Mitt Romney's rich? No, that can't be. Public officials represent people, our troubling times; they're concerned over the disparity between our wealthy and our poor.
If the media's attention — or attempted scandal — over the disparity between Romney's wealth and the majority of Americans reveals anything, it's that we're quite blind to the benefits of public office. Romney may come from a business background, and some may disagree about how he got there and what he's gained over his years, but no one should be surprised or disheartened over the fact that a man of such wealth and prosperity wants to take office. After all, politics is all about money.
So for interest's sake — with the help of the Center of Responsive Politics — let's take a look at our President, his top contender, an outspoken, though hopeless, candidate in Ron Paul, an outside politician who consistently criticizes how Washington operates in Buddy Roemer, and a random businessman who decided to dip into politics — you know, to help out America — in Herman Cain.
Maybe people do know public officials are outrageously rich, but just don't want to accept it. Or at least, let's be sure that no one makes a case out of Mitt Romney's income, tax returns and contributions quite yet…
Money raised over the 2012 election cycle, specifically in 2011
• President Barack Obama raised roughly $125 million over the past year.
• Mitt Romney: $56 million.
• Ron Paul: $25 million.
• Herman Cain: $16 million.
• Buddy Roemer: $341,000.
Amount of raised money spent
• Obama: 36 percent.
• Romney: 64 percent.
• Paul and Cain have spent nearly all of their contributions.
• Roemer would spend his in a healthy year of monthly bills, food expenses and a few terms of college for the kids.
Top contributors
• Obama's top contributor — money donated by the contributor's political action committee, not by the contributor itself — is Microsoft Corporation, at $188,000 for the past term.
• Romney: Goldman Sachs at nearly $500,000, then JP Morgan Chase & Co. at $322,000 and finally Morgan Stanley at $281,000.
• Paul: US Army, Navy and Air Force at a combined $162,000.
• Cain: Wells Fargo, Jawa and Chick-fil-A, all around $11,000.
• Roemer's only contributor was the Farm Bureau Insurance, with a trivial $200.
Top contributing sectors
• Obama's top five contributing sectors, behind "Other" at $15 million: Miscellaneous business ($9.5 million), Lawyers and Lobbyists ($5.7 million), Finance, Insurance and Real Estate ($5.1 million), Communications/Electronics ($3.6 million) and Health ($2.2 million).
• Romney: Energy and Natural Resources ($12.4 million), Miscellaneous Business ($5.8 million), Lawyers and Lobbyists ($3 million) and Health ($1.3 million).
• Paul: $2 million from Miscellaneous Business.
• Cain: "Other" at around $830,000, followed by Miscellaneous Business at $666,000.
• Roemer's contributing sectors are negligible at best.
Top contributing industry
• Obama's top contributing industry is the "Retired" at $10 million.
• Romney: "Securities and Investment" at $6.1 million.
• Paul and Cain: roughly a million a piece from "Retired."
Generally speaking, there are no differences. A campaign demands outrageous amounts of money — both flowing in and out of the candidate's camp. It's nice to see a man so critical of Washington (Roemer) actually follow through on his grievances, and not adhere to the lavish expenses of the D.C. bachelor.
But it's not so nice to finally realize, to actually consider, that our public officials are the disparity; they are the wealth problem. They have a direct hand in influencing which industries can survive, and which will fail. They can tell you how much money will be taken every month from your check, and how little of it you'll get back fifty years down the road.
So sure, Romney's a real rich guy, but let's not get all worked up about wealth possibly controlling policy — it's been like that for a while.
is a member of the 
2 comments