Congressmen sleeping in offices

[Hank_Scorpio]

Some watchdog group is up in arms about congressmen (about 30 of them) that are sleeping in their offices, instead of renting apartments in the area.


http://www.politicsdaily.com/2011/02/15/frugal-lawmakers-sleeping-in-offices-may-be-breaking-rules-watc/


Not really a politics issue, since it's both Democrats and Republicans.

Much ado about nothing? A watchdog group that has too much time on their hands?

 

[Flying Headbutt]

You can find an apartment for a lot less than two grand a month. The ones who do that always came off as phonies to me. All show with no meaning. There's plenty of places, without breaking the bank, they can find that's cheap and does the trick and where they won't have to worry about being victimized by crime.

 

[Inky_Wretch]

It's not about money. It's about showing the folks back home they aren't "Washington insiders."

A friend is a press secretary for a longtime GOP House member. His boss misses the days when the two parties would tangle all day, but then be cordial enough to invite each other and their families over for barbecues or to play cards. His boss thinks part of the problem with Congress these days is the politicians aren't building personal relationships with folks in the other party, or even inside their own party.

 

[Boom_70]

It's not about money. It's about showing the folks back home they aren't "Washington insiders."

A friend is a press secretary for a longtime GOP House member. His boss misses the days when the two parties would tangle all day, but then be cordial enough to invite each other and their families over for barbecues or to play cards. His boss thinks part of the problem with Congress these days is the politicians aren't building personal relationships with folks in the other party, or even inside their own party.

Makes good sense in any business.

No doubt what your friend says is accurate.

A lot got done in Tip O'Neal / Reagan era because they got together socially.

 

[ucacm]

I was just in the office of a Congressman that was bragging about sleeping on the pull out sofa bed in his office. Some of the new guys have relatively tiny offices.

 

[Michael_ Gee]

You must understand, for many of these guys, this is an internship before they get the lobbying job that'll set them up with a seven-figure house in McLean and they can kiss the knuckle-dragging voters of West Bum**** good-bye for keeps.

 

[Starman]

I've got some relatives in the DC area and I'm not really sure you can get a decent (or safe) apartment for less than two grand that isn't 50 miles from downtown. And if you're keeping up a full-time residence in your district, that's a lot of money to spend on living expenses.

It doesn't really bug me much either way. I don't think it's some horrible ethical violation, and I don't think it is any indication you are some kind of tireless nose-to-the-grindstone worker spending 24/7/365 in devoted service to your constituents.

Maybe they just ought to renovate a wing of one of the Capitol complex office buildings into basic-model one-bedrooms and let members of Congress reserve them at a fairly nominal cost.

 

[Michael_ Gee]

Back in the day, like the 19th century day, there were roominghouses in the Capitol Hill neighborhood which specialized in renting to Congressmen. Maybe these guys should form a commune, although since many of them are Republicans they'd have to call it something else.

 

[Starman]

Back in the day, like the 19th century day, there were roominghouses in the Capitol Hill neighborhood which specialized in renting to Congressmen. Maybe these guys should form a commune, although since many of them are Republicans they'd have to call it something else.

Well, there is the C Street thing.

I think I'd rather have members of congress living in semi-dorms at the Capitol than in a commune run by The Fellowship.

 

[Dyno]

I've got some relatives in the DC area and I'm not really sure you can get a decent (or safe) apartment for less than two grand that isn't 50 miles from downtown.

Sure you can. I live in one and there are a lot of others. The closer in you live, the smaller the place, but there are definitely safe, clean, non-sketchy, metro-accessible apartments for less than $2K not too far away.

 

[novelist_wannabe]

Eh. let'em sleep in the office. Deduct a portion of their pay and call it rent.

 

[YankeeFan]

Back in the day, like the 19th century day, there were roominghouses in the Capitol Hill neighborhood which specialized in renting to Congressmen. Maybe these guys should form a commune, although since many of them are Republicans they'd have to call it something else.

Well, there is the C Street thing.

I think I'd rather have members of congress living in semi-dorms at the Capitol than in a commune run by The Fellowship.

And, for once, I agree with Starman.

Find a couple of roomies, give them a stipend, or build them a dorm. But, living in your office is gross.

 

[Boom_70]

"Ya all can park your ass on your Capital couch but I can't leave my Benz in the Capital garage. What sup with that ****" / Charlie Rangel.

 

[RickStain]

Just more proof that people don't appreciate how many luxuries they have. Having trouble making it on $25k in this business? You've got a desk, why do you need an apartment?

 

[Stitch]

It's politicians from both sides that can't get along. If you blame just one party, you aren't paying attention. I also would be embarrassed to be called a journalist if you can't see it the problems on both sides of the aisle.

 

[novelist_wannabe]

Made my earlier comment before reading the story. After reading it, I'm still there. If they're going to save money by sleeping in their offices, those savings should be passed on to the taxpayers.

 

[MonsterLobster]

From the story...

But CREW seemed unsympathetic to the money-saving or workaholic arguments. "If legislators are going to treat their offices as dorm rooms, at the very least they should pay the appropriate taxes," Sloan said. "In any event, it brings discredit upon the House for members of Congress to sleep in their House offices, making it more difficult for housekeeping, maintenance and construction crews to do their jobs. And really, who wants to run into a member of Congress in need of a shower wandering the halls in sweats or a robe?"

Are you really going to be so by-the-book that you think congressmen should be paying tax to sleep on a pullout couch in their office but then think it's OK to make a joke about seeing one of them in sweat pants or a bath robe?

 

[Mark2010]

Just more proof that people don't appreciate how many luxuries they have. Having trouble making it on $25k in this business? You've got a desk, why do you need an apartment?

Especially when the lion's share of your waking hours are spent at said desk. Honestly, I some nights I wonder what the point of driving home really is?

 

[cyclingwriter]

Every head coach in the NFL snickers at this story. "Poor babies, I pay a mortgage on a $3 million house two miles from the practice facility and I still sleep on a cot that smells like Bill Parcells' nutsack even after 20 years.

 

[Baron Scicluna]

I don't see what the big deal is. I have an old book written by Kennedy's personal secretary, in which she said JFK would always take an hour nap on his office couch right after lunch. She was always instructed not to let anyone in to see him, and to give him a wakeup call.

Although as Rick says, now we'll be seeing newspapers telling this to their employees when they complain about pay. "Well, you don't really need an apartment. You can just sleep here. And we'll deduct some of your paycheck as rent."