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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsExclusive Gyms For Members Of Congress Deemed ‘Essential,’ Remain Open During Shutdown
Head Start programs have been shuttered, small businesses cant get loans and hundreds of thousands of federal government employees are furloughed. But the exclusive gyms available only to members of Congress have remained open throughout the shutdown.
A House aide confirmed to ThinkProgress that the House members gym is open. The House gym features a swimming pool, basketball courts, paddleball courts, a sauna, a steam room and flat screen TVs. While towel service is unavailable, taxpayers remain on the hook for cleaning and maintenance, which has been performed daily throughout the shutdown. There are also costs associated with the power required to heat the pools and keep the lights on.
According to the aide, the decision to keep the gym open even while other critical government services were shelved came directly from Speaker Boehners office. Meanwhile, the staff gym available to Congressional staff has been closed.
It appears that the members gym in the Senate remains open on similar terms. Yesterday, Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-SC) complained to a reporter from the Omaha World-Herald that the members gym was getting rank.
more
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2013/10/08/2748461/members-only-congressional-gyms-deemed-essential-remain-open-during-shutdown/
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Exclusive Gyms For Members Of Congress Deemed ‘Essential,’ Remain Open During Shutdown (Original Post)
n2doc
Oct 2013
OP
Reminds Me Of Officers And Generals Look From Afar As Their Troops Are Dying In Battle.
TheMastersNemesis
Oct 2013
#1
TheMastersNemesis
(10,602 posts)1. Reminds Me Of Officers And Generals Look From Afar As Their Troops Are Dying In Battle.
LongTomH
(8,636 posts)2. Wonkette is weighing in on this with their usual biting commentary
John Boehner Declares Congressional Gym Essential, Head Start Not So Much:
While Republicans hold pretty much the entire U.S. of America hostage until the Usurper-in-Chief agrees to defund himself back to Kenya and stop personally paying to keep that Museum o Muslims open with all that money he made from his autobiography written by Bill Ayers, we have an excellent opportunity to find out exactly what is and is not essential to keeping us USA! USA! No. 1!!!!!. Like, cancer treatment for The ChildrenTM? Nope, not essential. Head Start, the program that educamacates those same The Children? Also nope. The members-only congressional gym where you can imagine if you are a masochist Paul Ryan P90Xing to Stairway while Rep. Virginia Foxxxxxxxx gets her squats on? Why yes.
riderinthestorm
(23,272 posts)3. This needs to go viral. K&R
That all of congressmen/women never cleaned out after using the treadmills like YMCA's members does. They got their own maid service that are doing all of the dirty works for them. I wonder how much these treadmills costs...
florida08
(4,106 posts)5. heard this crap
On the radio this morning but hadn't see an article. Thanks now I have evidence. A big FU to federal employess and everyone else hurting because of them
riderinthestorm
(23,272 posts)6. Evening kick nt
Cha
(297,240 posts)7. Yeah, teabagger assholes who caused to Shutdown must have their
luxuries.
MichiganVote
(21,086 posts)8. K&R
cui bono
(19,926 posts)9. Are you fucking kidding me???
The gym is getting "rank"? The House has been "rank" for quite some time, haven't heard him mention that.
And wait a second, is there a House gym and a Senate gym? The article mentions House gym...
Ilsa
(61,695 posts)10. Well, you know, senators are
so much better than their House counterparts, that they need their own separate gym.
riderinthestorm
(23,272 posts)11. Late pm kick nt