Posted on 01/24/2011 8:59:24 AM PST by Darren McCarty
Michigan Congressman Tim Walberg considers sleeping in his Capitol Hill office a luxury.
"It's convenient. I don't face the traffic," Walberg told us when we visited him this week on the fourth floor of the Cannon office building.
"I can jokingly tell my constituents I am in my office 24 hours a day for you," he said.
Walberg, a returning Republican freshman who slept in his office during his previous term in Congress, is among the most prepared for the bunking ritual. He has a sturdy air mattress, a double espresso maker, and a shelf of Kellogg's cereal boxes in his closet. (Kellogg's is headquartered in his district).
"I probably got it as good as a man cave can be," Walberg said.
Down the hall, freshman Republican Joe Walsh of Illinois, is still figuring out how to manage his nights. He sleeps on a couch.
"I think it's important that we show we don't live here, we are not creatures of this town," Walsh told us. "There's so much to do the next two years, I don't want to be distracted with another place. I don't want to have to think about an apartment."
Walsh, Walberg and nearly two dozen of their colleagues are part of a trend that may have reached a historic high point.
A CBS News survey of all freshmen members of the U.S House of Representatives has found that at least 21 of the 96 members are sleeping in their office - that's 19 of the 87 new Republicans and 2 of the 9 new Democrats.
The reasons range from making a symbolic statement that they are not part of Washington, proving they are fiscal conservatives, and just saving money.
(Excerpt) Read more at cbsnews.com ...
Mike
Different names, same tripe.
I thought DC was a socialist paradise with stellar mass transit.
You think they are trying to demean the subjects & make them out to be less valid?
Fox News this am featured Sean Duffy, new rep from WI. Sean has a wife and 6 beautiful kids at home. His office is probably the most privacy he’s ever had!
I think they want us to feel sorry for the ruling class, of which state-run media is a part.
He's the guy who was on MTV's 'The Real World' way back, and wound up marrying another Real World cast member.
” DC is where they work. It shouldn’t be where they live. “
That has a nice ring to it!
God knows the fooling around they do!
Yes, he is.
Dormitories work on College campuses, at least they did when they had rules, like female visiting hours, keep the door open during female visiting hours, that sort of thing (speaking as an UG from 1980 thru 1985 in Missouri). Why couldn’t dormitories worl for Congress? Seems to me they assign them an office, why not a dorm roon/efficiency/ kitchenette room as well. I know, I know, they’d have to be built, but such a project could be accomplished within rounding error of some of the other appropriations that have been made.
lol
Could be...but wouldn't be.
LOL! What kind of desk-compatible pillow do you recommend? I’m just...ahem...curious.
Actually Tim Walberg is a good and true as has ever graced the halls of congress. America doesn’t know him because he doesn’t make firey speeches or chase TV crews around.
He slept in his office the first time he was a freshman from 06 to 08. He also spent his summer vacation on the floor of the house, demanding that speaker Pelosi return to deal with energy policy while Americans paid $4 for a gallon of gas.
Tim is also cosponsoring legislation that forces less time in DC and more time in their district offices. (as much as 20 days per month)
The commute to work is too long.
I've got a little trailer near the office...;-)
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