Per the just released OpenSecrets list of top 25 wealthiest politicians in America, there are 12 republicans and 12 democrats (and Hillary, whatever she is). While we applaud the diversity among the country's richest "representatives", we can't help but wonder if these people actually "represent" the common man, or the man (such as themselves) having a minimal average net worth of $28 million...
Some further amusing commentary from Before Its News:
Some further amusing commentary from Before Its News:
Full list of America's finest. The fact that Nancy Pelosi' minimum net worth has been disclosed at ($7) Million does not really surprise us: all that facial self-improvement does not come cheap.I believe it was Emma Goldman who said, "Voting is the opium of the masses." Pitting us regular folk against each other over petty ideologies is how the elite in Congress perpetuate the illusion that we have real choice between the Democrats and the Republicans. It was true in Emma Goldman's time; it's true in our time.
Comedian Chris Rock, when asked during the last presidential election if he was supporting Barack Obama because he is black, replied that he was supporting Obama because he was the only "one-millionaire" running for office. The other candidates were all multi-millionaires. While Obama probably appears further down the list, Rock's point is well-made.The best Americans can do now is vote for the poorest millionaire.
The Center for Responsive Politics has posted the estimated minimum and maximum possible net worth of every single member of Congress and the Administration (from 2008 data) at their website OpenSecrets.org. Here are the top 25. If you want to be shocked, look only at the "Minimum Net Worth" column. If you want to be appalled, look at the "Maximum Net Worth" column.
| Rank | Name | Minimum Net Worth | Average | Maximum Net Worth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Darrell Issa (R-Calif) | $156,050,022 | $303,575,011 | $451,100,000 |
| 2 | Jane Harman (D-Calif) | $151,480,522 | $293,454,761 | $435,429,001 |
| 3 | John Kerry (D-Mass) | $182,755,534 | $238,812,296 | $294,869,059 |
| 4 | Mark Warner (D-Va) | $65,692,210 | $174,385,102 | $283,077,995 |
| 5 | Jared Polis (D-Colo) | $36,694,140 | $160,909,068 | $285,123,996 |
| 6 | Herb Kohl (D-Wis) | $89,358,027 | $160,302,011 | $231,245,995 |
| 7 | Vernon Buchanan (R-Fla) | $-69,434,661 | $148,373,160 | $366,180,982 |
| 8 | Michael McCaul (R-Texas) | $73,685,086 | $137,611,043 | $201,537,000 |
| 9 | Jay Rockefeller (D-WVa) | $61,446,018 | $98,832,010 | $136,218,002 |
| 10 | Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif) | $46,055,250 | $77,082,134 | $108,109,018 |
| 11 | Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) | $49,083,204 | $76,886,611 | $104,690,018 |
| 12 | Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif) | $-7,356,915 | $58,436,537 | $124,229,990 |
| 13 | Alan Mark Grayson (D-Fla) | $31,411,044 | $54,966,522 | $78,522,000 |
| 14 | James E. Risch (R-Idaho) | $19,468,057 | $54,517,026 | $89,565,995 |
| 15 | Gary Miller (R-Calif) | $19,365,053 | $51,833,526 | $84,302,000 |
| 16 | Bob Corker (R-Tenn) | $9,778,047 | $50,717,522 | $91,656,998 |
| 17 | Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ) | $19,898,179 | $43,797,589 | $67,697,000 |
| 18 | Nita M. Lowey (D-NY) | $14,900,036 | $39,012,518 | $63,125,000 |
| 19 | Kenny Ewell Marchant (R-Texas) | $13,303,385 | $38,204,868 | $63,106,351 |
| 20 | Brian P. Bilbray (R-Calif) | $25,143,635 | $37,819,629 | $50,495,623 |
| 21 | Harry Teague (D-NM) | $21,119,041 | $37,102,019 | $53,084,997 |
| 22 | Denny Rehberg (R-Mont) | $6,598,014 | $31,421,505 | $56,244,997 |
| 23 | Hillary Clinton | $10,727,014 | $31,243,506 | $51,759,999 |
| 24 | Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine) | $12,556,055 | $28,612,527 | $44,669,000 |
| 25 | Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn) | $11,342,046 | $28,116,022 | $44,889,998 |
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