Over at The Fix, a popular Washington Post
blog, they have come across some terrific GIFs –graphics that offer evolving
pieces of information in motion – to show how dramatically the makeup of
Congress has changed since 1965.
blog, they have come across some terrific GIFs –graphics that offer evolving
pieces of information in motion – to show how dramatically the makeup of
Congress has changed since 1965.
The graphics show that the top occupational
background for members of the House and Senate in ’65 was a military veteran.
In fact, with the exception of a few occupations, veterans dominated Capitol
Hill in those days.
background for members of the House and Senate in ’65 was a military veteran.
In fact, with the exception of a few occupations, veterans dominated Capitol
Hill in those days.
But in 2013, when the current Congress took
office, everything had changed. Now, the No. 1 background is very nearly the
category of professional politician. The members who rose through the ranks of
politics have jumped dramatically, but it appears that the bankers/business executives still outnumber
the pro pols by a smidgen.
office, everything had changed. Now, the No. 1 background is very nearly the
category of professional politician. The members who rose through the ranks of
politics have jumped dramatically, but it appears that the bankers/business executives still outnumber
the pro pols by a smidgen.
Here’s how The Fix explained the data:
“Now, thanks to David
Mendoza, who authors the Mendoza
Line Tumblr, we have a terrific visual way to grasp this changing
reality. Using data from Brookings’
Vital Statistics on Congress on
the job background of people serving in the House and Senate, Mendoza has built
GIFs of the jobs members of those two chambers held prior to being elected. (As
he notes, politicians are allowed to fill out more than one occupation, meaning
that the raw numbers in his two images don’t add up to 435 in the case of the
House or 100 in the case of the Senate.) Mendoza starts with the 89th
Congress (1965) and ends with the 113th (2013).”
Mendoza, who authors the Mendoza
Line Tumblr, we have a terrific visual way to grasp this changing
reality. Using data from Brookings’
Vital Statistics on Congress on
the job background of people serving in the House and Senate, Mendoza has built
GIFs of the jobs members of those two chambers held prior to being elected. (As
he notes, politicians are allowed to fill out more than one occupation, meaning
that the raw numbers in his two images don’t add up to 435 in the case of the
House or 100 in the case of the Senate.) Mendoza starts with the 89th
Congress (1965) and ends with the 113th (2013).”
