Pelosi arm-wrestles over cash for the House gym [New $8million Gym for Congress]

The Hill ^ | 8/7/07

[bnelson44]

After dueling with House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman John Dingell (D-Mich.) to pass a renewable energy bill, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) faces a wrestling match with another rogue chairman. And this one can bench-press 265 pounds.

Pelosi is set to square off against Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii), the power-lifting chairman of the House gym committee.

Abercrombie is touting his efforts to secure funding in the legislative branch spending bill to begin an estimated $8 million renovation of the House gym. The project is personally important to Abercrombie, who sets a yearly goal to bench-press 200 pounds more than his age, now 69.

Pelosi and other Democratic leaders are not eager for a multimillion-dollar renovation of the congressional members-only gym to be one of the first accomplishments of the Democratic majority. They worry that freshman Democrats could be attacked on the campaign trail next year for approving a fancy new gym for themselves after winning office.

[hsalaw]

And the circus continues. The dems must actually want to have negative approval ratings, because this is the way to do it.

[Rudder]

There must be a whole bunch of private gyms, and a bath house for Barney, these suckers can join and pay for it, just like the little folk, out of their own pockets.

[Brilliant]

Pelosi and other Democratic leaders are not eager for a multimillion-dollar renovation of the congressional members-only gym to be one of the firstonly accomplishments of the Democratic majority.

But they'll settle for that "accomplishment" because otherwise, they've got nothing to show for their two years in office.

[alice_in_bubbaland]

And maybe they can be charged sales tax for their private memberships, just like the tax the liberal scum passed in NJ, last year.

[aShepard]

Let them buy a bus, and the whole lot of them can exercise at Walter Reed, and talk to the brave soldiers there trying to overcome their injuries!

[Billthedrill]

Beautiful. Now, let's review - Pelosi campaigned on the basis of a "culture of corruption," insisted that the only hope of the country was putting Dems in office to fix things up, promised a Gingrichian 100 days that would set the country right, promised a new direction in Iraq, in healthcare, in "accountability"...and the signal accomplishments of her reign are a multimillion-dollar private jet and a luxurious health club?

It isn't about running the country. It's all about power and the perquisites of office.

[TWohlford]

Okay, okay, their gym is awful.

$8 million? seriously? I mean, they’re gonna buy 1000 tread mill machines?

Heck, we could replace our entire YMCA here for under $8 million, and we’ve got a ton of members!

The average Curves franchise needs, what, $50,000 in equipment?

[MAexile]

[Man50D]

Abercrombie is touting his efforts to secure funding in the legislative branch spending bill to begin an estimated $8 million renovation of the House gym. The project is personally important to Abercrombie, who sets a yearly goal to bench-press 200 pounds more than his age, now 69.

Another reason why the fence is taking so long to build.

[Salvation]

House gym?

How about all the Senior Citizens that the dimocrats are taking money from and giving to their supposedly wonderful CHiP program for children?

Such schemers.

[cfrels]

“greening the campus”?.....I wonder what the he!! that means?!!I hope the Repubs are cunning enough to use this ridiculous spending against the Dems in the next campaign....

[Salvation]

House gym?

In other words..............give it up to Social Security.

[Salvation]

It’s Pelosi’s fault.

[vigilante2]

These are the real issues on the table /s

[mojo114]

Gosh, a House Gym. They all look like stud muffins/muffinetts now.

[mrmargaritaville]

bench pressing 269-he’s a little girly man

[Rudder]

I used to live in East Orange-—glad that’s over.

[ConservaTexan]

...an estimated $8 million renovation of the House gym.

With the MSM fed hysteria sweeping the nation, why don't they spend this $$$ on bridge repair?

[Trajan88]

Hey Rep. Neil Abercrombie... my company had an on-site gym, but guess what... we employees still had to pay to use it.

If anyone told you life was fair... they LIED.

Now don't go away mad, just, go away - and pay for it you're own damn self (even though, sadly, the money you would have to use still comes out of us tax payers' pockets).