Anonymous wrote:I'm surprised by these posts. I though the majority of people really, really disliked Biden. He's not likeable and makes bad gaffes every where he goes.

His net worth is low because running for election is very expensive, the pay is mediocre, you normally have to support 2 houses (DC and home state) and a lot is required of elected official. Not a winning combo. Lots of congressmen are sleeping in their offices since they can't afford apartments here.

I'm a conservative and rather like Biden. I think he shows a lot of compassion and his gaffes are a riot, and show he's simply human.

His defined benefit pension package is not reportable but is likely worth ca. $2.5M, based on an NPV calculation of the government's contribution to the former CSRS Congressional class of pensions. His primary residence in DE is also not part of the disclosure (but it would be if there were unrelated co-owners, and receiving a mortgage from certain types of persons would also be a separate disclosure). The likely real range is something on the order of $4M. Very healthy and appealing, but far from rich and not one penny more than he'd be worth had he worked his whole life in a good, less-than-top-40 law firm.

Anonymous wrote:I'm surprised by these posts. I though the majority of people really, really disliked Biden. He's not likeable and makes bad gaffes every where he goes.

Why would you think this? Everyone I know loves Biden.

Anonymous wrote:It doesn't bother anyone that he's racist? No one remembers this: "I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy, I mean, that's a storybook, man." If he was a Republican, his political career would have been over.

Didn't you know that its okay when a liberal is racist or sexist or down right creepy. It is only a problem when it is a conservative.

Anonymous wrote:Do they include Dr Jill Biden's net worth?

The personal financial disclosures these people file do include spousal assets and liabilities.

Other things excluded include the VP's salary.

Do they include Dr Jill Biden's net worth?

Anonymous wrote:I'm surprised by these posts. I though the majority of people really, really disliked Biden. He's not likeable and makes bad gaffes every where he goes.

His net worth is low because running for election is very expensive, the pay is mediocre, you normally have to support 2 houses (DC and home state) and a lot is required of elected official. Not a winning combo. Lots of congressmen are sleeping in their offices since they can't afford apartments here.

Very few Members of Congress spend much money on their own campaigns. There's an opportunity cost that most middle class people can't afford.

The average net worth of a MOC is over a million right now.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He seems like the kind of guy to spend the money on his family. He is obviously also spending his own money for travel and trips which is ethical.

He doesn't pay he travel expenses. It doesn't work like that when you are VP. They own a $3mil house in Delaware. Seems like this information is way off. She doesn't have a retirement plan at all?

ELected officials don't have to report the assets of their primary residence (for him, this would be his DE house, not his house in DC). So yes, you'd need to add that to Biden'sn net worth.

Anonymous wrote:You don't understand what poor is if you think a net worth of 40k to 800k is poor.

I understand perfectly well within the context of this conversation what poor is. Biden's 800k is no match for Trump, Fiorini, Bush, Romney, Climton mega millions. In addition, you have the Koch brothers and the casino magnet promising to donate 100million dollars to the GOP this upcoming election cycle. Add in Hillary"s donor Rolodex, and yeah Biden is too poor for that party.

Joe Biden is by far the most qualified person to be our next president. I wish he would run

You don't understand what poor is if you think a net worth of 40k to 800k is poor.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think he could center his platform around this and win. People are sick of billionaires telling them how to live.

I realize this isn't the point of this thread but I will never understand why voters DISLIKE rich/well-educated candidates. When I see someone wealthy and successful and well-educated, I think they probably got there by being competent and smart and may have something useful to add to government. Don't get the criticism of Hillary or Romney or Bush or whomever bc they are wealthy.

The Democrats (especially Obama) has worked really hard to vilify the wealthy, despite the fact that HE is part of this group as well as HRC.
They just try to downplay their wealth.

Oh stop. They don't vilify the wealthy. As a matter of fact when Obama mentions higher taxes on the wealthy, he also mentions that includes a tax increase on him. Are you saying wealthy democrats hate themselves. I think not. They are simply asking you to care about the poor.

Anonymous wrote:Okay, that's a pretty big range but the point is that he is poor. [/b]I don't understand why he doesn't run for President. [b]He would win, he is folksy, likeable, and once he brings out his net worth trump card it is all over for everyone else.

Because he is poor. A poor person cannot win the presidency these days. They can barely win in congress with all the special interest and corporate money without limitations. Also, if you include the money multi-millionaires donate to their own campaigns, it is now a non starter for the poor to get elected.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think he could center his platform around this and win. People are sick of billionaires telling them how to live.

I realize this isn't the point of this thread but I will never understand why voters DISLIKE rich/well-educated candidates. When I see someone wealthy and successful and well-educated, I think they probably got there by being competent and smart and may have something useful to add to government. Don't get the criticism of Hillary or Romney or Bush or whomever bc they are wealthy.

The Democrats (especially Obama) has worked really hard to vilify the wealthy, despite the fact that HE is part of this group as well as HRC.
They just try to downplay their wealth.

Anonymous wrote:I think he could center his platform around this and win. People are sick of billionaires telling them how to live.

I realize this isn't the point of this thread but I will never understand why voters DISLIKE rich/well-educated candidates. When I see someone wealthy and successful and well-educated, I think they probably got there by being competent and smart and may have something useful to add to government. Don't get the criticism of Hillary or Romney or Bush or whomever bc they are wealthy.