In Shared Prosperity 101, 11 Senators Flunked, but 21 Made Honor Roll

The Institute for Policy Studies recently released a Congressional report card for the 99%, grading our Senators and Representatives on the votes from the 2011-2012 session that would have reduced or worsened the growing levels of income inequality in the US.

• Positively, he Senate had 21 A students, all Democrats (or members of the Dem Caucus):
• 5 A+'s : Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), Sen. Al Franken (D-MN), Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
• 9 A's: Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA), Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI), Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI), Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA)
• 7 A-'s: Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD), Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT), Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND), Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV)

•  Unfortunately, though, 11 Senators flunked, all Republicans: Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), Sen. John Boozman (R-AR), Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO), Sen. Mike Johanns (R-NE), Sen. Dean Heller (R-NV), Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC), Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Sen. John Thune (R-SD), Sen. Michael Enzi (R-WY)

 In California, Maryland, Rhode Island, and Vermont, both Senators made the Honor Roll.  In Georgia, both Senators flunked.

 No Senate Republicans received higher grades than Senate Democrats; however, several from both parties met together in C-student land:

• 6 C-student Senate Democrats: Sen. Mark Pryor (D-AR), Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT), Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) Sen. Kay Hagan (D-NC), Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE), Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA)
• 3 C-student Senate Republicans: Sen. Lisa Murkowski (D-AK), Sen. Susan Collins (D-ME), Sen. Olympia Snowe (D-ME)

 In the House, the lowest-ranked Democrats tied with the highest-ranked Republicans, converging on a grade of C+.  9 Democratic Rep's and 9 Republican Rep's received a C+:

• Democrats: Rep. Joe Donnelly (D IN-2), Rep. Ben Chandler (D KY-6), Rep. Timothy Walz (D MN-1), Rep. Mike McIntyre (D NC-7), Rep. Larry Kissell (D NC-8), Rep. Bill Owens (D NY-23), Rep. Dan Boren (D OK-2), Rep. Henry Cuellar (D TX-28), Rep. Jim Matheson (D UT-2)

• Republicans: Rep. Raul Labrador (R ID-1), Rep. Timothy Johnson (R IL-15), Rep. Justin Amash (R MI-3), Rep. Walter Jones (R NC-3), Rep. Michael Grimm (R NY-20), Rep. Chris Gibson (R-NY), Rep. Steven LaTourette (R OH-14), Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick (R PA-8), , Rep. David McKinley (R WV-1)