Although the Congress is the people's representation in the National Government, they could not be more different than the average American. They speak for all people, from women to men, from the rich to the poor, from the young to the old, for all races, despite the fact that they are mostly rich, middle-aged white men. In 2013, only 99 of 535 congressmen were women, a mere 18.5%. Additionally, the average age of congressmen is over 50. Then comes the matter of average net worth. The median net worth for Congress is 1.03 MILLION dollars. That number doesn't do the real facts justice, though. The highest net worth is held by Representative Issa who has an estimated $448 million. Even the lowest number is above the $56,355 average American household's net worth at $443,508. And these are the people who speak for all of us.
The control of the government by the higher class is not a new occurrence. In the Gilded Age the Congress was a puppet controlled by the big companies. Many Senators own large companies, as Mitt Romney did, and their money has significant influence on the decisions of politics.
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I agree with your reference to the Gilded Age. This is well written and you're right. The control of the government by the higher class is nothing new, but what can we do? I don't think we can do anything, but if we could, who would?
ReplyDeleteThe way to change this would be to infiltrate the system by direct and indirect participation. If becoming part of a party or campaign is not a possibility, then research the candidates and vote smart. Unfortunately, the names on the ballots cannot always be controlled by us, though, because we do not choose the candidates and other positions are appointed, but researched and informed voting is the most we can do as non-political citizens.
Delete- Elisa Weich - 5th Period
Excellent comparison! This just goes to show how many people get into politics not for the actual responsibility of helping and guiding people, but just to line their pockets with corporate money by passing big-business friendly legislation.
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