Congress got 25% richer during height of recession?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
While millions of Americans struggle under a weak economy, members of Congress keep getting richer. A lot richer.
"Roll Call" reports that members of Congress had a collective net worth of more than $2 billion in 2010.
That was up about 25 percent from 2008, during the height of the recession.
And these wealth totals likely underestimate how rich Congress really is. That's because they don't include homes and other non-income generating property, which could come out to hundreds of millions in additional dollars.
This wealth is split fairly evenly between both Democrats and Republicans.
Overall, about 200 members of Congress are millionaires. Once again, this doesn't include the value of their homes.
There are even a handful of lawmakers who are worth tens or hundreds of millions of dollars.
The Roll Call analysis shows that 90% of Congress' increase in wealth since 2008 benefited the 50 richest members. Sounds a lot like what's going on in the rest of the country.
What a surprise. Congress is getting richer faster than the rest of us. One economist says aggregate household worth went up 12 percent from 2008 to 2010, about half the increase Congress saw.
Another expert suggests members of Congress do better with their investments than the average American because they are privy to inside information.
Really? Seriously? They would take advantage of that… something that is clearly illegal for the rest of us?
The bottom line is this body of lawmakers has next to nothing in common with the average American. Yet we keep sending most of the same rat pack back year after year.
Here's my question to you: What does it say when members of Congress got 25% richer during the height of the recession?
Tune in to "The Situation Room" at 5 p.m. ET to see if Jack reads your answer on the air.
And we'd love to know where you're writing from, so please include your city and state with your comment.
Should 12-year-old sexual harassment charge ruin Cain’s candidacy?
FROM CNN'S Jack Cafferty:
Herman Cain is just the latest politician in a long line to have a potential sex scandal damage his career.
There's been a lot of sordidness in our political past - but not all of it has been fatal.
Most famously, former President Bill Clinton was impeached over the Monica Lewinsky scandal but was acquitted in the Senate. He went on to finish his second term and has maintained a high-profile after leaving office.
Of course, not every politician has survived such troubles.
Remember former Rep. Anthony Weiner of New York, one-time presidential hopeful John Edwards, former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer or former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, who made up that ridiculous story about hiking the Appalachian Trail when he was really with his lover in Argentina.
There are many more. Some of them still crawling around in Congress.
The key in Cain's case is we still don't know all the facts - although his clumsy handling of the incident certainly hasn't helped him.
Cain has changed his story multiple times since news broke Sunday that two women accused him of sexual harassment when he led the National Restaurant Association in the late 1990s.
But it's unclear how much the allegations will damage his campaign if at all.
There are no polls yet taken entirely after the accusations came to light, although Cain was at the top of the Republican field in the past few weeks.
The story seems to be rallying the base. Cain's campaign says it took in more than $400,000 online Monday alone. That's no chump change.
Also, several high-profile conservatives are sticking by him. They're blaming the media and racism - which, of course, is always convenient.
Here's my question to you: Should allegations of sexual harassment more than 12 years ago cost Herman Cain his run for the White House?
Tune in to "The Situation Room" at 4 p.m. ET to see if Jack reads your answer on the air.
And we'd love to know where you're writing from, so please include your city and state with your comment.
@jackcafferty on Twitter
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