Posted on 01/13/2009 1:47:14 PM PST by FRGOPPER
It's a recession version of "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington." Rep. Jason Chaffetz, representing Utah's 3rd congressional district, promises to vote like a fiscal conservative and to live like one.
Freshman Congressman Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, is living more like a college freshman than a member of Congress. He plans to sleep in his Capitol Hill office on this small cot to save money on rent. (ABC News)Instead of renting a Washington, D.C., apartment, the Utah Republican plans to live in his Capitol Hill office to save money, while his family stays in their home in Alpine, Utah.
"You work hard into the night and then the last thing I want to do is spend $1,500 a month on a place I don't intend to be and a place I just plan to sleep at," said the freshman congressman.
Chaffetz arrived in Washington this week, with his son Max, who helped unpack the car. Among his possessions is a cot, wrapped in a trash bag and duct tape, which Chaffetz plans to set up in his office. Total cost: $45.
"I'm trying to live the example that it doesn't take big dollars in order to get where we want to go," Chaffetz said. "I can save my family $1,500 a month by sleeping on a cot in my office as opposed to getting a fancy place that's maybe a little bit more comfortable."
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
Thank the lord, you mean there actually is “one” American in the US Congress that cares about something other than themselves, power, greed, and ego? Wow, a small flicker of hope in the coming darkness.
He'll burn himself out ... and then go rent a place.
He could save money by finding a room mate among the other representatives -- there are lots of congress critters who do. (Let's leave Bawney's Bwothel out of it....)
Only the names change.
Jeepers. We have a spare room and live handy to the Metro...
Geez, at least spring for a pull-out couch.
I read that in the olden days there were boarding houses that specialized in putting up congresscritters.
The fact that D.C. was barely habitable (and downright dangerous in the pestilential summer season) until the late nineteenth-century had a lot to do with the upholding of the ideal of the citizen-legislator.
Give him time. As soon as he drinks the water, its over.
I think I saw this already...but I think its cool that Chaffetz is doing this.
And no surprise....he unseated Chris Cannon, a very pro-illegal/anti-American GOP House rep....even though Chaffetz did not have the money or the resources like Cannon did (Cannon was backed by the US Chamber of Commerce/Collective of Communists...and other pro-illegal/anti-American groups).
Sad some of the negative comments on here...Chaffetz seems to be an upstanding man...and kudos for his Utah district for voting him in (now if Utahns would just get rid of their pro-illegal/anti-American governor Huntsman...)
He appears to be an example of the sort of person I am referring to when I say that I could vote for members of the LDS, just not someone like Romney.
“I read that in the olden days there were boarding houses that specialized in putting up congresscritters.”
Yep, still have ‘em. Now, we call it the Federal Prison System...
Actually, this is a nice story. I just hope the guy doesn’t figure out the graft and corruption pay more than enough for good digs.
<He’ll burn himself out
Yeah. And what’s he going to do - order food in all the time? Even with a small fridge and microwave, I’m not sure how much money this guy would save. Plus, I’m sure the Capitol is crawling with mice and other wildlife. Is it ever really quiet there? Could this guy get a good rest on a cot in a busy building, night after night? Doubt it. I wouldn’t want to sleep there. He should go get a small studio or bunk with other legislators.
“I can save my family $1,500 a month by sleeping on a cot in my office...”
____________________________________________
An impressive gesture would have been...
“I can save the taxpayers $1,500 a month by sleeping on a cot in my office...”
BTW I dont think that is legal as a permanent thingy...
At times of all night sessions, yes...
But not as a 2 year event...
He comes home on weekends.
Congressman Charles Taylor, R (NC) used to sleep in the office. He was working at 7am, too. He worked in DC Tuesday, Wednesday, nad Thursday.
The rest of the time he was in his district in western NC, finding out what were the issues his constituents felt needed his attention.
After working himself into a stroke, he recovered rapidly and resumed his schedule, except that his wife insisted on his getting an apartment.
America does have such people. All it takes is an electorate which demands nothing less from their representatives.
Congressman JD Hayworth from Arizona slept in his office too, until he was defeated by Harry Mitchell. Now he runs a popular radio talk show in Phoenix. There is word on the street that he may try to take John McCain’s Senate seat in 2010. One can only hope...
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