OUR VIEW: Camping in Congress Last Modified: Wednesday, February 16, 2011 at 6:38 p.m.
Camping out is a popular form of recreation, but it’s serious business for some members of Congress who are sleeping in their offices at the U.S. Capitol rather than renting an apartment or house in Washington. The Washington Post this week reported that seven freshmen representatives, Republicans with tea party leanings, have joined a group of incumbents who already have been making their offices their “homes” while Congress is in session. *(Is the Congressional Building zoned for residential occupation?) They sleep on couches or cots, shower in the Capitol gym and dine on snacks or vending machine food. *(The vending machine food could have something to do with how stupid they seem). The campers are being criticized for cheapness and for taking unfair fringe benefits on the taxpayers’ quarter. There’s been talk of racial motives, of the campers not wanting to live and circulate in a mostly African-American city. Congressmen and senators make $174,700 a year,... *(Yet can't seem to come up with $10,000 a year for an apartment). http://www.gadsdentimes.com/article/20110216/NEWS/110219843/1050/OPINION?Title=OUR-VIEW-Camping-in-Congress --- I'm going to ask my next employer if I can live there. I could save a lot of money that way. -- Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. * Read the latest breaking news, and more.
