Millionaire Senators

shamshon

Registered Users (C)
To those who even bother and contact US Senators here is a piece of information you need to know about these people. Having learned about this information I decided that these Senators do not care about anything but to promote their wealth and to only fight for rich people. Here are the info:

WASHINGTON (June 13) - From its multimillionaire majority leader, Sen. Bill Frist, to its members of more modest means, the Senate is dominated by people far more affluent than nearly all those they represent, lawmakers' financial disclosure forms show.

Frist, R-Tenn., who lists blind trusts worth up to $31 million, is surrounded by colleagues who enjoy substantial wealth from successful private careers, family riches or wealthy spouses.

Many should benefit from the recently enacted cut in taxes on capital gains and dividends paid by corporations. Among those listing substantial property holdings or income from stock dividends in 2002 are Sens. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn.; Richard Shelby, R-Ala.; Bob Graham, D-Fla.; and Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.

Alexander, chairman of a children and families subcommittee since joining the Senate this year, reported owning from $1.5 million to $6 million worth of stock in Bright Horizons Family Solutions Inc., a child-care company.

Shelby listed ownership of an apartment complex and shares in a title company. Graham held several Florida properties worth from $5 million to $25 million, while Feinstein was part-owner of the Carlton Hotel in San Francisco.

Others with eye-popping numbers included Sens. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., who listed four family trusts worth up to $45 million; John D. Rockefeller IV, D-W.Va., who reported three blind trusts worth from $80 million to more than $125 million; and banking heir Peter Fitzgerald, R-Ill., whose assets include up to $50 million in Bank of Montreal stock.

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., got more than $1.15 million as partial payment for her recently published memoirs, ''Living History.'' Yet eclipsing that was her husband, former President Bill Clinton, who earned $9.5 million for a global speaking tour on which he made up to $400,000 a speech.

Senators at the lower end of the spectrum included Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., who reported a cash account worth $15,000 and a growth portfolio worth at least $15,000.

Joseph Biden, D-Del., listed an annuity account worth from $6,000 to $90,000 and life insurance policies worth from $15,000 to $50,000. His reported liabilities included loans and credit lines ranging from $305,000 to $715,000.

Senators' reports, covering 2002, were released on Friday, three days before the House makes its available.

Members of Congress must report annually on their outside sources of income, assets, liabilities, travel paid by private interests and speaking fees, which must be donated to charity.

Their congressional salaries were $150,000 last year, though leaders earned more.

Some senators' creative instincts were profitable last year.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., reported donating $321,000 to charity from earnings on two of his books. Sen. James Jeffords, I-Vt., earned $101,000 in royalties for two books, including ''An Independent Man,'' which documents his 2001 departure from the Republican Party.

Sen. Joe Lieberman, D-Conn., reported $16,460 in earnings on the book he and his wife, Hadassah, wrote on his 2000 vice presidential candidacy. And Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, received $927 for an autobiography.

Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, earned $18,000 in song writing royalties and $2,123 for a voiceover for an animated religious film. Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., appeared in an episode of Warner Brothers Television's ''Gilmore Girls'' and donated the $1,350 to the San Diego Police Athletic League.

Among the four Senate Democrats actively seeking their party's 2004 presidential nomination, former trial lawyer John Edwards, D-N.C., reported assets including a blind trust worth from $5 million to $25 million. He listed earnings of $100,000 to $1 million from that trust.

Lieberman listed a blind trust worth from $100,000 to $250,000, which he dissolved in April, while Graham reported his real estate.

Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts listed four trusts worth up to $1.75 million, plus a Dutch painting valued at $250,000 to $500,000 owned with his wife, Teresa Heinz Kerry.

Her assets were reported to be at least $210 million from her family's Heinz food fortune, and estimates have her worth at more than double that amount. Kerry's campaign has said it believes he cannot legally use her money for his race.

Frist, a surgeon whose family started the huge Hospital Corp. of America, now called HCA, said his wife and three sons each earned blind trusts worth at least $1 million and producing at least that much in income last year.

The family's diversified investments also include stock in Krispy Kreme, the doughnut company, and part-ownership of Hot Hits Inc., a Nashville music recording firm.

Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., more modest holdings include a bank account worth from $100,001 to $250,000. His wife, Linda, a former top Federal Aviation Administration official, is a lobbyist who has represented airlines and aerospace companies.

The reports also said:

Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska, the Senate's longest-serving Republican, earned $285 from an Anchorage restaurant;

His Democratic counterpart, Robert Byrd of West Virginia, reported owning no stocks or investment properties;

No. 2 Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada included land and mining claims worth up to $2.7 million;

Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the No. 2 Republican, listed mutual funds and a home owned by his wife, Labor Secretary Elaine Chao, worth more than his own.

AP-NY-06-13-03 1714EDT
 
I frankly do not get your point. Achieving that level of weath is frankly not too hard. People in politics actually make a financial sacrifice.
 
Originally posted by Gilbert
I frankly do not get your point. Achieving that level of weath is frankly not too hard. People in politics actually make a financial sacrifice.

Gilbert, I guess I was vague. Let me explain what I meant. Not too long ago one member, no freedom I think, sent a letter to his local Senator and got a half ass response from him. This response has actually infuriated a lot of people in this forum. We, as asylees and refugees are considered low priority for these people. If we represent other groups "such as millionaires", I think this guy would have responded differently. When I hear that this guy is a "representative of the people of the United States," I have a hard time with the word "representative." Are the American people millionaires to be mainly represented by millionaire Senators? What happened to the regular Joe or the regular Tom? Who represent them? Do you think these powerful rich people really care for the poor and oppressed. I think millionaires do not scarifice by becoming senators but instead they want to maintain the status quo by keeping the power in their hands. I do not mean to turn this into a political discussion but I am really frustrated by the level of classism in this Senate and this government. Millionaires are only 1% of the American population but they represent the majority of Congress. Sounds like the theocracy from which I came from. However, the core construct here is money and not religion . The result is the same: oppression :(
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Very interesting point shamshon. However, we all know that America is only virtual democracy and we have to live with it. It drives me crazy sometimes, but we can not do anything. We are powerless bottom of the society. This should be our motivation to become one of those guys. It will be hard, maybe impossible but it is worth try. Go to tax school to learn what they know and how to legally save more (trust me I’m doing this for 2 years and it is working big time). This is my satisfaction game. It is their game and they made the law, but I will profit from it. My point is simple; we are powerless and better find something else to channel our anger. My senator and his letter will be on my agenda on the next election. Just one example, my minority group contains 10% of the city where I live. Most of them will be able to vote next election and I can influence their vote. Revenge is all mine … or at the end, trying and fighting will make me feel better. :D
 
NoFreedom,

Good attitude. I think we have to remember that things don't remain the same, thus we must be able to play the game (whatever it maybe) first before we can attempt to make changes in the rules :) I like your attitude by getting satisfaction from trying as winning is overblown, it is usualy the journy that is more enriching personaly.

ok, I am off my soapbox now :)
 
Originally posted by nofreedom
Very interesting point shamshon. However, we all know that America is only virtual democracy and we have to live with it. It drives me crazy sometimes, but we can not do anything. We are powerless bottom of the society. This should be our motivation to become one of those guys. It will be hard, maybe impossible but it is worth try. Go to tax school to learn what they know and how to legally save more (trust me I’m doing this for 2 years and it is working big time). This is my satisfaction game. It is their game and they made the law, but I will profit from it. My point is simple; we are powerless and better find something else to channel our anger. My senator and his letter will be on my agenda on the next election. Just one example, my minority group contains 10% of the city where I live. Most of them will be able to vote next election and I can influence their vote. Revenge is all mine … or at the end, trying and fighting will make me feel better. :D
All power to you nofreedom. However I am hearing 2 issues here. One issue is your self assertion and the way you are trying to rely on your own individualistic way to change the situation. However, once you become a millionaire, would you remember asylees like you who have to go through a lot here in America? On the other hand, you alluded into a collectivistic way of acting by rallying your community who constitute 10 % of the voters in your area. So in a way, you are going two opposite ways in fighting this bozo senator: one way through individualistic aspirations and the other through collectivistic action. I think it can be frustrating to learn that the 2 ways do not and will never work together. For one thing, if many members of your community think in individualistic terms, the collective action will not work. I hope your community realize that they need to stand firm in unity against the oppression of immigrants and minorities in this country. Doing it alone by learning about how to be a millionaire will never help. However, I appreciate your enthusiasm and good luck. Also as Gilbert suggest we would like to see a draft of the letter you will send to give you suggestions. Good luck my friend
:)
 
:cool:

Well, nice thoughts guys. Remember, I will never become a millionaire (again, you never know) and I'm down to earth. I can make my life easier in many different ways, but I do not dream dreams. Small achievement could be as rewarding as anything else. Even if my community does not respond, I could care less. I've been through a lot of things in my life that most of the people, even sleazy politicians, won't see in their entire life. I've learn to lose battles and I've learn to deal with it. If I didn't, you would probably see me in the "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest 2" :rolleyes: However, life must go on (fight as well) :D
 
The letter from the Senator was obviously a form letter. They prepare those letters as a general resply to constituent correspondence. It's an equivelant to "Your letter was received". The senator didn't even read the original letter, I guess. His office can send the reply letter to anybody who writes him about immigration issues.

This kind of FORM stuff happens so often so people should understand it. For example, RTD processing time, I think the estimate given by Immigration is a general estimate for all 131 applications, including Advance Parole and Reentry Permit. And estimate for Adjustment of Status is a general estimate for all 485 applications of all categories. I sensed that asylees can be confused if they don't take these into considerations.
 
Originally posted by TimZ
The letter from the Senator was obviously a form letter. They prepare those letters as a general resply to constituent correspondence. It's an equivelant to "Your letter was received". The senator didn't even read the original letter, I guess. His office can send the reply letter to anybody who writes him about immigration issues.

This kind of FORM stuff happens so often so people should understand it. For example, RTD processing time, I think the estimate given by Immigration is a general estimate for all 131 applications, including Advance Parole and Reentry Permit. And estimate for Adjustment of Status is a general estimate for all 485 applications of all categories. I sensed that asylees can be confused if they don't take these into considerations.

Even if this was a form, it is even more insulting to send the same response to all immigrants in such a detached idiotic way. Different immigrants have different issues and lumping them into one treatment is totally invalidating :(
 
Top