Report : 237 millionares in Congress

Originally posted by Trams
reply to post by L.HAMILTON

 

Wow, I just saw Michael Moore's Capitalism: A Love Story, today and this kind of backs up what he talks about. What I think is that these congressmen have made their choice on which side they are on. What sides are there anyway? The poor/middle class versus the rich. The corrupt rich obviously run many things in Washington.

The only thing that we, the poor/middle class of America have over them is numbers. The numbers come in handy when we vote, because according to the constitution we are all equal poltically. They don't want to interfere with the constitution, otherwise we would likely respond. Maybe they will try in the future, when certain events occur.

But like I have stated, we have the power of voting over them. Also something that needs to be said, is that not all politicans are corrupt. Some are there to actually do what they are suppose to, and ensure our happiness and well-being.

Star and Flag, there is obviously something going on, for almost have of House are millionares.

Sadly, you are the ONLY person I've heard that has gone to see this film. It's pretty sad, b/c I've got friends who hate the govt. just as much as I do, and who loved farenheit 9/11, but couldn't stand the title of this movie!!

They all called him a hypocrite, because EVERYBODY is buying into the MSM attacks on Moore. They think he's bashing capitalism, which ironically is far from the truth. (HE ACTUALLY ADMITS HE LOVED IT TOO!!-before it got hijacked)

They (MSM) say he lies, and people believe it, when you can easily fact check everything he says!! MSM are the liars, b/c they're the ones stretching that truth. Ok, he doesn't say why these people missed their house payments, but he does state that 80% of the housing collapse was caused BY THE BANKS, NOT THE PEOPLE. My parents never missed a payment for our house of 15 years, and now they're both living in apartments. It is degrading and hopeless.

What Moore was trying to do was gather up all you people somewhere where the average american would see strength in numbers. That sounds like the exact sort of thing I'd do if I had his sort of money. You can tell the news co. successfully deflected all these people by suddenly praising "paranormal activity" as the #ing best movie since blair witch. (I will not donate a cent to that campaign)

I saw this movie opening weekend, with less than ten other people in the theater. And the girl at the cash register gave me a funny look.

We're bummed in the gob.

[edit on 8-11-2009 by badkarma90]

[edit on 8-11-2009 by badkarma90]

reply to post by Ahabstar

I wonder how many in the House just became Billionaires after passing that bill

I'm curious - who is paying someone to change the health care industry?

I think this is another desperate reach by a far right winger. But thats just my two cents.

Originally posted by Britguy
One thing to note is that the figures are based on Known declared earnings and filings. I'd be willing to bet many of them have plenty more in undisclosed accounts offshore.
I did like the idea Jesse Ventura has about having the politicians wear Nascar style overalls, with all of their sponsors names on, so we could see exactly who they answer to.

This is the BIG problem though with career politicians and the lobbying system. It is a breeding ground for graft and corruption, and consequently blackmail too.
It has always been my view that any politician taking any money from lobbyists or special interest groups should automatically be barred from public office.
There is no independent oversight of government allowed, they always get to appoint investigators and manage any investigation into their own actions so it's no wonder they can get away with so much. The only way it is going to change is for the current incumbents and the old boy network behind them to be removed and a new system set up. Limited terms, independent oversight and transparency and absolutely no lobbying money at all.

Now THAT'S change that would benefit the people and the country!

[edit on 8-11-2009 by Britguy]

Amen brother ; there is no independent oversight when it comes to lobbyists or special interest groups activity. The problem is how to instill these changes in an 'old boy' system.

[edit on 8-11-2009 by L.HAMILTON]

Are they getting a paycheck? If they are millionaires then why do they still collect one?

Am I the only one that would rather have someone successful enough to have become a millionaire in office rather than the guy that pumps my gas?

[edit on 8-11-2009 by HankMcCoy]

reply to post by HankMcCoy


You might be. Cause the millionaire is aprofessional at @#*@ing people.
The gas pump clerk just wants to do his job, what he is paid to do.
I see what you mean, but we have had these punks in office for a long time, how much good have they done for us? We owe just as much money as we haveinour GDP. We just need someone with good math skills that isnt insistant on screwing us over.

It seems to me that those who speak loudest about the wealth of others are those who failed in their own lives. Sorry. You have to be somewhat successful to run for office in this country. If you don't like it vote third party or do a write in. I followed the rules, went to school, earned a degree, worked my way through a myriad of jobs, and have benefitted from the capitalist system. Go forth and do likewise. Don't blame others for your inadequacies. Damned if I'm going to feel bad for being successful.

Originally posted by Common Good
reply to post by HankMcCoy

 

You might be. Cause the millionaire is aprofessional at @#*@ing people.
The gas pump clerk just wants to do his job, what he is paid to do.
I see what you mean, but we have had these punks in office for a long time, how much good have they done for us? We owe just as much money as we haveinour GDP. We just need someone with good math skills that isnt insistant on screwing us over.

No.

What we 'need' are people that hold themselves accountable for their own lives instead of blaming everyone else for their problems.

If we had more people in the world taking care of their own business instead of screaming about what other people are or aren't doing, we would have a LOT better time of everything.

Originally posted by concernedcitizan
It seems to me that those who speak loudest about the wealth of others are those who failed in their own lives. Sorry. You have to be somewhat successful to run for office in this country. If you don't like it vote third party or do a write in. I followed the rules, went to school, earned a degree, worked my way through a myriad of jobs, and have benefitted from the capitalist system. Go forth and do likewise. Don't blame others for your inadequacies. Damned if I'm going to feel bad for being successful.

Well, I'm glad we're all in this together, so when you get #ed with a capital "F" these next few years, you'll have no one to blame but yourself.

Seriously, do people even give a crap about their neighbors anymore?? Just because you were fortunate enough to grow up in an environment that suited the "rules" you have to follow, doesn't mean everybody has the same opportunity, or that it even works the same way for everybody.

I think this is the first time I hate someone without ever actually having met them.

reply to post by concernedcitizan


I bet you're the same person that goes around bashing Moore for titling his film "capitalism", without even knowing his true message.

God, the ignorance in this country is just mind-boggling.

Our forefathers are probably rolling over in their graves.

Originally posted by HankMcCoy
Am I the only one that would rather have someone successful enough to have become a millionaire in office rather than the guy that pumps my gas?

[edit on 8-11-2009 by HankMcCoy]

As far as im concerned, yes.

2nd line

Originally posted by Snarf

Originally posted by HankMcCoy
Am I the only one that would rather have someone successful enough to have become a millionaire in office rather than the guy that pumps my gas?

[edit on 8-11-2009 by HankMcCoy]

As far as im concerned, yes.

2nd line

So your fix would be to put unsuccessful people in congress?

reply to post by badkarma90


I have nothing against Mr. Moore or his work. I find him to be quite an entertaining fellow. In the grand tradition of Upton Sinclair or H.L Mencken. I believe strongly in social responsibility. I just believe in personal responsibility as well. Why does that make me a bad person?

Although threads on food have not been particularly active here on ATS There have been several "Food Safety bills" as well as Animal ID being shoved down the throats of anyone who grows food.

The latest bill that just passed the house has goodies like

HR 2749 has only suddenly appeared. It is a mutant conglomeration of the worst of the other bills, with the addition of one very original part – martial law.

* HR 2749 would give FDA the power to order a quarantine of a geographic area, including “prohibiting or restricting the movement of food or of any vehicle being used or that has been used to transport or hold such food within the geographic area.”

[This - "that has been used to transport or hold such food" - would mean all cars that have ever brought groceries home or any pickup someone has eaten take-out in, so this means ALL TRANSPORTATION can be shut down under this. This is using food as a cover for martial law.]

Under this provision, farmers markets and local food sources could be shut down, even if they are not the source of the contamination. The agency can halt all movement of all food in a geographic area.

[This is also a means of total control over the population under the cover of food, and at any time.]

Farm Wars

At the beginning when I was fighting NAIS and HR 875, I kept tripping over Rosa Delauro. D-CT. She is quite interesting. Turns out Delauro is a Monsanto mouthpiece. Look behind DeLauro and what do you find? Her husband Stanley Greenberg pollster, strategist and master manipulator of the public AND contractor for Monsanto. SURPRISE, SURPRISE!

Go check out the company Greenberg Carville Shrum and their love of globalization. It is interesting Greenberg-Quinlan Research Inc is mention as her husband's place of work in Delauro's bio. Sweet, fluffy Greenberg-Quinlan Research Inc with the connections to foster care and schools, but there is no mention of Greenberg Carville Shrum who directed Campaigns in 60 countries (including Tony Blair in the UK) and was responsible for the Bolivia fiasco. Stan Greenberg “...specializes in research on globalization, international trade...” 216.92.66.74...


Then take a look at what happen to the financial picture of Ms DeLauro and her hubby.

Weathiest Members Of Congress
John Kerrey (D) $900 Million  Herb Kohl (D) $315 Million  Jay Rockefeller (D) $275 Million  Nancey Pelosi (D) $268 Million
Moving fast......The Clintons amassed nearly $169 million in the past 10 years of "public service".
Working for the Clintons isn't bad either.....

But the entry that really sent my Democratic strategist friend ballistic was the one for Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the Connecticut Democrat. La Rosa--tied for #48 on the Richest list--gets the lion's share of her wealth from her husband--Clintonista pollster and campaign strategist Stan Greenberg. Says Roll Call, "DeLauro's primary asset is a 67-percent stake in Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research Inc., a Washington-based firm run by her husband, Democratic pollster Stan Greenberg. Her share in the company nets the Representative $5 million to $25 million. She has a partial stake in two other polling/consulting firms. The first is Greenberg Research, of which she and her husband own 100 percent, and Sun Surveys, in which she owns a 60 percent stake. Neither of these is as lucrative as Greenberg Quinlan Rosner, however."

My bud the political warhorse snorted, "Hell, she first ran for Congress she didn't have a dime--I was one of her biggest contributors. And Stan Greenberg, who worked for me back when he was starting out, used to have holes in his socks!" Noting that Congressional wealth is usually closer to the higher than to the lower estimates on the disclosure forms, my dour Democrat gasped, "That means they're making around $50 million! These people shouldn't be running Democratic campaigns!"

So, if you want to know why the national Democrats seem, in this campaign, to have a tin ear where touching the hearts and minds of the working stiffs is concerned, think about this: the three partners in the Democracy Corps--Greenberg, James Carville, and Kerry's chief message-shaper Bob Shrum--are all multimillionaires. And yet their counsel--proferred in an endless series of free Democracy Corps memos distributed to the party elite well before and during the presidential primaries, whose content (or lack of it) they helped shape--is taken as gospel by Democratic liberals feverish for victory. Well, as the old Texas populist Maury Maverick Jr. used to say, "a liberal is a power junkie without the power." 
www.mlive.com...

I wonder where those millions amassed "during public service" came from, don't you???  Perhaps from corporations interested in manipulating the public and instituting
Corporate favorable law?




TREASON anyone???

There is a way to balance the books and recover all that money they are printing and putting out in the system which is causing all of us to suffer... Just put all the politicians on a $1 a year salary and I'm sure we can recover a lot of this lost money right there.

Anyone over a Net-Amount of over 1 Million should go on a $1 a year salary.

Not to mention all the perks they get with a federal-Credit Card, Retirement, etc... Then they are getting a raise on top of that...

We need to start all over again from scratch and rebuild this "Democracy Gone Wild!!!"

I can just see the informercials of politicians and their wild parties be sold along side "Girls-Gone-Wild" videos...

Hey... I think I just had a good business idea!!!

reply to post by HankMcCoy

So your fix would be to put unsuccessful people in congress?

How about first getting rid of all the lawyers. A successful lawyer just knows the best way to rip people of and weasel, welch and play word games. Second get rid of those with international business connections, and also get rid of the lobbyists. THEN you can put all the successful businessman you want into Congress just as long as they are not lining their own nests.

we should all shake them upside down and take them for everthing they got.

It's similar in our country. If a newly elected polly is middle class when entering parliament, s/he will retire 'very well' compliments of the taxpayer. Our leaders are reported to be millionaires. I think it's the same in many other places because 'they' make up their own rules on how they should be paid
We just work hard, pay taxes, bring in the dollars and 'they spend it'.

reply to post by TheCoffinman


I just want to say I agree with your signature in this exact situation...

reply to post by Trams


reply to post by badkarma90


Michael Moore is a socialist and his movies are clearly socialist propaganda in the most despicable form.

EDIT: But that is where we are headed. Socialism. The socialists have been working extra hard this year.

Just because congress is severely messed up doesn't mean capitalism has failed, in this case it has been infiltrated.

[edit on 10-11-2009 by 12.21.12]