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‘I can’t afford an apartment’: Congressmen sleeping in offices cry poverty
nypost ^ | 05/01/2018 | Marisa Schultz

Posted on 05/02/2018 9:04:00 AM PDT by ChicagoConservative27

WASHINGTON — These Congress members are sleeping on the job — and defending their right to do it.

Crying poverty amid decade-long stagnant salaries and Washington’s steep cost of living, an increasing number of House lawmakers have turned into professional squatters at night, hitting the sack in their Capitol Hill offices — on everything from cots in closets to futons stashed behind constituent couches — to save a few bucks during the work week.

“Washington is too expensive,” said Rep. Dan Donovan (R-SI), who credits the cot that he sleeps on in a tiny alcove in his office as the reason he is able to serve in Congress while still paying his New York City housing costs.

“If we go to the point where you have to rent or have to buy [in DC], then only millionaires would be members of Congress,’’ he said. “I don’t think that was the intent of our Founding Fathers.”

But some of the penny-pinching pols’ colleagues are disgusted by what they call an unsanitary, undignified practice and want it banned.

(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Government; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; US: New York
KEYWORDS: 11thdistrict; apartment; congressmen; dandonovan; dnctalkingpoint; dnctalkingpoints; marisaschultz; newyork; newyorkcity; poverty; sleeping; southbrooklyn; statenisland; twitter
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To: ChicagoConservative27

It also was not the intent of the founding fathers that congresss would be in session 10 months of the year, raping the public trough.


121 posted on 05/02/2018 12:22:46 PM PDT by fruser1
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To: mbarker12474
...Do staff members sleep in the offices used by the House and Senate also?...

Staff members and their families live locally and do not have to maintain two residences.

122 posted on 05/02/2018 12:23:48 PM PDT by CurlyDave
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To: Harmless Teddy Bear

Yes, I did. I own a home on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, but work in D.C., so I had an apartment (in a decent area) on a secretary’s salary. No debt being the key.


123 posted on 05/02/2018 12:25:09 PM PDT by freepertoo
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To: Ancesthntr

Give them a room in an old barracks on Andrew AFB or Fort Meade when they are in town. Both bases are just down the road from DC.


124 posted on 05/02/2018 12:39:42 PM PDT by Garvin (Always remember folks, kill a commie for mommy ~ Semper Fi, Mac!)
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To: onona

Never seen it stated R-SI. R-NY, maybe.

Manchin is WV. I can’t vote there...unless I’m dead.


125 posted on 05/02/2018 1:13:39 PM PDT by WKUHilltopper (WKU 2016 Boca Raton Bowl Champions)
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To: ChicagoConservative27

Well, go back to the private sector.


126 posted on 05/02/2018 1:29:48 PM PDT by TheGunny
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To: Ancesthntr

Bolling AFB

No land costs, 15-20 minutes from Capitol, VERY secure area. Many social facilities.


127 posted on 05/02/2018 1:35:13 PM PDT by Jackson Brown
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To: Yaelle
In Switzerland they do stay in their districts AND they keep their day jobs. Serving in the Bundesrat is a part time gig. They do meet on occasion but so could our congress. They could definitely tellevote from their home districts.

And Switzerland has remained one of the more stable nations for the last 400 years. They do a lot of stuff right. They were at the time of our founding, the only other Republic in the world.

128 posted on 05/02/2018 1:39:29 PM PDT by DiogenesLamp ("of parents owing allegiance to no other sovereignty.")
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To: freepertoo
Ok so you owned a home on the east shore of Maryland and had an apartment (in a decent area) on a secretary’s salary.

In the most expensive real estate area in the US.

Were you the secretary of state?

129 posted on 05/02/2018 7:59:30 PM PDT by Harmless Teddy Bear ( Bunnies, bunnies, it must be bunnies!! Or maybe midgets....)
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To: ChicagoConservative27
“I don’t think that was the intent of our Founding Fathers.”

Neither were career politicians.

130 posted on 05/02/2018 9:05:35 PM PDT by Professional Engineer (Looks like I'll have to buy the White Album again.)
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To: GreyFriar

Dear GreyFriar,

Thx for the information. Some i had forgotten.

Yert, a nagging question comes to mind ...

“Are not the members of Congress, as the offices were designed by The Constitution, to be ‘visiting dignitaries’ and not, “permanent party status’?”


131 posted on 05/07/2018 12:38:32 PM PDT by Terry L Smith (.)
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To: Terry L Smith

Regarding your “nagging question” about members of congress being ‘visiting dignitaries’ -— we’ll need to check the constitution on that. I know that the common thought of the time, that service as a member of Congress was to be a part time job and not a permanent one.


132 posted on 05/07/2018 7:46:22 PM PDT by GreyFriar (Spearhead - 3rd Armored Division 75-78 & 83-87)
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