out of the 10 there are three republicans. With seven of the list being democrats, so much for the tag line that "the republican party is the party of the wealthy". On the other hand I wonder when they passed some of last session's legislation stating that taxing the rich would be how they would cover the cost that they are taxing themselves. Or did they port their boat (reference to John Kerry being number 1 on this list) in a tax free harbor by exempting themselves or by sheltering their money. Or do they not care like Charlie Rangel and just not declare the income so they do not have to pay taxes on it. Let me be fair here Mr. Kerry did write a check for $500,000.00 to cover the excise and other taxes for his New Zealand Yacht. So much for "Buy American" and what about helping our failing economy or the fact that people here in the United States could be put to work, maybe he could have gotten stimulus money or one of Chris Dodd's low interest loans. Sorry I know I am being quite cynical today but come on now you and I are struggling to make ends meet. I am thinking about taking a second job and I am blogging to earn extra money because I have student loans to pay and I am not a congressional staffer who doesn't have to pay back their student loans because the government is paying them back, at your and my expense. It has been written and one URL states "Congressional Staffers Get Their Student Loans Paid for by the Government". Why am I not that lucky and after achieving my doctorate degree I am left with a very large and pretty diploma but a mountain of debt. I have a dead end position and since I work for the government basically they are unimpressed that I sit at the middle rung of the corporate ladder with an advanced degree. With almost 29 years of service and with a lousy job market where I am now over qualified, where am I going. Thankfully I have a job but I wasted about 3 ½ years earning a degree in Business with an emphasis in leadership that I can not use at the moment. The best I can say is that I am working and do not rely on welfare or food stamps (oops that was right they cut food stamps in the near future to pay for some piece of legislation that had a lot of pork barrel spending added). The unfortunate thing is that neither my senator nor congressman is on the top ten wealthiest list so I can't ask him or him for a loan. So my dear representatives in the House and in the Senate, if you are footing the bill then spend all you want. If you are hiding your money, have exempting yourself from having to pay for these passed pieces of legislation or have sheltered it in off shore accounts then STOP spending my hard earn money, I invested in my future (you told me that was a good thing to do) getting educated. I have a published thesis with a debt tag and with with rising costs and no raise I need my salary to pay for investing in the future you told me I would have and now taking it away by spending and spending and spending. I have enough to cover my expenses but there isn't any extra for you to waste of my money when you are the wealthiest Americans..
References:
Really Long Link
Really Long Link
Really Long Link
Really Long Link
"Members of Congress are required to file financial disclosure forms each year, and often report finances in broad ranges. The Hill took the bottom number of each range reported, and incorporated the sums of their liabilities and assets to come up with each number.
The 50 wealthiest lawmakers were worth an estimated $1.4 billion in 2009 - about $85.1 million more than in 2008. The growth is due, in part, to the fact that the stock market actually rebounded last year, helping lawmakers who had large investments.
Here are the top ten, along with their estimated worth.
1. Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.): $188.6 million
2. Rep. Darrel Issa (R-Calif.): $160.1 million
3. Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.): $152.3 million
4. Sen. Jay Rockefeller ( D-W.Va.): $83.7 million
5. Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas): $73.8 million
6. Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.); $70.2 million
7. Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.): $56.5 million
8. Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.): $53.5 million
9. Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.): $49.7 million
10. Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-Calif.): $46.1 million"
I understand they have the top fifty if you go into the website the URL is in the Reference Section of this posting.
Wow! Isn't this an interesting list, the top ten wealthiest congressional leaders! As the article states out of the 10 there are three republicans. With seven of the list being democrats, so much for the tag line that "the republican party is the party of the wealthy". On the other hand I wonder when they passed some of last session's legislation stating that taxing the rich would be how they would cover the cost that they are taxing themselves. Or did they port their boat (reference to John Kerry being number 1 on this list) in a tax free harbor by exempting themselves or by sheltering their money. Or do they not care like Charlie Rangel and just not declare the income so they do not have to pay taxes on it. Let me be fair here Mr. Kerry did write a check for $500,000.00 to cover the excise and other taxes for his New Zealand Yacht. So much for "Buy American" and what about helping our failing economy or the fact that people here in the United States could be put to work, maybe he could have gotten stimulus money or one of Chris Dodd's low interest loans. Sorry I know I am being quite cynical today but come on now you and I are struggling to make ends meet. I am thinking about taking a second job and I am blogging to earn extra money because I have student loans to pay and I am not a congressional staffer who doesn't have to pay back their student loans because the government is paying them back, at your and my expense. It has been written and one URL states "Congressional Staffers Get Their Student Loans Paid for by the Government". Why am I not that lucky and after achieving my doctorate degree I am left with a very large and pretty diploma but a mountain of debt. I have a dead end position and since I work for the government basically they are unimpressed that I sit at the middle rung of the corporate ladder with an advanced degree. With almost 29 years of service and with a lousy job market where I am now over qualified, where am I going. Thankfully I have a job but I wasted about 3 ½ years earning a degree in Business with an emphasis in leadership that I can not use at the moment. The best I can say is that I am working and do not rely on welfare or food stamps (oops that was right they cut food stamps in the near future to pay for some piece of legislation that had a lot of pork barrel spending added). The unfortunate thing is that neither my senator nor congressman is on the top ten wealthiest list so I can't ask him or him for a loan. So my dear representatives in the House and in the Senate, if you are footing the bill then spend all you want. If you are hiding your money, have exempting yourself from having to pay for these passed pieces of legislation or have sheltered it in off shore accounts then STOP spending my hard earn money, I invested in my future (you told me that was a good thing to do) getting educated. I have a published thesis with a debt tag and with with rising costs and no raise I need my salary to pay for investing in the future you told me I would have and now taking it away by spending and spending and spending. I have enough to cover my expenses but there isn't any extra for you to waste of my money when you are the wealthiest Americans..
References:
Really Long Link
Really Long Link
Really Long Link
Really Long Link
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