Writes Buddy Carter, a Republican representing Georgia’s 1st Congressional District, in "I sleep in my office. The rest of Congress should, too. The House would be more bipartisan if lawmakers made the Hill their home away from home" (WaPo)(free-access link so you can see the photographs).
November 19, 2024
"Some folks might decry this practice as 'rent-free living.' However, if it maximizes Congress’s productivity..."
"... and camaraderie while respecting professional boundaries with staff, then it is a step worth taking."
Writes Buddy Carter, a Republican representing Georgia’s 1st Congressional District, in "I sleep in my office. The rest of Congress should, too. The House would be more bipartisan if lawmakers made the Hill their home away from home" (WaPo)(free-access link so you can see the photographs).
A commenter over there says: "More performative bullsh*t from the party that harbors felons, rapists and pedophiles. Spare me." Another commenter: "I agree this is performative behavior. The writer also doesn’t tell us that he is pocketing his taxpayer-funded cost-of-living reimbursements while staying in DC."
Writes Buddy Carter, a Republican representing Georgia’s 1st Congressional District, in "I sleep in my office. The rest of Congress should, too. The House would be more bipartisan if lawmakers made the Hill their home away from home" (WaPo)(free-access link so you can see the photographs).
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48 comments:
His wife is wondering why there are two toothbrushes.
I confess to sleeping in my office from time to time. Sometimes, it was on deployment, other times, I had a very long commute, and wanted to attend a late meeting. I did not have the luxury of a fold up bed, though. I just slept on the floor.
If it saves tax payer money - the left hate it.
Are these assertions of 'performance bullsh*t' being made without evidence?
The last thing America needs is productive Congressmen.
We all know that Democrats are the ones who love "felons, rapists and pedophiles," especially if they came here illegally from another country.
Turn the Capitol building into a bi-partisan dorm? I, for one, don't WANT them "getting to know each other" as friends & fam. Republicans suggestions like this are retarded. A Dem member wouldn't ever propose this kind of nonsense bc Dems are playing to win, not trying to play nice. That's why the Republicans never move the ball even when they have it. They're losers by nature.
How about dialing back “Washington Time” for legislators to about 60 days a year and put ‘em up in an all-suite “dorm” close to the office. Let them spend the rest of the time in their home states/districts and do routine business remotely.
Dems harbor felons, rapists and pedophiles. People who live in glass houses...
My uncle was in Congress for 12 years. He bought a house in Arlington and kept his house in his district. He came back to his district when the HR was not in session. He had friends on both sides of the aisle.
I have always felt all Congress Critters should be forced to live on the average income of their district while serving in D.C. Not enough $$ to afford local housing? Then build a dormitory and charge a mandatory minimum for those members to stay there. Who knows- being forced to see each other in their off hours, sharing kitchen facilities and the like, might even build functioning across-the-aisle working relationships. And they might learn a little something about what it takes for their voters to make ends meet.
Is the Capitol Building zoned such that residential occupancy is legal? Asking as a landlord who has evicted people running businesses in the garages of rental homes. And who would have standing in a DC court, or I guess a federal court in DC, to evict the bums living rent-free in a government office, the bum who is not paying anyone rent but who is taking a housing stipend from Uncle Sam?
The column’s point is that the gym in the building is where camaraderie among partisans happens. It has nothing to do with sleeping in the office.
The Democratic Party just spent the last four years glorifying every type of disgusting sexual perversion, and ridiculing people who are religious and sexually conservative for being dopes who aren’t in on the orgy and dancing around the statue of the Golden Calf. It appears that their real bogey man is heterosexuality.
I actually think that with modern telecommunications, Congress should only meet in person for ceremonial type events, such as the State of the Union. They should stay in their districts otherwise.
I slept in the lab a lot when I was in grant writing mode. Saves a lot of time.
I think we should put Congress up in barracks.
Lock them in with a limited supply of food and no external communications, until they balance the budget.
Yes. Turning an office building into a dorm for hundreds of people...yuck! Upon the opening of a new underground Capitol visitor center, Senator Harry Reid commented about the pronounced body odor that used to waft off of the incoming crowds as they stood outside in the hot sun. The old school offices are pretty small too, and likely not pleasant after high fiber lunches...
Over the last several years DC allowed camping tents in parks and on city streets. If it's good enough for the homeless junkies, it's good enough for congress.
It would all blow up the first time some one panty raided AOC's office.
Is the building insured for that? Are there hot plates involved? I guess they have kitchens and break rooms etc. There's a pretty big difference between occasional or even semi-frequent sleeping over and actual living there. The contracted cleaning service might not be too happy about it. That might be another one of the jobs Americans don't want to do.
Just think if Gaetz and AOC got a lot closer together due to their sleeping arrangements. The possibilities would be endless.
Our old gop rep Rehberg used to sleep in his office too. He was quite open about it. Why waste rent money in DC.
It doesn't save taxpayers money, because Congress still gets a housing allowance.
“Just think if Gaetz and AOC got a lot closer together due to their sleeping arrangements.”
Just think if Gaetz and Ilhan Omar got a lot closer due to their sleeping arrangements: https://redstatenation.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/platonic-love-why-is-ilhan-omar-looking-at-matt-gaetz-like-that-video-681x409.jpg
The writer also doesn’t tell us that he is pocketing his taxpayer-funded cost-of-living reimbursements while staying in DC
Talk about performative bullshit this sudden interest in responsible spending. Your soon to be ex ‘president’ cost us billions…trillions while your past and future President works for a dollar. So fuck off…
I’m now imagining AOC walking down the halls towards the showers wearing a fuzzy bathrobe and bunny slippers, a toothbrush sticking out of her mouth, a soap on a rope around her neck, and hands full of various shampoos, conditioners, and washes.
It would probably blow up when no one panty raided Susan Collins and Amy Klobuchar.
Mike Johnson would be the RA.
I'm so old I remember when members of Congress stayed in boarding houses when in DC.
The commenter missed Nazis and White Supremists.
The Capitol is a relic from centuries ago when telecommunications didn't exist and mail was delivered by men on horses, which was the fastest means of communication when not face to face. We can do better and representatives could then remain in their districts and sleep in their own beds at home.
I’d stay in the office too behind the protection of the Capitol Hill POH-lese. Ever walked the streets of DC a block or two from the hotel?
- Krumhorn
I would propose mandatory dorm style housing for Congress. Make them live together and to the extent the math works share a room with a member of the other party. Congress need to reassert its constitutional power and cannot do so if it's hopelessly divided. Strong executive power has come as Congress has become to divided to act.
It's kind of crazy that someone would buy an expensive home or condo for a two- or six-year temporary job (which is what serving should be). This leads them to become comfy with the deep state vibe. It would be better that Congress stayed in rental apartments in the area, with the clear notion that there real "homes" were in their residential state. As for sleeping in the office, we do it too. For example, in one building we had, the sump pump in the basement would freeze and the basement flood. So if it was going to be that cold, we'd stay over and make sure that didn't happen. The futon was sufficient, along with the office shower.
Barracks are good enough for the men and women we send to war.
Seconded. Unless of course, they are repealing. If that's even a thing.
Laws might be like bananas and oranges in that way.
Good points about residential occupancy, fire safety, cleaning. In Edmonton, Alberta, the Premier was caught authorizing a nice apartment only a few steps from her office. The apartment was in a building that was originally planned for offices, and a considerable upgrade was necessary to make it safe for residential occupancy. She was more or less driven out of office.
US Congress members don't get a housing expense. Prior to 2017 they got a $3,000 tax credit for housing. The Trump tax law abolished it.
Unfortunately the new Senator from California (Schiff) has not lived in his House district for at least 10 years. He owns a lovely home in Maryland where has lived with his wife and 2 kids, the latter both graduating from Maryland schools. He did lower himself to fly to California to vote for himself...
I could see some kind of college-dormatory style accommodation close to the Capitol with amenities and charging market rents. Strictly voluntary, though, as to usage or roommates.
Once Elon and Vivek get started with DOGE, there should be a lot of close-in office square footage available for conversion to law maker dormitories.
Schiff's effortless ascension to the Senate was one of the most depressing features of the election. So many knee-jerk Dems...
They can claim up to $34,000 per year in living expense money. They don't have to provide receipts but they do have to be real expenses. About 1/3 of the Congressmen claimed some of this money in 2023 from what I can find.
So if the guy living in his office can't "pocket" the expense money without falsifying records.
Pelosi pushed this through about two years ago.
So the commentor is complaining about living rent free and getting a stipend from the government? Now do the illegals.
Or when they elect THEM President...ala Biden./Clinton
^^THIS^^
So many of the congressional staffers make peanuts (yes, in exchange for building their resumes and rolodexes, but still) and don't get to sleep in the office. If the Member, who gets a salary that puts him/her in the top 5% of Americans, takes advantage of his/her power to flout the rules and save a few bucks, that is poor leadership of the staff. And probably symptomatic of poor leadership in other areas.
The Hill is pretty close to Anacostia (SE DC). If they really are in a financial crunch, Members could rent apartments from slumlords for chump change, then use their power to get the building improved for all the residents. And if a couple fall victim to street crime, they can call to bring back broken-windows policing, which will again benefit all the residents.
JSM
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