My Socks Don't Fit

muppetpants:

Congressional Wealth, Lies, and Infographics

The subtext is twofold, with both parts stemming from the authors’ color choices. First, that Republicans – represented in red on electoral maps with particular commonality since 2000 – are the wealthy, corporatist, out-of-touch representatives of “the 1%,” while Democrats – represented, of course, by the color blue – are the middle-class representatives of average Americans everywhere. Second, and in keeping with the narrative that both Congressional Democrats and President Barack Obama have been pushing at every recent opportunity (link | link | link, just for a few examples), the graphic suggests that Democrats represent a tiny minority in both House and Senate. Neither is true, of course; 29 of the 50 richest members of Congress are Democrats (as are 7 of the top 10), while the Senate is controlled by a Democrat majority. However, though the graphic itself does not purport to address party affiliation in any way, the dual subtexts are clear – and they serve to reinforce the dual narratives pushed from the Oval Office to the media, that Republicans both represent (and are members of) the evil 1%, and control both houses of our bicameral legislature.

(Source: fungazi)