Congressmen sleeping in offices

Why should we expect Congressmen to any different than the rest of society? We're a much more impersonal society than we were 25-30 years ago.

 

Yes, because the halls of Congress are filled with people who don't have any other source of financing ...

 

Maybe this is why Congressmen are trolling Craig's list. They are just looking for a place to sleep.

 

I just moved to the DC area and you can get a perfectly acceptable studio apartment within walking distance of the Capitol for 1400 a month. I think that is a generous budget. Get a 2 br and share with another Congressman to save money from that figure.

 

If you want to see how little money you can get by on in DC, look up the salaries of the congressional staffers. Those guys/gals make peanuts for DC. A good amount of them make between $30/40k a year. Google their pay. I'm sure they could give their boss a tip on affordable housing.

 

Yea but they probably are still on parent subsidy and don't own a house back home.

 

The interns might be on the parents' bill, but a lot of staffers are lifers who've been in DC for decades.

 

Lifers probably making more than $40,000. I was curious so I did a quick google search. Here is a guy from Boehner's office pulling in $90,000.

What's strange is that many off staffers seem to be paid in 3 month blocks that annually add up to pretty good salary. Most likely some Washington loophole.

http://www.legistorm.com/person/William_Carl_Benjamin/19002.html

 

It's fun to stay at the YMCA

 

Just guessing, but it might be hard for a congressman to answer a "roommate wanted" ad. Then again, we do know they're familiar with Craigslist.

 

The guy is also the director of IT for the republican party in the house, not a staffer.

I don't think they get paid quartely, either. The offices of Congresmen have to report expenses that are published by the Clerk of the House every three months. That likely is why the salaries show up that way on the website.

 

I know you'll think this is a crazy thing to say, but I bet $90K doesn't go as far in D.C. today as $40K does in your town, unless you're in NYC.

And $30K? I thought that was a princely salary in 1984 when I went to work in Arlington, Va. That was a looooong time ago.