Sirotablog
David Sirota is a political journalist and nationally syndicated newspaper columnist at Creators Syndicate. David writes about political corruption, globalization and working-class economic issues often ignored by both of America's political parties.
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July 13, 2007 2:29 PM
Crowley: People Making "Well Over $100,000…Are Struggling"
New York Rep. Joe Crowley (D) - aka. Congressman Biff Tannen (D-Back to the Future) - tells the Hill Newspaper today that people "making well over $100,000" in New York City are "struggling." Now, I know New York is very expensive and that cost of living is extremely high. But something seems not quite right about a U.S. Congressman representing a working-class area like Queens and the Bronx telling reporters he's specifically worried about people "making well over $100,000" because they are supposedly "struggling" when, in fact, the average household income in New York County (which is mostly the city) is around $43,000 a year. If I were representing an area like that, as Crowley is, I'd be telling the press I was most worried about the average folks struggling - not the folks making twice or three times the city's average income.Additionally, if Crowley's so worried about the people making "well over $100,000," then why is he one of the few Democrats out there trying to throw cold water on a plan to make sure billionaires pay the same tax rate as everyone else? Even the "struggling" hundred-thousand-aires would probably benefit from that basic reform.
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About David Sirota
David Sirota is a political journalist and nationally syndicated newspaper columnist at Creators Syndicate. He is the New York Times bestselling author of Hostile Takeover. He lives in Denver, Colorado. His daily blog can be found at CREDO Action. He contributes regularly to the Denver Post's Web site, is a senior editor at In These Times magazine and is working on his second book. He has been profiled in Newsweek and the Rocky Mountain News and is widely known for his reporting on political corruption, globalization and working-class economic issues often ignored by both of America's political parties. Sirota serves as co-chair of the Progressive States Network, a 501(c)3 organization that supports state legislators and that is a partner of CREDO.
You can subscribe to Sirota's e-mail newsletter by going to davidsirota.com and signing up in the lefthand corner. To find out more about Sirota, download his official biography or see his recent media appearances. You can e-mail him at sirota@credoaction.com.
The views expressed on this blog are his own, and do not necessarily represent the views of Working Assets (publisher of CREDO Action) or the institutions Sirota works for.
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Discussion
Class warrior, very typical of a type of politico who is beholden to the wealthy.
He also needs to be voted out because he just showed his true colors.
The reason these folks are "struggling" is because they've become used to a lifestyle the majority of us couldn't even aspire to. When you have a $5K monthly mortgage payment and are worried about making it, maybe its time to move to a smaller house. And maybe trade the Escalade for a Kia, do your own housecleaning and yard work and stop whining. Blech. If WE made $100K a year we'd sock the money away and retire early to do precisely as we pleased.
I thought Escalades are just as bad as KIAs to begin with. I'd agree with the house idea though. On "struggling", it would all depend on what Mr. Crowley really means since he's always been a huge fan of OUTSOURCING and has come under fire especially from Lou Dobbs.
Of course some people making over $100,000 are struggling. If anyone spends more than they earn, then of course they'll struggle. Given our consumer society, we have a lot of people at all levels and incomes who spend more than they earn.
The real question is: are these people making enough to live? Someone making $100,000 certainly is making enough to live and would not struggle if they budgeted correctly. However, someone making $43,000 in the middle of New York City is barely making enough to live and would always struggle regardless of how well they budget.
The rich and spoiled need to struggle a bit. Effing WAH!!!
They deserve it. Maybe they'll quit coming here, spoiling our scenery with their trophy homes they only live in about 4 months a year, and dodging our of paying their fair share of state taxes.
I wouldn't mind having $100K for even ONE year. I could put a new roof on my house, insulate my attic, and afford a vehicle with less than 200K miles on the odometer. I also might also afford to put in grid tied solar on the new roof.
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