Where Do US Senators and Reps Live While in DC? Paul Losch's Community Blog, posted by Paul Losch, a resident of Palo Alto, on Mar 5, 2010 at 4:01 pm Paul Losch is a member (registered user) of Palo Alto Online
My impression: many of them cannot afford to keep a house in their home district and another place of residence in our Nation's capital. DC is not a cheap date, rent or mortgage wise.
Some of them literally sleep in their offices. Many of them rent rooms in tounhouses and the like, as many of us did as we were getting started as adults and eventually moved on from such an experience. (I am picturing a "Friends" sitcom, where the folks in the show are elected officials, not the people that were actually in the program when it was on the air/cable.)
I can't help but wonder how this affects how they vote on things before them.
Posted by Peter, a resident of another community, on Mar 5, 2010 at 5:18 pm
Several legislators and other commentators talk about this as a symptom of deeper problems. Before the advent of cheap air travel, legislators usually brought their families to D.C., and travelled to their home districts much less frequently. That meant that they socialized more, and often across the aisle, which led to friendships or at least respect and/or deeper working relationships. It's a little harder to demonize someone you just had dinner with last night or went to church with.
Further reducing the socializing after work is the advent of instant personal communication, so when people are together they're often on their BBerries or iPhones, texting or talking, checking the news or the latest scandal or talking point -- not paying attention to others.
Face it, government works better when legislators take the time to sit back and ponder whether what they are doing might actually help or harm the nation and not just serve partisan purpose.
Posted by Walter_E_Wallis, a resident of the Midtown neighborhood, on Mar 6, 2010 at 4:08 am Walter_E_Wallis is a member (registered user) of Palo Alto Online
Sharon, you put another one over the fence! Editors, I score you a balk.
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My impression: many of them cannot afford to keep a house in their home district and another place of residence in our Nation's capital. DC is not a cheap date, rent or mortgage wise.
