One-Fifth of House Freshmen Sleep in Offices

CBS ^ | 1-22-2011 | Phil Hirschkorn & Wyatt Andrews

[CodeToad]

Fundraising is tiring.

[cripplecreek]

LOL

Yeah, Kuwait is a mighty commute.

[Allegra]

Kuwait's just the entry and exit point.

I work a tad north of there. Dusty little town called Baghdad. :)

[cripplecreek]

So Kuwait is just a pre commute, commute?

[cripplecreek]

I can't speak for the rest of them but we know Tim Walberg means it.

[Sgt_Schultze]

I don't want them living a a single target-village.

It would make more sense for each state government to obtain and maintain residence housing for each of their representatives. Each state could then determine the opulence which would surround their representatives. The housing would be allocated by each state as members retired.

This would limit the federal per diem living expense paid to each representative as well.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

I'm sure he's a good guy, but state-run media isn't interested in the good guys.

They are interested in convincing us that we should obey the ruling class because they deserve it.

And then they want to pick who gets to be in the ruling class.

[FreeDeerHawk]

This is off on a little tangent from the original post,but it bugs me that new members of Congress are called “freshmen”,as if they are naive kids,low on the social status rungs, just entering high school or college,instead of being fully empowered and respected elected representatives.

[cripplecreek]

Tim Walberg is a 2 time “freshman”.

I believe congressmen should be equal.

[Allegra]

Kuwait has a couple of meanings for me:

"YAAAAAY! I'm headed out on vacation!" :-D

or

"Damn...I'm back. That sure went fast." :-(

[TXnMA]

So you're back in the sandbox -- again! Is Baghdad a fun place yet?

Is your commute still by armored-up SUV?

(I had forgotten that you are a fellow Houstonian. I was born in the old St. Joseph's Hospital in Houston -- and, yes, I DO have my long-form BC from there...) '-)

[EDINVA]

I’ve been saying for a long time that there is little to no need for them to be in DC, except maybe a 1 or 2 month session. In this day and age, with available technology, they should have to cast their votes from home, in a town hall forum. Let them vote in front of their own constituents, not the DC lobbyists. As it is, they vote one way in DC, then go home and convince their constituents they are just like them.

As it was under Nancy, at least, during most weeks Congressmen could return to DC on Monday, leave Thursday, so that was really only 3 nights sleeping in their offices.

[equaviator]

“...instead of being fully empowered and respected elected representatives.”

As though we should assume that just because they got elected they deserve our respect? Think again!

[cripplecreek]

Tim Walberg is the most approachable politician I've ever met. He lives fairly close to me and I've run into him at the gas station and grocery store etc. When he's not in DC he holds informal town hall meetings at local cafes and resturants.

He's not the greatest speaker or a camera chaser but he's as good as Michelle Bachmann or Sarah Palin when it comes to the things that count.

I picked this out of a local paper yesterday as an indicator of where he stands.

“Republican Tim Walberg, 59, of Michigan, also a member of the education committee and chairman of a subcommittee on workforce protections, has said he sees “no place for the federal government in education.”

[OriginalChristian]

This is a good idea. Sort of a state embassy in DC. I like it. Thanks.

OC