The day jobs of Congress

How much do you know about your legislators? If you're like me, not much. I know my state has senators and representatives, and I follow the general happenings riding the news train out of Washington, how people vote, and what kind of issues are bubbling to the forefront. But what did people like John Boehner or Nancy Pelosi do before they were politicians? And beyond individuals, what kind of careers did our legislators have before they were legislators?

Businessweek published a cool info graphic digging into just that kind of information.

Here are some highlights, and what these numbers may reveal about the way Congress legislates.

Total number of educators in Congress: 51
Total number of business people: 130

That's almost three times as many people coming from the world of business than the world of education. In a large stroke, that means three times as many people are coming from a tradition where things like earning money, beating out the "other guy," and thinking of yourself first are dominant themes, rather than passing on skills, building teams, or preparing people for the future. Not that those traits are exclusive, but I think they reveal a bit about why Congress seems to prioritize and operate in the way of a business.

Total number of LAWYERS in Congress: 173

That's the most of any profession. In the senate alone there are 45 former lawyers sitting in those chairs. That says a lot to me about why there is so much gridlock and why things take so long to get done. They all know how to argue and understand the minutiae of how rules and procedure work.

Total number of career politicians and government employees: 64

That's a high number (higher than educators, career military people, media people, or non-profit people), but it's not as overwhelming as I thought. When I see politicians on TV, I have this slightly cynical impression that that's what they do and that they've been doing it forever. The idea that only 64 of our Congresspeople are doing this as their career is actually kind of heartening.

Check out the info graphic for yourself. Any surprises for you?

Image courtesy of Business Insider