Congressional Members By Income Analysis - 1484 Words

Congressional Members by Income In published reports, the median net worth of Americans in general, declined by ten percent between 2004 and 2010. In sharp contrast, the median net worth of Congressional members increased by fifteen percent during the same time period (Hutchinson 1). Hutchinson’s report demonstrates the insulation that members of Congress are afforded in times of economic downturn. With the median net worth of $913,000, Congressional members are spared the impact of harmful economic events such as increases in basic necessities such as milk, fuel, and utilities such as heat and water. In 2004, Democrats had a median net worth of $646,003, while Republicans had a reported median net worth of $932,024; by 2010, that†¦show more content†¦While public outcry has produced groups such as the Tea Party, who claim to favor nontraditional politics, it’s important to note that wealth is an important factor in campaigning. A person of modest income will find it more difficult to run for office than a person of a wealthy background. A person with wealth, by nature, runs in the same groups with his or her income level, and therefore has more access to raising money than a person who is not from a higher income level. A person who is not wealthy would have to do more fundraising, and acquire either larger contributions or small contributions from a greater number of people. The other factor that wealth plays in the political arena is the leveraging of time. A wealthy person is more able to devote time to campaign, while a person who does not have access to large income will have to work a full time job to support himself or his family. Wealth also affords the privileged with better educational opportunities. A person of low income will have to settle for more affordable colleges, or will have to take out massive amounts of student loans. Activists are constantly decrying the uncompassionate comments and policies that many in our government support. For example, many Congressmen view the Food Stamp program or SNAP as wasteful and abused. During our economic crisis, which was the worst in decades, the