Bush Has A Cabinet Full of Wealth: One-Third Top $10 Million Mark

The Washington Post ^ | 9/18/02 | Thomas B. Edsall

[GeneD]

When Vice President Cheney and the 14 other statutory members of President Bush's Cabinet meet, 10 of them have one thing in common: They are millionaires.

In fact, one-third of the Cabinet members, according to their financial disclosure statements, are in the $10 million-plus range, while another third are in the $1 million to $5 million range.

The heaviest hitter is former Alcoa chief executive Paul H. O'Neill, now the treasury secretary. He is worth between $67 million and $253 million. Disclosure forms do not give specific price valuations for holdings, but instead require officials to state whether an asset is worth from, for example, $100,000 to $250,000, or $5 million to $25 million.

[GeneD]

When does the campaign begin?

[trebb]

Is there supposed to be a problem that these folks are successful? I hope we're not implying that our elected officials have to be poor, homeless victims...
Besides, if you look at the Congress and Senate, some of the bigest financial dogs are Dems...

[iranger]

As a general rule, smart people make more money than dumb people.

[Hildy]

Wasn't this the case with Clinton's cabinet as well?

[Prodigal Son]

Interesting. Unless I read the article too quickly- Condi Rice is not a millionaire. Colin Powell has a fair amount of money for an ex-general.

Rice for President in 2008!

[MJY1288]

I think the Washington Post is just missing the Trailer Trash that used to occupy the White House. Personally I want highly successful people in the White House.

The Class Warfare these Liberals engage in is typical Socialist tactics. Those miserable bastards at the Wash. Post are just plain desperate for something to smear the President with.

[Howlin]

And the hits just keep on coming.

[breakem]

It just never stops does it?

[breakem]

The difference with Clinton's cabinet is that they weren't rich when they came in, just became so while accepting bribes (Labor) and hiding Indian money (BIA), and misappropriating hundreds of millions here and there (see Cuomo at HUD).

[Moby Grape]

If memory serves me, the Clinton Crime Cabinet was the richest in our history.

[breakem]

Forgot millions of Educ funds unaccounted for.

[dead]

Johnny-One-Note liberals playing their ol' class-envy dirge.

Unfortunately for them, the golden oldies aren't getting alot of air time these days.

[Michael.SF.]

Wasn't this the case with Clinton's cabinet as well?

Of couse it was. But wealth is only bad if it is Republican wealth. No Democrat every gained wealth off of the hardworking backs of the proletariat.

It is almost funny that you only see garbage like this when they can portray the Republicans in a negative light.

Just remember...... there is no liberal bias in the press. (sarcasim off)

[N. Theknow]

And how many Congresscritters are millionaires?

And now for the bonus question....How many Congresscritters became millionaires while in office?

[sibb1213]

Thank God! I don't want poor people running our government or making decisions for us, they might be crooks! Oh yes, didn't we have that in the previous administration?

[cynicom]

Rep Houghton of NY is the wealthiest elected person in government, a socialist RINO to boot.

[YaYa123]

Look at this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

March 22, 1993
DID YOU KNOW?
by Thomas R. Eddlem
http://www.thenewamerican.com/tna/1993/vo09no06/vo09no06_know.htm

"•... Party of the Rich?
Despite years of attacks on the Republican Party as "the party of the rich," the new Democratic Administration is chock full of millionaires at Cabinet-level positions.

An Associated Press story listed seven millionaire Cabinet-level officials in the new Administration: Treasury Secretary Lloyd Bentson, Secretary of State Warren Christopher, Energy Secretary Hazel O'Leary, Labor Secretary Robert Reich, Education Secretary Richard Riley, Commerce Secretary Ron Brown, and U.S. Ambassador to the UN Madeleine Albright.

The number of Clinton Cabinet millionaires is virtually identical to the first Cabinets of the Reagan and Bush Republican Administrations, which had seven and six millionaires respectively."

[kcvl]

politics@washingtonpost.com

[livius]

Good news! I'd rather have winners than losers.

In any case, $10 million by today's standards is probably not that out of line if you looked back at past office holders, who have generally come from the upper middle class (attorneys, etc.). Not, unfortunately, that I can include myself among the "average" $10 million folks!

[Aeronaut]

In fact, one-third of the Cabinet members, according to their financial disclosure statements, are in the $10 million-plus range, while another third are in the $1 million to $5 million range.

I like that. The idea of a Presidential Cabinet populated with people who were not successful is insane. It's not about privelege, it's about effectiveness.