The period covered is December 2008 to December 2009.

The median wealth of a representative was $765,010, up from $645,503 in 2008, while that of a senator was almost $2.38 million, versus $2.27 million the previous year.

That is sizable considering that by law members of each chamber receive an annual salary of $175,000. They do, however, qualify for a number of perks, including paid travel expenses.

In contrast, U.S. median household income dropped 3 percent to $50,221 between 2008 and 2009, the second straight decline, according to the Census Dept. In terms of millionaires, only about 1 percent of the overall population qualifies.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/40233691

I thought they whent to Washington to "SERVRE OUR COUNTRY"
Ask a soldier why they enlist. They will tell you to serve our country. A Spercialist E-4 makes uner $23,000/yr.

Looks like we the people are the ones being served.

TERM LIMITS!!!!!

wealth is what you possess minus the debts you owe

politicians are more likely to be lawyers and privvy to all the laws and red tape than the average american,,,

networking has alot to do with acquiring and maintaining wealth, a fact many in our country overlook and ignore,,,,

Face it they're criminals.

haaa.
when will people listen.

not necessarily, they just know how to manage money and where to invest money and take risks and they have the networks to enable them to do so,,,

No, they go to DC and make business deals in the interest of their bank account and business. That is not what they are sent there to do, they are sent there conduct business in the interest of the country and its citizens...there is a difference.

They are sent there to do a job but they are also citizens themself free to participate in the same FREE Market others do.

I am not a crook

Wrong again, they are sent there to represent the people. With your kind of thinking its no wonder they don't fear the public.

Reps paid for their votes is bribery.
The know how to hide assets.
Investigate them all.
Make 'em take lie detector, drug and alcohol tests.
If they fail, dump 'em or prosecute 'em.

AND? I work at my job to do what my job requires but I am still free in my PERSONAL business and life to make whatever choices are best for ME

why is that not true of someone who has a job in government?

AND if you at your job were conducting personal business on the clock you would be fired. That is the issue with this, they are doing business not representative of the people on the job. There is no way somebody who isn't crooked can make this much money while doing what they are supposed to be doing, they get the money for making decisions that effect the people for the profit of business.

where is evidence that its 'on the clock' ?

these people have lives and incomes to do with as they wish...

and there is plenty of legitimate ways people in ANY type of job can invest and gain WEALTH(which is different than INCOME)

Hey you might be blind and willing to bury your head in the sand but I see things clearly.

I dont bury my head anywhere, I read ,, about the difference between WEALTH and INCOME and about the difference in both when comparing LAWYERS to WORKING CLASS people,,,,

most of them dont get elected into politics being poor, they need a network to cover the expense of the campaign, this same network allows them (and in most cases was already allowing them) to acquire WEALTH, by investing and divesting their INCOME in different areas...

this is the free market, and politicians should have no less access to it than anyone else

I dont get upset that they are able to do it, I get upset that others arent given the same exposure to the networks which will enable them to do it as well...

All a person has to do is become an member of congress, start doing the bidding for big business and they too can have 7 houses.

Every federal job should have a salary cap of $90,000 a year no matter who you are.

thats a good idea so long as the salary is defined by what is paid for THAT job and not restricting what other income they can make

all citizens should be able to acquire WEALTH (which is different than income) regardless of their occupation

"The median wealth of a representative was $765,010, up from $645,503 in 2008"

That seems to be quite a bit more than an annual salary of $175,000.

So they are able to invest ad make a 700% return on their entire salry?

I don't know of any investment that brings that kind of a return.

many of them were making MORE of a salary before entering politics and had already ACQUIRED great returns on their income because they had the NETWORKS to do so