Keeping Up With the Gates Bunch     

   Can't say Donald Trump ran for office to get rich. His fortune fell by $600 million since last autumn, although at $3.1 billion he still makes the Forbes 400 list of richest people in America. 

   A few others lost wealth also, despite the spike in stock values.

   Bill Gates remains on top at $89 billion. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos is next at $81.5 billion. 

   Some people dropped off the list only because the "price of admission" to the club rose nearly 18 percent to $2 billion. In all, 129 billionaires were too "poor" to make the cut.

No. 1 Job in Congress - Fundraising   
   There outta be a law. 

   Former congressman David Jolly (R) says fundraising is the No. 1 job, eating up 20-30 hours a week. He lost reelection last year after alienating party leaders by publicly denouncing the emphasis on fundraising. 

   He said GOP leaders told him his first responsibility was to raise money, not to learn about issues.

   Patrick Murphy (D), a congressman, lost the 2016 Senate race to incumbent Marco Rubio. He said freshmen are subject to "brainwashing" to raise money, and make holding or gaining majority control for their party their top priority. 

   Because about 90 percent of congressional districts are all but (fixed?) for one party or the other, he said, "There's only one election that matters. You've to win a primary." Murphy said, "You've got to go to the far left or far right."   

   Jolly added, "It will take a scandal to change anything on campaign financing."

   There outta be a law. But, what? 

Tampa Bay Times                        

          Jimmy