Rich Politicians Embarrassed About Being Rich

This one made me chuckle. Seven wealthy white Republican men debated last night as part of the race to become Illinois' next governor, and they spent the better part of the debate sparring over who grew up in the worst circumstances. Though some deny it, it appears that every man is a millionaire.

It reminded me of the "But I have black friends!" defense, used when you've done something offensive. Only now it's the "I grew up poor!" argument, especially effective when you advocate for policies that negatively affect those living in poverty. Don't feel bad about being rich, guys; we want people to have money, as long as everyone gets the same chances you did and you don't mind sharing just a little.

Here are the highlights:

• Former state Republican chairman Andy McKenna said he has met poor people through a non-profit organization he founded to rebuild homes. It's great that he's focused on housing issues, but we hope he doesn't think he "gets" poor people now.
• State Senator Bill Brady said that while growing up he worked with insulators, carpenters and plumbers at his dad's construction company. Do you think they told the whole story to the boss's son?
• Businessman Adam Andrzejewski used to bail hay before he started a classifieds company worth millions of dollars.
• State Senator Kirk Dillard bragged, "I'm the only non-millionaire up here" -- a claim a fellow candidate disputed by saying Dillard lives in the same million-dollar neighborhood he does. Dillard went on to say that he had lived in his parents' basement as a law school student and that his children now attend public schools.
• Former Attorney General Jim Ryan gave the best answer of the night: "It's not so much whether you're wealthy or middle-class, it's where your heart is at. I believe in respect for life and human dignity. If you're pro-life, you should be concerned about the poor ... the uninsured ... the marginalized."
• And as for radio host Dan Proft , who replied, "Yeah, like everybody else, I was born a poor, black child, too," well, he better start preparing his "But I have black friends!" and "I grew up poor!" excuses.

Photo credit: Universal