Exclusive Gyms For Members Of Congress Deemed ‘Essential,’ Remain Open During Shutdown

[TomCADem]

Source: Think Progress

Head Start programs have been shuttered, small businesses can’t 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 member’s 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 Boehner’s office. Meanwhile, the staff gym available to Congressional staff has been closed.

* * *
Dozens of House members — including many members of the Tea Party who pushed the government into shutdown over demands to defund Obamacare — live in their offices to save money and use the House gym to shower.

Read more: http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2013/10/08/2748461/members-only-congressional-gyms-deemed-essential-remain-open-during-shutdown/

[sinkingfeeling]

1. Paul Ryan needs it open for his P90X workouts.

[xocet]

14. He has to remain fit so that he can continue to run sub-three-hour marathons*....

*By sub-three-hour marathon, he means over 4 hours: 4:01 according to the Runner's World article on Paul Ryan's lie.

Paul Ryan Has Not Run Sub-3:00 Marathon
The vice-presidential candidate ran one marathon, a 4:01, as a 20-year-old.
By Scott Douglas, Published August 31, 2012 | Updated 12:29 am


It turns out Paul Ryan has not run a marathon in less than three hours—or even less than four hours.

A spokesman confirmed late Friday that the Republican vice presidential candidate has run one marathon. That was the 1990 Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth, Minnesota, where Ryan, then 20, is listed as having finished in 4 hours, 1 minute, and 25 seconds.

Ryan had said in a radio interview last week that his personal best was "Under three, high twos. I had a two hour and fifty-something."

...


http://www.runnersworld.com/general-interest/paul-ryan-has-not-run-sub-300-marathon?page=single

[RT Atlanta]

31. Race times

As a person who enjoys distance running as a hobby, way to stay in shape, keep my sanity, meditate while running, etc., I want to ask this rhetorical question again:

"What kind of asshole lies about the race time?!?"

I can tell you to the minute all of my marathon times & I'd hazard to say that virtually everyone else that has allegedly completed a marathon can tell you their finish time to within 5 minutes of the actual time.

[Xyzse]

19. Don't blame P90X for being unable to remove the fat on his head

No work out is designed to remove such douchery.

[heaven05]

2. of course

[grahamhgreen]

3. When they stop getting paid, we'll know they're serious.

[BumRushDaShow]

4. This should be a big headline ALL OVER the M$M.

Not just on places like Think Progress. But we know why it isn't.

[dotymed]

6. Yes, if Americans were informed

daily, of the inequities we suffer at the hands of "our" employees, we could get this much needed revolution over with.

Do you think the military or the cops would actually "serve and protect" average Americans if they had knowledge of how
badly we are being ripped off by the politicians and their benefactors?

That may be the deciding issue in a revolution.

[Coyotl]

5. Isn't there a zoning law controlling using government buildings for illegal housing?

[awoke_in_2003]

27. since when has congress obeyed laws? nt

[onyourleft]

7. I have always felt...

...that living in their offices should be banned, even when there isn't a shutdown.

[yellerpup]

8. Run them out of the gym

and tell them to get back to work. Then lock the gym.

[avebury]

9. Let them shower with their staff.

If the big deal is a matter of showers, then shut down the members only gym and leave the staffer's gym open.

[SoapBox]

10. And what about those military golf courses and country clubs???

Saving money? What a joke...RePukeBaggers are the worst with money.

[freshwest]

11. Rat bastids!

[burnsei sensei]

12. The good life must continue,

even if 7 million people are now off food stamps.

[valerief]

13. Congress credo: "Do as I say, not as I do." nt

[meti57b]

15. ...live in their offices to save money and use the House gym to shower?????!!

What a bunch of cheapskates!!! Good thing there *is* a gym with a shower or they would stink even worse than they do now!

[onehandle]

16. Must not inconvenience a handful of millionaires that are inconveniencing millions...

...and killing tens of thousands.

[Jim__]

17. Meanwhile, the shutdown halts death benefits to the families of fallen soldiers.

I cant cut and paste the story, but here's a link: http://www.today.com/news/shutdown-denies-death-benefits-families-fallen-soldiers-8C11355842

[calimary]

25. Well, at least we finally have it clarified as to who the "death panels" are

and where they're coming from. (The depths of Hell, mainly.)

[Orsino]

18. They are not of us. n/t

[L0oniX]

20. Vets should block the entrances. n/t

[Nine]

21. This needs to go viral.

I rec'd this on GD and I'm rec'ing it on LBN as well. If Dems don't use this to their advantage, I'll lose my remaining faith in them.

[Misskittycat]

22. Sounds like the GOP's "let them eat cake" moment. n/t

[AAO]

23. Typical BONER

According to the aide, the decision to keep the gym open — even while other critical government services were shelved — came directly from Speaker Boehner’s office. Meanwhile, the staff gym available to Congressional staff has been closed.

[blkmusclmachine]

24. Just read that 3,000 Airline Safety Inspectors Got Furloughed today.

The GOPee: America's Terror Organization.

Strangely, the DC DEMS still treat them as equals operating in good faith.

[sakabatou]

26. FFS!

[timstephens13]

28. .

How are these people supposed to figure out a way to fund the government... when they can't figure out how to get an apartment when being paid $174,000?

[crim son]

29. The Senate has its own gym?

The story indicates that remains open also.

[Uncle Joe]

30. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, TomCADem.

[Quantess]

32. K & R

[Gothmog]

33. The concept that there are teabaggers who refuse to get housing in DC pesters me

There is something wrong with the concept that these tea party types will not get real housing in DC