Wednesday, October 4, 2017

The U.S. House of Representatives: An Aristocratic or People’s House?

Between 1984 and 2009, the median net worth of a member of the House rose by more than 2 1/2 times, according to the analysis of financial disclosures, from $280,000 to $725,000 in inflation-adjusted 2009 dollars, excluding home ­equity. Over the same period, the wealth of an American family has declined slightly, with the comparable median figure sliding from $20,600 to $20,500, according to the Panel Study of Income Dynamics from the University of Michigan.” This comparison excludes home equity because it was not included in congressional reporting.

The full essay is at "An Aristocratic or People's House?"