Super Tuesday
As usual, after doing morning emails and texts and a workout at a gym, I settled in at Panera’s with my coffee and an egg sandwich to read the Tampa Tribune on this March 1, 2016 which is also Super Tuesday, primary presidential voting day in 12 states of the United States. Several items in the newspaper caught my attention:
41-story condo tower will be tallest building in Pinellas County - 253 luxury condominiums starting at $600.00.
Prescription Drug Prices (in US) double in 7 years.
Disney boosts prices for tickets on peak days – up to $124 at the Magi Kingdom- during busiest days of the year and $105 during August and September.
I count myself as of those very fortunate people who are better off than most of the world population. I own a small condo which is paid for, a 2012 car which is paid for, and enough income to cover basic bills and some luxuries. I have health care through the VA and a supplemental policy. I pay an average of between $80.00 and $200.00 co-pay per month at the Veterans Administration for doctor visits and all the very expensive medication I take for HIV infection. I am also wealthy in terms of loving, supportive friends and relatives, being healthy enough to exercise and to take care of myself. I am truly blessed.
If careful, I could save enough money to take a child (or just myself) for a day trip to Disney (I live within driving distance). If paying out-of-pocket for my medication or a higher deductible, I would quickly go through my limited retirement savings. My monthly income would not pay for it.
I could not afford the new condo being built in St. Petersburg or the new one being built in the small community in which I am living which start at a mere $400,000.00. I am quite aware that I and many of my friends have made choices to put people first in our lives. I and they could have earned more money if we had been willing to only see people who could have paid a much higher price for our services. Friends such as those who just visited could have chosen to both work outside the home and not put so much time and energy into making a home for they and their daughter or as giving back so much back to the community in volunteer hours.
Apparently, out of all the presidential candidates running this year in the United States, Mr. Sanders is the poorest with an annual income of $174,000.00. That amount must, of course, cover the cost of two homes – one in Washington, DC and one in his home state of Vermont (a condo worth $100,000.00 he shares with his wife). I could not determine if he is one of those U.S. Congressmen who live in his office when working in DC.
By all the world standards, Mr. Sanders and his wife are, like me, still among the most privileged in the world. Although he is poor in comparison to the rest of the candidates left running in this campaign, one could hardly describe him as poor. Still, it does not seem to me that if he did not have the excellent medical care afforded members of Congress, he and his wife would be hard pressed to afford many of the expensive medications should they need them, live in one of the new condos being built in the area, or take many trips to Disney with the grandkids.
Monetarily, the rest of the candidates are much better off that Mr. Sanders. Moneynation.com as well as several other web sites report the approximate net worth of the current candidates. To wit:
“In August of 2015, Bernie Sanders reported net worth assets at a minimum of $187,026 and a max of $759,004. Sanders also owns a condominium in Vermont valued at about $100,000. He has debts of at least $25,002 and as much as $65,000.
Ted Cruz's net worth is $4.4 million. The Ted Cruz net worth figure comes from his personal disclosure forms and other assets. Cruz lists average assets of $4.2...
Marco Rubio
Presidential candidates don’t have to disclose their exact net worth. According to his personal financial disclosures Rubio has average assets of $541,009 and average debt of $725,001. Adding average 2016 income of $709,719 after tax and expenses gives a Marco Rubio net worth figure of $425,727. Adding the value of the candidate’s $550,000 Florida home gives the final Marco Rubio net worth number of $976,727.
Hillary Clinton’s net worth is $31.3 million. Our Hillary Clinton net worth number comes from analyzing her 2015 U.S. Public Financial Disclosure Reports. Bill Clinton has an estimated net worth of $80 million. That gives a combined Bill and Hillary Clinton net worth of $111 million dollars.
Donald Trump’s net worth is about $6.69 billion. Our Donald Trump net worth calculations come from analyzing his public financial disclosure reports.”
I am certainly not suggesting that money or lack of money per se should or can be the sole criteria for deciding who could best lead our country. Certainly, Mrs. Clinton has made a significant effort to educate herself about the financial plight of the average worker and the plight of the refugees. Although, as I recall, she and the President left the White House nearly broke (am I remembering correctly?) Did they not move into a home costing over one million dollars? If indeed they are worthy $111 million dollars they have come a long ways financially since that time.
Perhaps, none of the candidates or even someone such as myself who has never chosen to focus on making even $100,000.00 can fully empathize with the anger and frustration which is driving those who are so dissatisfied with the seeming dissolution of the dream sold to many United States Citizens (euphemistically referred to as the American dream even though it was never the American dream if we remember that the Americas include many countries). It is one thing to have a certain income largely by choice without having to sacrifice the basics necessities for oneself and one’s child. It is quite another to be incapable of that possibility or to be convinced that one is a failure because one cannot take the family to Disney for a week without going into debt or live like the other young couples who are on a waiting list to buy those expensive downtown condos.
The distance between what one reads about and sees on an everyday basis all around one and what one can afford for oneself and one’s family is demoralizing to many. Many of the dissatisfied voters in the United States may not be in the same situation as the homeless refugee or the family who has sends their young child on a dangerous journey which may well end in their death because that is their only chance of that child possibly living.
I know. Life is not fair. Jesus allegedly said “The poor will always be with you.” Yet, to be surrounded by the picture of the successful and, thus, good person and feel unable to attain that requires a spiritual state of evolution and a sophistication that I feel we are not teaching our children. The constant high definition, brightly lit photo of faux success is daily hammering away at every citizen in nearly every country. This is the reality which every Presidential candidate must address. Whether the pitch is democratic socialism, getting rid of the Muslims, repeal the Affordable Care Act, build a wall, or build more nuclear weapons, we must this election make a decision. The other option is to bury our heads in the sand, not vote, and wait for whatever comes next.
Written March 1, 2016 – Super Tuesday
Full disclosure: I was, for a very brief time, married to a doctor. Our combined income during that time was over $100,000.00.
As usual, after doing morning emails and texts and a workout at a gym, I settled in at Panera’s with my coffee and an egg sandwich to read the Tampa Tribune on this March 1, 2016 which is also Super Tuesday, primary presidential voting day in 12 states of the United States. Several items in the newspaper caught my attention:
41-story condo tower will be tallest building in Pinellas County - 253 luxury condominiums starting at $600.00.
Prescription Drug Prices (in US) double in 7 years.
Disney boosts prices for tickets on peak days – up to $124 at the Magi Kingdom- during busiest days of the year and $105 during August and September.
I count myself as of those very fortunate people who are better off than most of the world population. I own a small condo which is paid for, a 2012 car which is paid for, and enough income to cover basic bills and some luxuries. I have health care through the VA and a supplemental policy. I pay an average of between $80.00 and $200.00 co-pay per month at the Veterans Administration for doctor visits and all the very expensive medication I take for HIV infection. I am also wealthy in terms of loving, supportive friends and relatives, being healthy enough to exercise and to take care of myself. I am truly blessed.
If careful, I could save enough money to take a child (or just myself) for a day trip to Disney (I live within driving distance). If paying out-of-pocket for my medication or a higher deductible, I would quickly go through my limited retirement savings. My monthly income would not pay for it.
I could not afford the new condo being built in St. Petersburg or the new one being built in the small community in which I am living which start at a mere $400,000.00. I am quite aware that I and many of my friends have made choices to put people first in our lives. I and they could have earned more money if we had been willing to only see people who could have paid a much higher price for our services. Friends such as those who just visited could have chosen to both work outside the home and not put so much time and energy into making a home for they and their daughter or as giving back so much back to the community in volunteer hours.
Apparently, out of all the presidential candidates running this year in the United States, Mr. Sanders is the poorest with an annual income of $174,000.00. That amount must, of course, cover the cost of two homes – one in Washington, DC and one in his home state of Vermont (a condo worth $100,000.00 he shares with his wife). I could not determine if he is one of those U.S. Congressmen who live in his office when working in DC.
By all the world standards, Mr. Sanders and his wife are, like me, still among the most privileged in the world. Although he is poor in comparison to the rest of the candidates left running in this campaign, one could hardly describe him as poor. Still, it does not seem to me that if he did not have the excellent medical care afforded members of Congress, he and his wife would be hard pressed to afford many of the expensive medications should they need them, live in one of the new condos being built in the area, or take many trips to Disney with the grandkids.
Monetarily, the rest of the candidates are much better off that Mr. Sanders. Moneynation.com as well as several other web sites report the approximate net worth of the current candidates. To wit:
“In August of 2015, Bernie Sanders reported net worth assets at a minimum of $187,026 and a max of $759,004. Sanders also owns a condominium in Vermont valued at about $100,000. He has debts of at least $25,002 and as much as $65,000.
Ted Cruz's net worth is $4.4 million. The Ted Cruz net worth figure comes from his personal disclosure forms and other assets. Cruz lists average assets of $4.2...
Marco Rubio
Presidential candidates don’t have to disclose their exact net worth. According to his personal financial disclosures Rubio has average assets of $541,009 and average debt of $725,001. Adding average 2016 income of $709,719 after tax and expenses gives a Marco Rubio net worth figure of $425,727. Adding the value of the candidate’s $550,000 Florida home gives the final Marco Rubio net worth number of $976,727.
Hillary Clinton’s net worth is $31.3 million. Our Hillary Clinton net worth number comes from analyzing her 2015 U.S. Public Financial Disclosure Reports. Bill Clinton has an estimated net worth of $80 million. That gives a combined Bill and Hillary Clinton net worth of $111 million dollars.
Donald Trump’s net worth is about $6.69 billion. Our Donald Trump net worth calculations come from analyzing his public financial disclosure reports.”
I am certainly not suggesting that money or lack of money per se should or can be the sole criteria for deciding who could best lead our country. Certainly, Mrs. Clinton has made a significant effort to educate herself about the financial plight of the average worker and the plight of the refugees. Although, as I recall, she and the President left the White House nearly broke (am I remembering correctly?) Did they not move into a home costing over one million dollars? If indeed they are worthy $111 million dollars they have come a long ways financially since that time.
Perhaps, none of the candidates or even someone such as myself who has never chosen to focus on making even $100,000.00 can fully empathize with the anger and frustration which is driving those who are so dissatisfied with the seeming dissolution of the dream sold to many United States Citizens (euphemistically referred to as the American dream even though it was never the American dream if we remember that the Americas include many countries). It is one thing to have a certain income largely by choice without having to sacrifice the basics necessities for oneself and one’s child. It is quite another to be incapable of that possibility or to be convinced that one is a failure because one cannot take the family to Disney for a week without going into debt or live like the other young couples who are on a waiting list to buy those expensive downtown condos.
The distance between what one reads about and sees on an everyday basis all around one and what one can afford for oneself and one’s family is demoralizing to many. Many of the dissatisfied voters in the United States may not be in the same situation as the homeless refugee or the family who has sends their young child on a dangerous journey which may well end in their death because that is their only chance of that child possibly living.
I know. Life is not fair. Jesus allegedly said “The poor will always be with you.” Yet, to be surrounded by the picture of the successful and, thus, good person and feel unable to attain that requires a spiritual state of evolution and a sophistication that I feel we are not teaching our children. The constant high definition, brightly lit photo of faux success is daily hammering away at every citizen in nearly every country. This is the reality which every Presidential candidate must address. Whether the pitch is democratic socialism, getting rid of the Muslims, repeal the Affordable Care Act, build a wall, or build more nuclear weapons, we must this election make a decision. The other option is to bury our heads in the sand, not vote, and wait for whatever comes next.
Written March 1, 2016 – Super Tuesday
Full disclosure: I was, for a very brief time, married to a doctor. Our combined income during that time was over $100,000.00.
RSS Feed