So all the current Congress does is investigate the President of the United States. I want to remind you what that is costing us to have 535 people doing nothing productive.
A quick look suggests that total legislative branch appropriations for FY14 is about $4.1 billion. This includes House and Senate member and staff salaries and benefits, Capitol Complex maintenance, staff and security (including the U.S. Capitol Police), the Library of Congress, the GAO, the CBO, the Government Printing Office. This comes to $7,476,635 each we taxpayers lay out for every member of Congress. Are they worth that kind of money?
First, let’s look at the work schedule once again.
It’s roughly a 33 week work year. Or, they work 8 months a year. But, the overhead is there for 52 weeks while they are not. If this were a business that would be unacceptable. Paying that much for such little productivity would change.
Six of the counties around Washington DC are in the top ten wealthiest in the country. What gets produced there that creates such wealth? Government, that’s all, government.
This from the Boston Globe:
By Matt Viser
“It’s surprising,” said Dan Auble, a senior researcher at the Center for Responsive Politics. “Everyone expects when there’s a change in party and agenda — and claims of changing a lot of policies — that it’s a huge opportunity for companies and industries.”
Isn’t it cute how hard all so-called journalists work to avoid giving any credit for anything to Trump.
So, if the number of lobbyists is dropping to just over 18 per legislator. Let’s check the money spent.
Those 9,791 lobbyists spent $2,864,000,000. That comes to $5,535,271 per Congressperson, or almost as much as we taxpayers spend to keep them in office.
Here are the top 50 lobbyists by expenditure: They represent 25% of the total spent in 2016, or $716,000,000.
Top 50 Lobbying Spenders of 2016
| Client | 2016 Spending | 2015 Spending | 2015 Rank |
| U.S. Chamber of Commerce | $103,950,000 | $84,730,000 | 1 |
| National Association of Realtors | $64,821,111 | $37,788,407 | 2 |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $25,006,109 | $23,702,049 | 3 |
| American Hospital Association | $20,970,809 | $20,687,935 | 7 |
| Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America | $19,730,000 | $18,920,000 | 9 |
| American Medical Association | $19,410,000 | $21,930,000 | 4 |
| Boeing | $17,020,000 | $21,921,000 | 5 |
| National Association of Broadcasters | $16,438,000 | $17,400,000 | 10 |
| AT&T | $16,370,000 | $16,370,000 | 13 |
| Business Roundtable | $15,700,000 | $19,250,000 | 8 |
| Alphabet | $15,430,000 | $16,660,000 | 12 |
| Comcast | $14,330,000 | $15,680,000 | 14 |
| Southern Co. | $13,900,000 | $12,860,000 | 18 |
| Dow Chemical | $13,635,982 | $10,820,000 | 26 |
| Lockheed Martin | $13,615,811 | $13,954,053 | 17 |
| NCTA – The Internet and Telephone Assoc. | $13,420,000 | $14,120,000 | 16 |
| FedEx | $12,541,000 | $12,405,835 | 20 |
| Northrop Grumman | $12,050,000 | $11,020,000 | 24 |
| Exxon Mobil | $11,840,000 | $11,980,000 | 21 |
| Amazon | $11,354,000 | $9,435,000 | 34 |
| CTIA | $10,970,000 | $10,150,000 | 29 |
| General Dynamics | $10,739,944 | $10,259,890 | 28 |
| Verizon Communications | $10,080,000 | $11,430,000 | 23 |
| Altria Group | $10,060,000 | $9,630,000 | 32 |
| Amgen | $9,860,000 | $10,525,000 | 27 |
| Koch Industries | $9,840,000 | $10,830,000 | 25 |
| American Bankers Association | $9,831,000 | $12,690,000 | 19 |
| Pfizer | $9,750,000 | $9,417,650 | 35 |
| Prudential Financial | $9,400,000 | $7,962,500 | 47 |
| Biotechnology Innovation Organization | $9,230,000 | $8,350,000 | 42 |
| United Technologies | $9,165,000 | $11,470,000 | 22 |
| American Chemistry Council | $9,020,000 | $10,050,000 | 30 |
| Royal Dutch Shell | $8,990,000 | $8,700,000 | 37 |
| AARP | $8,710,000 | $7,559,000 | 54 |
| Microsoft | $8,710,000 | $8,490,000 | 39 |
| $8,692,000 | $9,850,000 | 31 | |
| Edison Electric Institute | $8,620,000 | $8,350,000 | 42 |
| Oracle | $8,620,000 | $8,470,000 | 40 |
| General Motors | $8,500,000 | $9,120,000 | 36 |
| National Association of Manufacturers | $8,490,014 | $16,950,000 | 11 |
| National Amusements (CBS & Viacom) | $8,441,000 | $7,980,000 | 46 |
| T-Mobile | $8,089,900 | $6,127,000 | 66 |
| Bayer | $7,990,000 | $7,730,000 | 51 |
| Coca-Cola | $7,930,000 | $8,670,000 | 38 |
| American Airlines | $7,870,000 | $6,600,000 | 61 |
| United Parcel Service | $7,767,848 | $8,155,856 | 45 |
| Chevron | $7,470,000 | $7,200,000 | 56 |
| Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers | $7,452,500 | $7,640,000 | 53 |
| Securities Industry & Financial Market Assoc. | $7,400,000 | $7,770,000 | 50 |
| AbbVie | $7,260,000 | $5,220,000 | 88 |
Data provided to The Hill by the Center for Responsive Politics, opensecrets.org | |||
So, between the special interests and the taxpayers, $13,011,906 is spent for each of 535 Representatives and Senators to work 33 weeks a year.
Answers the question about why the 6 wealthiest counties of 10 are around D.C. but does it answer the question, are they worth it? You tell me.
But, perhaps it explains why Republicans, as well as Democrats, fear Trump and his swamp draining pledge. Plus, it may help understand why everyone who serves in the House and Senate leaves very wealthy.
The sad truth we all look the other way. It is our fault to . This is why the swamp has to be drained. Good blog Bill