Did the "I'm better off now with a Senators salary" statement bother anyone
By dizzblnd
@dizzblnd (3073)
United States
October 4, 2008 10:46am CST
else but me?
During the Vice Presidential debates, the candidates were asked about education and the VP.
That statement just really irked me. It would have irked me just the same had Obama, McCain, or Palin or any of the other Senators or Governors or any other member of Congress, or our current President made the statement. I am not speaking badly about the person who made the statement, just the statement.
Biden stated something to the effect that he understands the middle class, that he had to raise his family alone after the tragic death of his wife and daughter. (that is sad and truly I feel for the man. I don't know how I would cope if I ever lost my husband and/or children)
Then he said something like, "I’m better off now with a Senator’s salary. People around the table are looking for help."
In my opinion, when you are up there during a debate, when the country's financial status seems to be crashing down around our ears, you should be trying to convince us that everything will be ok. You should not be mentioning the fact that your senators or governors salary has made you better off. Better off than who? You and most of our government so many years ago, only to "rise above" through greed and corruption across party lines in our government? Better off than the rest of America struggling to pay our bills, feed our children, put gas in our cars, keep a roof over our head? While you and everyone else in the government live in beautiful houses, drive cars that are less than 2 years old. Aren't living check to check paying NSF fees out the @ss just to survive. (which are used to line the pockets of some banking CEO getting paid $19 mil for just 17 days on the job.) While REAL America (you and I) can't get the loans we need to buy cars to replace the 15 year old cars some of us can't afford to replace. Get rejected for a home loan because of credit issues beyond control of some, because there is no oversight?
So what say you, were you bothered by that statement? Never mind the party from which it was spoke.
2 people like this
14 responses
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
4 Oct 08
No, it didn't bother me. Both candidates were trying to reach out to the middle class when both candidates are not living on middle class incomes. At least Biden acknowledged that he is financially better off than the target group of voters...Palin was still pretending that she sits around the kitchen table trying to figure out how to send her kids to college...on a Governor's salary.
@beccasthoughts (303)
• United States
4 Oct 08
That statement is rather irritating. Though of us who are barely living paycheck to paycheck are forced to scrip and cut and stretch each penny that we earn to the fullest while they are living life in comfort. A lot of families have to decided between paying the electric bill to prevent cut off and buying food for them to eat.
"I'm better off now with a Senator's salary." Well, if you're so much better off now, then how about lending us American citizens some help? How about sharing some of your earnings to pay our bills or put food on our tables? How about stop giving yourselves raises in pay while the lower and middle class are struggling and about to lose their homes?
I think that the politicians have lost touch with what is going on. Yeah, they say that they are going to do things to make it better, but it is still not showing. People are losing their jobs and their homes and can't get the assistance that they need. People stay home sick rather than go to the doctor because they don't have insurance and can't get Medicaid or Medicare to help out. I think these politicians need to spend time with the living situations that the majority are facing. Maybe then they'll open their eyes and do something.
1 person likes this
@ClarusVisum (2163)
• United States
4 Oct 08
"Well, if you're so much better off now, then how about lending us American citizens some help?"
GASP! That's SOCIALIST talk, buddy! Of course, IOKIYAR, right?
McCain's net worth is over an order of magnitude greater than Biden's. Don't you think it's a bit hypocritical to jump down Biden's throat for this, of all people? Out of the four candidates, he's the LEAST wealthy!
"People stay home sick rather than go to the doctor because they don't have insurance and can't get Medicaid or Medicare to help out."
And it's been shown that Obama's health care plan will do a lot more to remedy that than McCain's, in which employer's health care will be taxed as income--you read right, for the first time in American history, we've got a Presidential candidate literally talking about taxing health benefits...well, not exactly. It's in his plan, alright, but good luck getting him to admit it in a straightforward way.
If health care is a concern for you, as it is for many, the choice is clear:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122152292213639569.html
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/DN-Uninsured_27bus.ART.State.Edition2.4dce428.html
"I think these politicians need to spend time with the living situations that the majority are facing."
Obama's mother had to use food stamps for a while as she raised him. Technically, that's WORSE than what the majority faces. And while Obama was raised by a single parent, Biden WAS a single parent for years. Meanwhile, their opponents are not exactly "rags to riches" people. Only a very favored son of an Admiral could be allowed to even fly a plane while having scored 894 out of 899 in the academy. That's the kind of special privilege neither Biden nor Obama ever had.
1 person likes this
@beccasthoughts (303)
• United States
4 Oct 08
I was only commenting on the statement in general, not to who said it or from what political party they are from. Yeah, I got a little carried away there, but it hurts to see families like mine struggling to make ends meet even with two jobs. I want to go out there and help them, but with limited income it is hard for me to even do that.
I believe that Obama/Biden is the solution that we need. It is the fact that there are senators in congress, like McCain, who never knew how hard it is for people to make ends meet and to keep everyone healthy. I look at Obama and Biden, and I can see someone who can relate to what I have to deal with, what I dealt with when growing up, etc. My vote is for Obama/Biden.
But, like I said, I was commenting on the statement in general, because there are many in Congress that say that but have a totally different meaning to the words. It's toward those members of Congress who have never struggled to make ends meet that I direct my comments to. We need a change, and I believe that Obama/Biden will bring what we so desperately need.
1 person likes this
@Ithink (9980)
• United States
5 Oct 08
No this didnt bother me at all, in fact I found it refreshing that he didnt lie and just said it the way it is. Unlike Palin who was trying to convince the masses that she is just like the average person and is middle class. Ahh yeah okay, ya got the Bridge to Nowwhere that ya want me to buy too???
1 person likes this
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
5 Oct 08
I honestly didn't see anything wrong with that statement. It's really just a statement of fact. Any middle class person would be better off with a senator's salary. Biden was a guy who worked to better himself. He didn't count on government handouts and expect to be coddled when he was struggling. That's part of why I don't really understand his support of such programs with Obama. I think he should be expecting others to work as he did to better themselves.
1 person likes this
@ClarusVisum (2163)
• United States
4 Oct 08
Considering Biden is a single parent, I have no problem with him admitting that he has an easier time of it with "a Senator's salary". It's not like he's been involved with some kind of embezzlement scandal or something having to do with that money, so it's not a big deal for me. More power to him; he earned that position fair and square, and in fact had to be convinced to take it, as he was ready to refuse it as a result of his sons' hospitalization. Yet, he still makes time to take the train home to his family on a regular basis to spend time with them.
The man's net worth is the least out of all four of the candidates, so it's not like he's throwing money around casually and bragging about how rich he is.
1 person likes this
@ClarusVisum (2163)
• United States
4 Oct 08
Oops, meant "Biden was a single parent".
1 person likes this
@lvaldean (1612)
• United States
5 Oct 08
Doesn't and didn't bother me. Biden is actually listed as the poorest member of the Senate. So he no longer has to worry about paying the bills every month, but he isn't rich by anyones standards either. He is solidly upper middle class. He works, his wife works. His income is that of upper management in a fortune 500 company, earning approximately $160K per year + benefits from his position as a Senator, and other earnings from royalties, teaching, and other income. 2007 was the Bidens best year with earnings in the $300K range. Prior to this they never exceeded $250K.
Why should anyone be unhappy or bothered that he has the experience and knowledge of what it was like to struggle and can relate to this experience? Why also should anyone begrudge him his modicum of success? He has worked for it. Were he a dishonest or nefarious person he would have taken advantage of his position to make himself wealthy, he has not done so. We should applaud him his honesty rather than be angry that he has worked hard for his family.
1 person likes this
@cobrateacher (8432)
• United States
4 Oct 08
You wouldn't believe the discussion of this point in the teachers' lounge! We'd all be thrilled to make as much as senators do. Instead, we work our butts off to try to make tiny little salaries stretch until the next check arrives. Teaching is not the only lace in which people are very much overworked and under-paid. How do our leaders lose touch with the realities of life so easily?
1 person likes this
@thedogshrink (1266)
• United States
4 Oct 08
I also don't think it's right to belittle candidates because they have money. Most political candidates have money, at least more than I have. McCain is said to be so rich, but he himself is just well off. His wife is the one who is wealthy! And they have a prenuptial agreement, too. Even she was not always rich. Her father started with nothing, very poor, and had a hard time when she was growing up. Then he became rich. The McCains both have a longstanding record of "giving back" (another term I hate), and donating large amounts of both time and money. Palin may have some assets now, but she and her husband worked for it, too. Same with Biden and Obama.
To me, it is not a point of contention, and it is not the stuff we base our votes on. Now, I suppose if a fabulously wealthy person ran for office and had a history of hiding behind his brick walls and not really being involved in American life, I might have different feelings.
@thedogshrink (1266)
• United States
4 Oct 08
I noticed when he said it. It didn't bother me. I believe he was just trying to separate the fact that tho he had grown up poor and had times he had not had much in his life, he wasn't claiming it is the same now. I mean, I think he was trying to make it clear he was talking about the past, just to say he understands what it is like to not have, but he was not trying to say he is in that boat now. However, I was surprised he said it that way, as it could be taken badly, as you did.
@irishidid (8687)
• United States
4 Oct 08
I can't say it bothered me. What does bother me is the senators and congressmen who get a salary and barely work.
@dragon54u (31634)
• United States
4 Oct 08
I think that when people are senators or other government officials for too long, they lose touch with life. They see poor people, they know they struggle but it's no longer real to them. The founders of the constitution, in providing representation for the people, meant for ordinary people to serve one term and do their public duty then go back to their lives as before. Not make a career out of it! And they get pensions and healthcare for life.
I vote everyone out at each election. Too bad I'm the only one.
@ZephyrSun (7381)
• United States
4 Oct 08
It doesn't bother me. I guess because most of the lawyers in the US make more money than he does or actually any of the senators do and most of them have some sort of law degree. It could be worse he could be a corporate lawyer making millions a year. I was more taken away by another person wearing an outfit that cost as much as my house and my mother's house combined.
1 person likes this
@steeltownfan5828 (252)
• United States
4 Oct 08
Not really. He could be a conventional Democrat and lie (and if you want that, watch just about any other clip of him, or definitely of his BFF Barack), or he could tell you how he really feels.
@Zephier (73)
• United States
4 Oct 08
Yes, i was bothered by that statement he made. Then again it's expected from Washington-centric/embedded politicians. Especially among Democrats who believe that the government can solve everyone's ills. He doesn't care about Americans with low incomes. Biden, as with all politicians in DC, are out of touch from us in both physical and social terms. Therefore, they think that every act they do and word they say is our privelege to have them serving us.
Only they're too blind to see that they're serving their own interest.
