diane feinstein-r.i.p.

[DCLMP]

Nobody, except maybe the president, is becoming wealthy on a government salary. Members of Congress make $174,000 per year and have to maintain two residences. If they're wealthy, then it's because they already had money or because they're making money from other endeavors, such as speaking tours, books, and investing.

Do you seriously believe that?

 

[RedAngie]

Here's a very real, very scary scenario;
Newsom appoints Kamala Harris to replace Feinstein with an agreement from Biden that Newsom gets named to replace Harris. The Dems then flip the ticket and Newsom is the incumbent President.

yipes.

Sounds good to me.

 

[Kwami]

Do you seriously believe that?

Yes. Do you really think that $174,000 per year makes someone wealthy? That's what they get as a government salary. The rest comes from elsewhere. This isn't really up for debate.

 

[DCLMP]

Yes. Do you really think that $174,000 per year makes someone wealthy? That's what they get as a government salary. The rest comes from elsewhere. This isn't really up for debate.

174k is more than they deserve.

 

[Kwami]

174k is more than they deserve.

That's an opinion. What I posted is fact. Both can exist simultaneously without conflict.

 

[Ms.Minnie]

Yes. Do you really think that $174,000 per year makes someone wealthy? That's what they get as a government salary. The rest comes from elsewhere. This isn't really up for debate.

I guess it's the "elsewhere" some worry about.

 

[Karin1984]

You've got to love British tabloids

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...or-died-aged-90-White-House-ultimate-aim.html

 

[gmi3804]

That's true, but he's one of only a few senators that could realistically commute. Almost all of them simply live too far away in the states that they represent.

Joe Bien wasn't very wealthy during his time in the Senate, despite serving there for 36 years. Almost all of his wealth came in 2017 and later after he left the vice presidency. Even now, most of his wealth is in the homes that he bought a long time ago. Forbes estimates his total wealth at about $10M.

$10 million isn’t that much as wealthy people go.

 

[DCLMP]

That's an opinion. What I posted is fact. Both can exist simultaneously without conflict.

So a is 174k salary can't make you wealthy an opinion. That's more than most Americans make. I'd love to have a job where I'd make that much money until I'm 90 with aids doing all the work. I just show up and vote the way they tell me to vote.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Sounds good to me.

I'm fine with it too.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

You've got to love British tabloids

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...or-died-aged-90-White-House-ultimate-aim.html

I'm surprised they found time between grouching about our ryder cup players taunting the fans after being taunted by those same fans all day.

 

[HeatherC]

Yes. Do you really think that $174,000 per year makes someone wealthy? That's what they get as a government salary. The rest comes from elsewhere. This isn't really up for debate.

That IS the problem! They are making $174,000 a year and winding up millionaires like two years in office! $174k a year DOES NOT make you a millionaire. Something is wrong!!!!

 

[Kwami]

So a is 174k salary can't make you wealthy an opinion. That's more than most Americans make. I'd love to have a job where I'd make that much money until I'm 90 with aids doing all the work. I just show up and vote the way they tell me to vote.

While maintaining two residences, including one in one of the most expensive housing markets? Yeah...

You can think whatever you want about members of Congress and other government employees. I was simply responding to your challenge of the facts that I posted.

 

[Kwami]

That IS the problem! They are making $174,000 a year and winding up millionaires like two years in office! That is wrong!!!!

Some of them are, but not all of them. I posted about Biden's finances earlier in this thread. He served in the Senate for 36 years and had less than $100K when he became VP. The whole point here is that they aren't getting rich on a government salary. They're getting rich in other ways, some of which we can probably prevent if we want to.

 

[DCLMP]

I guess it's the "elsewhere" some worry about.

Shocking there are still people who believe in the system.

 

[Kwami]

Shocking there are still people who believe in the system.

Well, if you come up with a better one, then let us know. For now, we're all just doing the best we can.

 

[SpaceMan5]

Maybe Tom Clancy was onto something when he wrote "Debt of Honor" and "Executive Orders" in the 90's.

Not saying that I want a terrorist event but the aftermath of reshaping our government to what our Founding Fathers really envisioned for this nation could be amazing. I tread lightly in saying that so don't blast me. Otherwise you could fall into what I say below....

It is sad to see that we can no longer have civilized conversations and debates about politics like we could years ago. Now the extremes on both sides have reverted to "yelling and screaming" just to get their misguided view point heard.
Isn't that what drives the clicks and views?

Just really sad to see what this nation has become. Sigh.....

 

[Kwami]

Maybe Tom Clancy was onto something when he wrote "Debt of Honor" and "Executive Orders" in the 90's.

Not saying that I want a terrorist event but the aftermath of reshaping our government to what our Founding Fathers really envisioned for this nation could be amazing. I tread lightly in saying that so don't blast me. Otherwise you could fall into what I say below....

It is sad to see that we can no longer have civilized conversations and debates about politics like we could years ago. Now the extremes on both sides have reverted to "yelling and screaming" just to get their misguided view point heard.
Isn't that what drives the clicks and views?

Just really sad to see what this nation has become. Sigh.....

I haven't read those books, but the last big terrorist attack here lead to the war in Iraq, the Department of Homeland Security, the TSA, more spying on Americans, Gitmo, torture, and... not much of anything good. I'll pass on the terrorist attacks as a way of improving the government. Voting should eventually get us there without all of the dying.

 

[NotUrsula]

It strikes me that the best thing Newsom could do would be to try to persuade Barbara Boxer to resume the office until the results of the special election are determined in the Spring. She's the same party as Newsom and Feinstein, has plenty of experience with the workings of the Senate (which are extraordinarily arcane), and most importantly, is really retired and has no interest in ever running for election again. There are a fair number of recesses set to occur between now and then, so in terms of actual time in Washington, I think it would only total about 8 weeks or so of in-person committee service and floor voting.

I do understand the logic of not appointing any of the previously declared candidates for the seat, as it would be unfair to put one of them on unequal campaign footing for an office which has no incumbent, but I think that making a diversity statement thru the appointment of a temporary "seatwarmer" officeholder is rather ludicrously quixotic. The most logical thing to do is to find a previous incumbent who voluntarily resigned and who does not wish to ever run again, but who has actual experience of the position and thus no learning curve to get past in the limited time that person will serve.

 

[sam_gordon]

I haven't read those books, but the last big terrorist attack here lead to the war in Iraq, the Department of Homeland Security, the TSA, more spying on Americans, Gitmo, torture, and... not much of anything good. I'll pass on the terrorist attacks as a way of improving the government. Voting should eventually get us there without all of the dying.

If you had read the post, you would have seen that @SpaceMan5 wasn't advocating for a terrorist attack.

If you would have read the books he mentioned, you would know 95%+(?) of government was wiped out by the act of a single person. All but a handful of Congress, the president,, all of the Supreme Court and the Joint Chiefs.

The new President asks states to send him not politicians, but people who DONT want to be political. Folks who know how to "do things", even if they don't know government.