My Representative Can Beat Your Representative… and Me!

How do you feel about a Congress that continues to vote for and support tax relief for the highest earners in America, even as the US Census tells us that half of all Americans are now categorized as low income or less? Would you feel any different if the earnings of those elected to Congress were among the major beneficiaries of such taxation largesse? Try these facts on for size:

“Between 1984 and 2009, the median net worth of a member of the House has risen 2 ¹/₂ times, according to the analysis of financial disclosures, rising from $280,000 to $725,000 in inflation-adjusted dollars… Over the same period, the wealth of an American family has declined slightly, with the median sliding from $20,600 to $20,500, according to the Panel Study of Income Dynamics from the University of Michigan… All figures have been adjusted for inflation and exclude home equity, which is not included in congressional reporting. The year 1984 was chosen because it was the earliest for which consistent wealth data were available.” Washington Post, December 26^th.

Indeed, money appears to be the driving force in politics these days, and with corporations and unions unleashed to spend as much as they wish as “persons” entitled to First Amendment protection under the Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United vs. Federal Elections Commission, it is clear that those who can raise the most campaign funding are the only ones with a shot in hell at getting elected. No wonder, we are seeing so few “ordinary Americans” running for office.

“The growing financial comfort of Congress relative to most Americans is consistent with the general trends in the United States toward inequality of wealth: Members of Congress have long been wealthier than average Americans, and in recent decades the wealth of the wealthiest Americans has outpaced that of the average… In 1984, the 90th percentile of U.S. families had holdings worth six times the median family; by 2009, the 90th percentile was worth 12 times the median family, according to the Panel Study of Income Dynamics out of the University of Michigan, a longitudinal panel survey. These figures include home equity.

“This growing inequality, not surprisingly, is seen in Congress. Not only has the median wealth increased, but the proportion of representatives who have little besides a home has shrunk. In 1984, one in five House members had zero or negative net worth excluding home equity, according to the disclosures; by 2009, that number had dropped to one in 12… Another possible reason for the growing wealth of Congress is that running a campaign has become much, much more expensive, making it more likely that wealthy people, who can donate substantially to their own campaigns, gain office.” Washington Post.

Corrected for inflation, according to the Post, it literally costs 10 times more to run for Congress today than it did in 1974. So I have a question for you: Has this monetary filtration process improved the caliber of those elected or improved the quality of our representation? Let me give you the answer provided by the Gallup Poll on December 15 (the above chart): “Americans’ assessment of Congress has hit a new low, with 13% saying they approve of the way Congress is handling its job. The 83% disapproval rating is also the worst Gallup has measured in more than 30 years of tracking congressional job performance.” Think it’s time we had a ground-up reevaluation of our election processes and procedures? And exactly who is going to lead this ugly battle?

I’m Peter Dekom, and I approve – sadly – this message.