Factual talking points on the economy (UPDATED)

[progree]

76. Wealth of members of Congress

Discussion: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021886725

Graphics from above thread:





Proportional Income Comparisons - circle areas proportional to incomes (or is it circle diameters supposed to be proportional to incomes?) :

(to me, it sure doesn't look proportional by area, that is, for example, the upper middle class circle should be 154131/42327 = 3.6 X the area of the middle class circle, but it looks like at least 10 middle class circles would fit in the upper middle class circle -- well, (after blowing it way way up) the upper middle class circle has a diameter of 34 mm, and the middle class circle has a diameter of 7 mm on my display (a ratio of 34/7 = 4.86), meaning the area of the latter is, using Area = Pi * radius^2: (Pi*17^2) / (Pi*3.5^2) = 23.6 X the area of the former. Similarly comparing other circles to each other -- areas are definitely far far away from being proportional to income. But anyway the numbers are interesting. )