The Left’s One-Percenter Problem

By Frank Salvato | May 17, 2012 | New Media Journal

In the aftermath of Vice President Joe Biden’s “Howard Dean” moment in Ohio this week, I was struck by the sheer magnitude of the Progressive-Democrat Left’s hypocrisy when it comes to their political attacks on the so-called “rich.” As the unwashed masses of the Occupy Movement – the overwhelming majority of which are anarchists, pseudo-Socialists, Progressive activists and union operatives – take to the streets of Chicago to protest the NATO summit, I really do have to wonder if they – the useful idiots of the new millennium – know that those who they follow are the one-percenters?

Among the leaders of the Progressive Movement and the Democrat Party, it is nearly impossible to identify anyone among them who isn’t in the one-percent, and that includes President Obama and, yes, Vice President Biden. Maybe that’s why his statement, “They just don’t get us,” made my head cock like a dog hearing a high-pitched noise. “Who’s us,” I thought to myself.

Truth be told, Mr. Biden is the least wealthy among the Left’s one-percenter elitists. Yes, his roots may have been blue collar, but he benefited from the Capitalist system to become quite wealthy, or at least a heck of a lot wealthier than many. His annual salary is $248,754 and he enjoys perks that include free housing, transportation, health insurance, etc. He has listed assets including between nearly $230,000 to $860,000, many of which are in investment accounts and insurance policies. He has disclosed that he receives between $15,000 to $50,000 annually in rental income on a guest house in Wilmington, Delaware. And, of course, his future will see a healthy pension, book deals and, no doubt, invitations from the mainstream media to contribute as a political pundit (now that will be entertaining).

OpenSecrets.org estimates Mr. Biden’s net worth at $718,994.

But the Progressive and Democrat elite’s one-percenters are many…

President and Mrs. Obama hold family assets estimated in 2010 as up to $8.3 million, including assets of between $500,000 and $1million in a JPMorgan Chase checking account.

According to the Washington Post,

“The president and first lady’s asset mix includes Treasury notes valued at between $1 million and $5 million, Treasury bills worth $500,000 and $1 million, along with retirement and checking accounts.

“Royalties from Obama’s books, ‘Dreams From My Father,’ ‘The Audacity of Hope’ and ‘Of Thee I Sing,’ totaled between $250,000 and $2.1 million.

“The Obamas have a 30-year mortgage on their Chicago home worth between $500,000 and $1 million…”

OpenSecrets.org estimates the Obama’s net worth at $11,830,000.

Then we have the Demo-Progressive leadership in Congress.

In 2010, The Hill reported that House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi had an estimated net worth of $35.2 million,

“House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (P-CA) saw her net worth rise 62 percent last year, cementing her status as one of the wealthiest members of Congress.

“Pelosi was worth at least $35.2 million in the 2010 calendar year, according to a financial disclosure report released Wednesday. She reported a minimum of $43.4 million in assets and about $8.2 million in liabilities.”

OpenSecrets.org estimates Ms. Pelosi’s net worth at $196,299,990. Yes, you read that correctly, $196,299,990.

According to Nevada News & Views, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is work up to $6,307,999,

“According to OpenSecrets, Senator Harry Reid has a minimum net worth of $2,827,056.00, a maximum worth of $6,307,999.00 and an average net worth of $4,567,527.00. Why all the discrepancies?

“Because our leaders, much as they set up campaign finance laws to protect themselves, have set up their disclosure requirements to hide things. They don’t really want us to know how much they have and thus the millions of dollars of variance possible in Reid’s fortune.

“Still, taking that nearly $4.6 million average for Reid seems fair – if it’s really off, then it’s up to Reid to correct the record. And that is quite a rise for a man who endlessly reminds us was born poor.”

OpenSecrets.org estimates Mr. Reid’s net worth in 2012 at $10,309,999.

Among the un-elected of the elitist Progressive and Democrat ranks…

Read the full article here.