We already knew that petty politicians who shut down the government are still being paid while 800,000 furloughed workers are behind on their bills.
But an inside look into the lives of congressmen is shining light on a list of perks they still get while Americans sit at home unemployed and the economy crashes.
How about pumping iron in an exclusive Capitol gym so they don’t have to work out with the commoners at a local Planet Fitness?
The House gym reserved exclusively for lawmakers remains open during the shutdown. It features a swimming pool, basketball courts, a sauna and steam room. “This job is very stressful and if you don’t have a place to vent, you are going to go crazy and that’s why I’ve used it all these years,” said Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska), who has been a user since 1973. While there’s no towel service available during these tough times, taxpayers are still paying for maintenance and cleaning. The House gym for staff members, however, is closed.
Forget the fact that researchers working in food and health safety are furloughed while a bad case of salmonella spreads across the nation.
Or how about the exclusive trolleys and trains lawmakers use to get around to each other’s offices. Yep, that exists and is definitely deemed “essential.”
It’s a relatively short walk from the House and Senate office buildings to the U.S. Capitol. Lawmakers and their staff members don’t even have to walk outside to get from point A to point B; they can go through underground tunnels and stay sheltered from the elements. And for folks who feel like relaxing, there’s a special little subway car — a few of them even have drivers — to get them there in a ride that takes about 30 seconds. The trains remain staffed and functioning during the shutdown.
Forget the fact that sites that track major weather developments, like NOAA, are shut down right in the middle of hurricane season.
Click here to see what else these politicians are benefiting from, while the rest of the nation just scrapes by because the Republicans can’t get their way.
So much for one “indivisible” nation.
SOURCE: Huffington Post | PHOTO CREDIT: Getty
