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In May of 2009, I began a six-part series entitled Time For REAL Represntation! I featured it in posts dated May 4, 6, 8, 16, 19 and 30, respectively. In it, I listed the prior backgrounds and occupations of every single congressperson from every single district of every single state plus every single Senator. I did this to demonstrate conclusively that the reason Congress is so out of touch with the wants and needs of the majority of the population (who are average, everyday, hard-working Americans), and why it passses legislation often of little benefit to that majority (and instead beneficial only to big business, big money, and special interests) is due to the fact that we do not send those with average, everyday backgrounds or occupations TO Congress. Indeed, my findings indicated that 37.24% of those in Congress were or had been attorneys; 5.21% had been in banking, securities, or investments; 3.91% had been realtors; 3.72% had been farmers or ranchers; another 3.72% had been college professors; 3.54% had been small business owners; and 3.2% had been physicians or surgeons. Of the remaining roughly 40%, virtually NONE had come from occupations paying below our national median income, and the overwhelming majority came from white collar backgrounds. There were (and still are) no cooks, waiters/waitresses, tailors, secretaries, cashiers, warehousepersons, assembly-line workers, truckers, bakers, carpenters, hairdressers, retail stockers or clerks, or any other types of workers earning median or lower incomes. Naive Tea Party supporters and those who voted enthusiastically (or even reluctantly) for conservative Republicans may have been overjoyed at the outcome of last week's midterm elections.But I predict that their elation may very soon turn into voters' remorse. They may have thought they were electing fresh new, more-average-and-regular-type people to office, but they weren't. Instead, they were overwhelmingly sending different faces, but the same old upper-income, corporate and special interest money-backed candidates to Congress. NONE of these candidates had specific or viable plans to create good-paying jobs or improve our infrastructure; nearly ALL of them want to extend tax cuts for the very wealthy; and nearly all strongly support the very same Bush-era "free market" economic policies which caised the Great Recession we are currently suffering.
With this post, I begin a new series which will introduce to you these new members of Congress who will begin their terms starting January 3, 2011. I will again do this state by state, and district by district. This listing will only feature NEW members; incumbents who were re-elected will not appear here. I will again list the congressional district number, followed by the elected person's name, party, and previous occupation. But this time, I will also give, in most cases, an accounting of where a large chunk of their campaign money came from (which will indicate precisely whom they are actually beholden to).
KEY: D=Democrat; I=Independent; R=Republican; S=Senator; A=Attorney; P=Politician.
ALABAMA
2. Martha Roby R A much money received from conservative PACs, health professionals, and real estate associations.
5. Mo Brooks R A much money from health professionals, conservative PACs, lawyers and law firms.
7. Terri Sewell D A much money from law firms, securities and investment firms. 1st black women ever elected to Congress from Alabama.
ALASKA
no changes
ARIZONA
1. Paul Gosar R Dentist big funding from fellow dentists and health professional PACS as well as conservative PACs. Strongly opposes the Affoedable Health Care for America Act and will vote for its repeal. Strong Tea Party support.
3. Ben Quayle R A son of former Vice President and doofus Dan Quayle (need I say more?) and was heavily funded by securities, investment, and misc. finance firms. Big Tea Party favorite.
5. David Schweikert R Real estate broker self-funded 23% of his campaign, but also got large donations from food processing/sales companies, health professionals, and the real estate industry. A Tea Party favorite who strongly supports cuts in education, health, and transportation.
ARKANSAS
2. Timothy Griffin R A A POLITICAL INSIDER who was a former aide to Karl Rove in the Bush White House from 2005-2006. A big chunk of his money came from conservative PACs (with indirect Chamber of Commerce funding), health professionals, the oil and gas industry, and securities and invesment firms.
S. John Boozma R Optometrist LONGTIME CONGRESSMAN AND POLITICAL INSIDER. Very well funded from banks and securities and investment firms, Wal Mart, health professionals, and conservative PACs. LOTS of big money behind THIS guy, teabaggers!
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In my next installment for this series, I will more or less be covering new members of Congress from California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, and Idaho. Be on the lookout for it!
6 comments:
What this all means is that a broke, talentented individual who really is interested in working for the people and not the corporations doesn't have a chance in hell.
The positions of real power in our government have been overwhelmingly dominated by rich, white, middle-aged males since the founding of the nation. Yes, there have been exceptions (like President Obama), but these have been relatively rare.
For that matter, the Founding Fathers were all rich, white, middle-aged males. George Washington, who inherited significant wealth, was one of the richest men in all the colonies.
And yet the "American Dream" fantasy lives on. Supposedly, anyone can become "successful" and rich by just working hard.
Funny how most of those who do become rich and powerful in America continue to be white, middle-aged males from prosperous backgrounds. I guess the rest of us just aren't trying hard enough.
Although few Americans are aware of this, modern day Europe actually has more class mobility than the U.S. does these days. The "American Dream" is more alive there, ironically, than it is here.
tnlib,
I hate to say it, but it appears that you are absolutely right. That's why I refer to myself as an American Dissident.
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Marc,
Thank you for sharing those truths and wholly accurate observations. All the more reason we on the left must continue to battle the far right lies and push on for a more socially and economically egalitarian nation! Blog on, brother!
The idea that Ben Quayle will now sit in congress actual makes me sick to my stomach. If there was in justice in the world that little shit would have car breakdown in the middle of poorest Hispanic community.
We may feel remorse that these kooks were elceted but Rove is an expert at making idiots feel good about voting for idiots.
Nothing the clowns on your list do will offend any one thsat voted for them. They will blame the black guy in the oval office.
Beach Bum,
I read you all the way, bud.
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Ayatohhah Truthmeni 101,
You are undoubtedly right. But I post them nonetheless in the event that, someday way down the line, at least a few of the idiots will realize their horrendous mistake and come to understand that we progressive liberals weren't as far out there as those types currently think we are.
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