Study: 80 Percent of Lawmakers Lack Academic Background in Business, Economics

[Conservative]

Study: 80 Percent of Lawmakers Lack Academic Background in Business, Economics

A report from the Employment Policies Institute finds that only one in five members of Congress has an academic background in business or economics.

55.5 percent majored in either a government-related field or "humanities." Just over 8 percent majored in economics, while almost 14 percent studied business or accounting.

...a congressional "supercommittee" is set to get to work finding $1.5 trillion in deficit reduction over the next decade. But that supercommittee may have the same education deficit as the rest of Congress. Just four of the 12 members on that committee have an academic background in economics or finance.

no wonder we're fucked.

 

[Mr. H.]

How's the breakdown re: Pubs vs Dems?

 

[hippie2049]

The occupation of 200 members of the 112th Congress are in law and 209 members of the 112 Congress is business. 0r 409 members of the 112th Congress identified their occupation as either either business, law, or both which comes out to about a minimum of 40% to a maximum of 75% of lawmakers whose job was in either business, law, business, or both.

Note some members have two identified occupations so there will be overlap between law and business.

Note this is not what they studied in college, but their occupation.

Note that to practice law one likely needs a JD, so of the 200 lawmakers whose occupation is law they probably all have JDs. So 40% of the 112th Congress are lawyers, which makes sense in that law makers studied and practice law.

Note that somewhere between 25-60% of lawmakers lack experience or a degree in either law, business or economics.

Source pg14: http://innovation.cq.com/newmember/2010elexnguide.pdf


PS 80% of Lawmakers Lack Academic Background in Business, Economics. Thanks Fox News for scaring people into concluding that the 112th Congress is lacking in the education/ability to see the US out of the quagmire we're in, because the 112th Congress is perfectly capable of doing so themselves (and it might be the only thing they can do effectively).

 

[Conservative]

The occupation of 200 members of the 112th Congress are in law and 209 members of the 112 Congress is business. 0r 409 members of the 112th Congress identified their occupation as either either business, law, or both which comes out to about a minimum of 40% to a maximum of 75% of lawmakers whose job was in either business, law, business, or both.

Note some members have two identified occupations so there will be overlap between law and business.

Note this is not what they studied in college, but their occupation.

Note that to practice law one likely needs a JD, so of the 200 lawmakers whose occupation is law they probably all have JDs. So 40% of the 112th Congress are lawyers, which makes sense in that law makers studied and practice law.

Note that somewhere between 25-60% of lawmakers lack experience or a degree in either law, business or economics.

Source pg14: http://innovation.cq.com/newmember/2010elexnguide.pdf


PS 80% of Lawmakers Lack Academic Background in Business, Economics. Thanks Fox News for scaring people into concluding that the 112th Congress is lacking in the education/ability to see the US out of the quagmire we're in, because the 112th Congress is perfectly capable of doing so themselves (and it might be the only thing they can do effectively).

Yes. Certainly lawyers are much better qualified to fix the economy than economists

 

[hippie2049]

The occupation of 200 members of the 112th Congress are in law and 209 members of the 112 Congress is business. 0r 409 members of the 112th Congress identified their occupation as either either business, law, or both which comes out to about a minimum of 40% to a maximum of 75% of lawmakers whose job was in either business, law, business, or both.

Note some members have two identified occupations so there will be overlap between law and business.

Note this is not what they studied in college, but their occupation.

Note that to practice law one likely needs a JD, so of the 200 lawmakers whose occupation is law they probably all have JDs. So 40% of the 112th Congress are lawyers, which makes sense in that law makers studied and practice law.

Note that somewhere between 25-60% of lawmakers lack experience or a degree in either law, business or economics.

Source pg14: http://innovation.cq.com/newmember/2010elexnguide.pdf


PS 80% of Lawmakers Lack Academic Background in Business, Economics. Thanks Fox News for scaring people into concluding that the 112th Congress is lacking in the education/ability to see the US out of the quagmire we're in, because the 112th Congress is perfectly capable of doing so themselves (and it might be the only thing they can do effectively).

Yes. Certainly lawyers are much better qualified to fix the economy than economists

non-sequitur

 

[shintao]

Study: 80 Percent of Lawmakers Lack Academic Background in Business, Economics

A report from the Employment Policies Institute finds that only one in five members of Congress has an academic background in business or economics.

55.5 percent majored in either a government-related field or "humanities." Just over 8 percent majored in economics, while almost 14 percent studied business or accounting.

...a congressional "supercommittee" is set to get to work finding $1.5 trillion in deficit reduction over the next decade. But that supercommittee may have the same education deficit as the rest of Congress. Just four of the 12 members on that committee have an academic background in economics or finance.

no wonder we're fucked.

The rest were home schooled for fear of having a Union shop professor indoctrinate them into socialism. And like Bush said, a "C" grade is good enough. So how is that working out for your paranoia? To make things scarier, do remember when the "do whatever it takes" righties decided czars (advisors) were a bad thing in the WH, and shit canned 18 of the brilliant minds residing there? Well, it's pay day. LMAO!!!

 

[rdean]

From the Article:

"This research suggests that our elected representatives may want to dust off their Econ 101 textbook (if they have one) before trying to tackle the weighty questions about the impact of taxes, spending and debt on our economy and the labor market," the group wrote.

Republicans know, you don't need education. All you need is a "gut feeling", "common sense" and a little "trickle down".

 

[eflatminor]

The occupation of 200 members of the 112th Congress are in law and 209 members of the 112 Congress is business. 0r 409 members of the 112th Congress identified their occupation as either either business, law, or both which comes out to about a minimum of 40% to a maximum of 75% of lawmakers whose job was in either business, law, business, or both.

Note some members have two identified occupations so there will be overlap between law and business.

Note this is not what they studied in college, but their occupation.

Note that to practice law one likely needs a JD, so of the 200 lawmakers whose occupation is law they probably all have JDs. So 40% of the 112th Congress are lawyers, which makes sense in that law makers studied and practice law.

Note that somewhere between 25-60% of lawmakers lack experience or a degree in either law, business or economics.

Source pg14: http://innovation.cq.com/newmember/2010elexnguide.pdf


PS 80% of Lawmakers Lack Academic Background in Business, Economics. Thanks Fox News for scaring people into concluding that the 112th Congress is lacking in the education/ability to see the US out of the quagmire we're in, because the 112th Congress is perfectly capable of doing so themselves (and it might be the only thing they can do effectively).

Yes. Certainly lawyers are much better qualified to fix the economy than economists

There is only one qualification that is required to fix the economy...an understanding government need only get the fuck out of the way. A separation of economy and state, as much as a separation of church and state. A plumber can do that.

 

[Modbert]

Rick Perry received a D in Economics in college, I assume it stands for devoted. Or maybe diligent.

 

[whitehall]

"Academic"... background in business? An elected representative having an "academic " background in business is like a 2nd Lieutenant having an "academic" background in military history. You don't want to be around him when the sh-t hits the fan.

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

"This research suggests that our elected representatives may want to dust off their Econ 101 textbook (if they have one) before trying to tackle the weighty questions about the impact of taxes, spending and debt on our economy and the labor market," the group wrote.

‘The group’ is seemingly ignorant as to how a bill becomes law.

‘Lawmakers’ don’t write laws, they’re written by hoards of nameless staffers who research the issue and the policy accordingly. The staffers specialize in certain areas, including economics. The ‘lawmaker’s background is irrelevant.

There is only one qualification that is required to fix the economy...an understanding government need only get the fuck out of the way. A separation of economy and state, as much as a separation of church and state. A plumber can do that.

An incorrect and naïve oversimplification – it isn’t the year 1800. You’d be well advised to abandon dogma and embrace fact.

And for whom exactly will government ‘get out of the way’? Corporations sitting on stacks of cash unwilling to invest or hire? Homeowners upside down on their mortgages and unable to spend due to excessive debt?

Whether you and others on the right like it or not, the government is the only player in the economy with the resources to get things moving again. And that’s not happening due to nitwit TPM House members refusing to do anything for perceived political gain and blind adherence to rightist dogma.

 

[Flopper]

I hear Joe Six Pack is considering a run for Congress. He has some national republican backing so we might have someone really usefully in Congress, at least when the drains get plugged up.

 

[eflatminor]

There is only one qualification that is required to fix the economy...an understanding government need only get the fuck out of the way. A separation of economy and state, as much as a separation of church and state. A plumber can do that.

An incorrect and naïve oversimplification – it isn’t the year 1800. You’d be well advised to abandon dogma and embrace fact.

And for whom exactly will government ‘get out of the way’? Corporations sitting on stacks of cash unwilling to invest or hire? Homeowners upside down on their mortgages and unable to spend due to excessive debt?

Whether you and others on the right like it or not, the government is the only player in the economy with the resources to get things moving again. And that’s not happening due to nitwit TPM House members refusing to do anything for perceived political gain and blind adherence to rightist dogma.

How do those balls taste? The Keynesian nuts you're sucking on? Careful, you got a little spooge left on your chin. It's not a pretty sight.

Of course big money is sitting on the sideline. Are YOU investing in job creation in this economic environment with an administration hyper-fixated on raising taxes and increasing daily the number of job killing regulations? And those resources that the government has to "get things moving again"...where do you think they come from? We tried your methods and not only are we left with crippling debt that now exceeds 100% of our GDP (more than after WWII), the economy is not growing. Read your history, study what the administration did during the 1920 depression. Read Mises, Hayek, etc. Get your head out of your butt and lay off those damn central planners' junk!

 

[Toome]

We put 'em there every other November.

 

[MiddleClass]

"Study: 80 Percent of Lawmakers Lack Academic Background in Business, Economics"

So what's your point, over 90% of lawmakers never served in the Military, yet they wage war?

 

[MiddleClass]

"A separation of economy and state, as much as a separation of church and state. A plumber can do that."

We tried that under Bush Junior, and that gave us the worst Recession since the Great Depression. The facts is, humans are greedy, and without proper oversight they will place their own bank account over country, and since we witnessed that first hand under Bush Junior, we should not simply forget about it a couple of years later just to repeat the same mistakes again. Forget history and your are doomed to repeat it. We should never forget what deregulation did to our economy, well at least we will not forget it after it just happened only two and half years ago. Those who propagandize 'Separation of Economics and State' are just misguided mouthpieces for Big Business and Wall Street. They care more about the almighty dollar than America.

 

[signelect]

How's the breakdown re: Pubs vs Dems?

Who cares, congress has demonstrated beyond a doubt that they have no character and not ethics. It is not a party issue, get rid of all of them.

 

[eflatminor]

"A separation of economy and state, as much as a separation of church and state. A plumber can do that."

We tried that under Bush Junior, and that gave us the worst Recession since the Great Depression. The facts is, humans are greedy, and without proper oversight they will place their own bank account over country, and since we witnessed that first hand under Bush Junior, we should not simply forget about it a couple of years later just to repeat the same mistakes again. Forget history and your are doomed to repeat it. We should never forget what deregulation did to our economy, well at least we will not forget it after it just happened only two and half years ago. Those who propagandize 'Separation of Economics and State' are just misguided mouthpieces for Big Business and Wall Street. They care more about the almighty dollar than America.

Not even close. Bush was one of the most meddling administrations in business we'd had up to that time (Obama takes the cake of course). There have been NO administrations in your lifetime that separated the economy from the state. Grover Cleveland might of been the last one. And by the way, during that first 130 year period of the US, minimal government interference in business resulted in the greatest increase in upward mobility in history. More poor became middle class and more middle class became rich. The differences between rich and poor were far less than today. Inflation was a non existent factor. The economy, while always subject to ups and downs, thrived overall to produce the most powerful and richest nation on earth. But you central planners decided you knew better. Now we have crippling debt and a culture of dependency. Nicely done.

 

[California Girl]

"A separation of economy and state, as much as a separation of church and state. A plumber can do that."

We tried that under Bush Junior, and that gave us the worst Recession since the Great Depression. The facts is, humans are greedy, and without proper oversight they will place their own bank account over country, and since we witnessed that first hand under Bush Junior, we should not simply forget about it a couple of years later just to repeat the same mistakes again. Forget history and your are doomed to repeat it. We should never forget what deregulation did to our economy, well at least we will not forget it after it just happened only two and half years ago. Those who propagandize 'Separation of Economics and State' are just misguided mouthpieces for Big Business and Wall Street. They care more about the almighty dollar than America.

Oh, dear Gawd! When are people going to give up this bullshit about 'Bush'? Bush did not cause the economy to collapse - no matter how much you want that to be true... it simply is not.

Grow the fuck up and live in the real world.

 

[Conservative]

"A separation of economy and state, as much as a separation of church and state. A plumber can do that."

We tried that under Bush Junior, and that gave us the worst Recession since the Great Depression. The facts is, humans are greedy, and without proper oversight they will place their own bank account over country, and since we witnessed that first hand under Bush Junior, we should not simply forget about it a couple of years later just to repeat the same mistakes again. Forget history and your are doomed to repeat it. We should never forget what deregulation did to our economy, well at least we will not forget it after it just happened only two and half years ago. Those who propagandize 'Separation of Economics and State' are just misguided mouthpieces for Big Business and Wall Street. They care more about the almighty dollar than America.

Oh, dear Gawd! When are people going to give up this bullshit about 'Bush'? Bush did not cause the economy to collapse - no matter how much you want that to be true... it simply is not.

Grow the fuck up and live in the real world.

What I love is the people that claim Bush caused the economy to collapse through his policies, are the same people claiming Obama cannot affect the economy via policy.

Apparently only Republicans can effect the economy via policy.