In theory, Congress is supposed to represent a microcosm of America.
從理論上講，國會應該是美國的一個縮影。
If so, America must have about 140 million millionaires.
如果是這樣的話，美國應該有大約1.4億名百萬富翁。
Of course, America doesn't have near that number. But, a report by the Center for Responsive Politics shows that 237 members of Congress-or 45% of the total-are self-reported millionaires.
當然，美國并沒有這么多富豪。但是，響應性政治中心(Center for Responsive Politics)的一份報告顯示，237位國會議員自稱是百萬富翁，占議員總數的45%。
California's Congressional delegation contains the richest. Car-alarm-king Darrell Issa (R., Cal.) is the top-ranking member by wealth, according to the Center, with a net worth in the range of $164 million to $337 million. California Democratic Rep. Jane Harman is second, in the range of $112 million to $377 million. Wisconsin Democrat Herb Kohl is No. 3, at a range of $163 million to $265 million.
最富的議員出自加利福尼亞州國會代表團。該中心稱，汽車報警器大王、加州共和黨議員達雷爾·伊薩(Darrell Issa)是最富有的議員，資產凈值在1.64億至3.37億美元之間。加州民主黨眾議員簡·哈曼(Jane Harman)屈居第二，資產凈值在1.12億至3.77億美元之間。威斯康星州民主黨議員赫伯·科爾(Herb Kohl)排名第三，資產凈值在1.63億至2.65億美元之間。
Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D., W.Va.) has long been viewed as the richest person in Congress. But just as with the rest of the economy, his old money fortune, now put at between $60 million and $128 million, has been dwarfed by the nouveau.
西弗吉尼亞州民主黨參議員洛克菲勒(Jay Rockefeller)一直被視為是國會首富。但是，正如其它經濟領域一樣，他的財富現在是6,000萬至1.28億美元之間，在暴發戶面前已是相形見絀。
What does it mean for America to have so many rich men and women in Congress?
國會中有如此多的富翁富婆對美國來說意味著什么？
The right says it shows hypocrisy, since Congress seems to be succumbing to its worst wealth-spreader instincts to over-tax, over-regulate and over-criticize the wealthy. The latest evidence of this is the House health-care bill, which would impose a 5% tax on the gross income (yes gross income) of those earning $500,000 or more.
右翼人士說，它暴露出了虛偽，因為美國國會似乎是在重新分配財富，對富人的征稅過高、監管過嚴、批評過甚。有關于此的最新證據是眾議院的醫療衛生法案，將對每年總收入（是的，是總收入）超過50萬美元者征收5%的稅。
The left says the numbers show that Congress is a collection of wealthy elites who do their best to protect the rich and powerful, and that this is why they haven't gone far enough on taxing the rich or regulating Wall Street.
左翼人士說，這些數字表明美國國會是富有精英的集合體，他們會竭盡所能保持自己的財富和權力，這就是他們在向富人征稅或監管華爾街方面做得遠遠不夠的原因。
My guess is that the numbers tell a simpler story. Getting elected takes boatloads of money these days, and it is getting tougher to raise money the old fashioned way. There are more millionaires in Congress because, increasingly, it takes a personal fortune to get elected.
我的猜測是這些數字說明了一個很簡單的道理。當選議員現在要花一大筆錢，而且越來越難以通過傳統的方式籌集資金。國會中有更多的百萬富翁是因為越來越需要憑借個人的財富才能當選了。
相關閱讀：
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（來源：愛詞霸沙龍，英語點津編輯）
