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["Lynda" <lurine AT softcom.net>]

Or they major in the ultimate oxymoron -- political *science.*

Lynda
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Gene GeRue" <genegerue AT ruralize.com>
> Congress was traditionally dominated by those who have served time in
> the legal profession. In 1993, 45% of Congressmen were lawyers by
> profession. Within America, law has always been a well rewarded
> profession from a financial point of view and a law background was
> deemed important to someone who wished to be a member of America’s
> legislative body. However, in the 105th Congress, the total number of
> lawyers declined to 225 and in the House of Representatives former
> lawyers were outnumbered by former businessmen and bankers for the
> first time. 33 senators were also from a business background.
> the other main occupational groups are public service (a total of 126
> in Congress ), education (87 in Congress), farmers (30 in Congress),
> real estate (28 in Congress) and journalists (21 in Congress). There
> is a noticeable lack of former manual workers in Congress or people
> with a trade union background. Many Representatives and Senators are
> very wealthy : over 25% of Congress are millionaires. This fact needs
> to be linked with the financing of elections which are practically
> out of the reach of most people who might want to get involved in
> politics.