'This is a disgrace': Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez slams her future colleagues in Congress...

[babylonsister]

'This is a disgrace': Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez slams her future colleagues in Congress for employing unpaid interns and failing to pay staffers a 'living wage'
Eliza Relman

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a newly elected US House representative, called out her future colleagues in Congress for paying their low-level staffers salaries below the "living wage" and for employing unpaid interns.

"This week I went to dive spot in DC for some late night food. I chatted up the staff. SEVERAL bartenders, managers, & servers *currently worked in Senate + House offices,*" she wrote. "This is a disgrace."

The message may have pressured Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to announce on Monday that he'll pay his interns a stipend in the new congress.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a newly elected US House representative, called out her future colleagues in Congress, including Democrats, for paying their low-level staffers salaries below the "living wage" and for employing unpaid interns, even as members of Congress are paid multiple times more than the average American.

The incoming New York Democrat, who took service industry jobs to support herself and her family in the years before she ran for office, tweeted on Monday that she's met congressional staffers who wait tables to supplement their government wages.

"This week I went to dive spot in DC for some late night food. I chatted up the staff. SEVERAL bartenders, managers, & servers *currently worked in Senate + House offices,*" she wrote. "This is a disgrace."

Ocasio-Cortez said Congress should raise wages for staffers so they can afford to continue living in Washington, one of the most expensive cities in the country. The 29-year-old elected lawmaker has said she can't afford a DC apartment before her $174,000 congressional salary kicks in in January.

"It is unjust for Congress to budget a living wage for ourselves, yet rely on unpaid interns & underpaid overworked staff just bc Republicans want to make a statement about 'fiscal responsibility,'" she added in another tweet.

more...

https://www.businessinsider.com/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-slams-future-colleagues-congress-for-employing-unpaid-interns-living-wage-2018-12?utm_content=buffer21dd8&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer-bi&fbclid=IwAR0XD4_bkfwaJ_WmDNlNMolHRxhFHgri3tKOkFTLKXnvTOTRr2dkHMO1UIU

[leftieNanner]

1. Right On AOC!

Shine light on these things! This is atrocious IMHO.

[Power 2 the People]

7. WOW! She is everything we hoped she would be

A Democrat who doesn't back down or "go along to get along." Kudos Congresswoman!

[DemocracyMouse]

21. We need her to adress another disgrace: academic apartheid

Most teaching in our so-called great US higher education is conducted by adjuncts who are not only provided a non-living wage, but PREVENTED from teaching more than two classes per semester so the over-paid administrators can claim that the adjunct system is inherently part-time. It’s a racket. We need Alexandria to come save our STARVING teachers. Literally starving and I can speak from experience. I once had to walk up to the oresident’s mansion and ask for food. My dean (the enabling do-nothing who had once been a member of Students for a Democratic Society and gave up his ideals and became a self-medicating alcoholic) offered me a plate of half-eaten food.

(I can’t edit my title’s typo because my new cell phone doesn’t work)

[lunatica]

33. That's why our graduate student TIs in UC Berkeley unionized in the 1990s

They still only teach part time so health benefits don’t kick in, but they get a good wage when they do teach.

[brush]

36. The adjunct prof. system is a huge rip off of the talent and labor of adjunct profs.

Last edited Wed Dec 5, 2018, 10:29 AM - Edit history (3)

I did it once in the 2000s. It was after relocating to Vegas from New York. It was at a for-profit school and I soon found out their other racket, the indebtedness they lured their students into with loans that can't even be discharged with bankruptcy. And many students were adults trying to get credentials for a better job. Many dropped out but were still saddled with humongous debts.

But back to the adjuncts. You never knew from quarter to quarter how many classes you would teach and therefore, your income. It was a miserable situation as you might have a class in the morning and not another until late afternoon. And no office space.

Once I found out about how they were indebting the students I got the hell out of there and I'm glad I did.

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

107. I spent three semesters as an adjunct.

My sole "benefit" was a faculty parking sticker. The closest thing I had to an office was a mail slot in the department offices. I worked out that including the time I spent outside of class on the courses, I would have been better paid flipping burgers at McDonalds.

[delisen]

111. Many professors contemptuous of their free labor pool

I recall being at many meetings with university professors, often in schools of Education who would denigrate their free labor pool. "Oh, just get a grad student to do it." was a common refrain.

[tomg]

112. I spent seventeen years as a teaching assistant, adjunct

instructor, term-contract before landing a full-time tenure track. The adjunct ( and to a lesser degree the teaching assistantship) system is one of the worst forms of worker exploitation. I waited tables, landscaped, all kinds of gigs while teaching to make ends meet. You live semester-to-semester without health care coverage; often, you can be replaced at the last minute, and due to the way positions are described, you are not eligible for unemployment benefits; going union is unbelievably difficult. In many cases, full-time faculty (tenured) often give no more than lip service to increasing adjunct pay and working for benefits, and adjunct - at least where I taught - were not represented in faculty negotiations. When I finally became full-time tenured and was on contract negotiations, the team worked for adjunct raises ( among other things) and tried to rep them. The admin fought that harder than anything else. What was despicable was that the majority of faculty didn't back our efforts to rep the adjuncts. We got them raises and greater access to some benefits, but could not get rep. Later, when some tried and failed to go union, the admin fought them tooth and nail and only two faculty publicly came out in favor of them unionizing ( yeah, I was one).

This kind of commitment to those whom she really represents - wait-staff, workers in the so-called "gig-economy," seasonal laborers, unpaid interns ( another massive exploitation of students pioneered in academia), in short, the economically fucked over - is why i really like Ocasio-Cortez. I honestly think ( hope) she is the real deal.

[Midnight Writer]

62. Absolutely. We should value our intellectuals as much as our football players. Financially.

[Lordquinton]

130. Someone needs to

We can't put everything on one woman.

[TheBlackAdder]

61. Damn Straight. Unpaid interns mean that only wealthy families can fund their kids as interns.

.

It's fucking expensive in the DC area, and unpaid interns are a way to provide political appointees from wealthier families with job training and experience that can move the forward in politics or private firms. Lower income people are mostly shut out from enjoying those benefits.

.

[DemocracyMouse]

69. Such a good point. Class issues haven't gone away

[samnsara]

106. i had a friend who was an unpaid intern and she considered it a privledge...and she..

...wasnt rich. I think of this is a graduate course. I had to pay for all mine!!! Those who really have a burning desire to intern WILL find the funds somehow. If mommy and daddy paid for it then any ol yahoo with the $$ could intern....just cuz they are bored..? The fact that they have to be creative enough pay for their own way, I feel, makes them the most desirable candidate for internships.

[TheBlackAdder]

114. While some might find the means, it is very difficult to find lodging, transport, food & entertain.

.

I am in an better than average household and we could not find the funding to send my daughter to DC for the two unpaid internships she was offered. She was also offered a $30K paid staff position, after she received her Masters, and while that would be good, it doesn't pay anywhere near the $80K her classmates are getting in the private sector. She took a paid staff job in-state for around $40K while she lives at home and saves up for a house, but the realities of working at half-worth is starting to take its effect.

Kudos for your friend , who was either able to scrounge for the cash or live deprived, but why suffer through that?

There is a lot of pressure to network outside of the office, and that is not cheap to do, especially in DC.


Again, most of the unpaid interns come from upper-income households.

The DNC is starting to pay internships to expand its pool of candidates.
https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/363818-dnc-to-begin-paying-interns

.

[Lordquinton]

131. Absolute BS

The people who can do what you say are very few and far between, and it only encourages the wealth gap built into the system. It also teaches them to not expect to be paid for their work, to not value their labor which some employer is now getting for free.

[Sanity Claws]

2. Frankly I agree

I never understood how businesses and government got away with not paying interns. If they are performing a service, then they should be paid.

If they are working side jobs, it is clear that they need the money.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

3. Unpaid internships shut a lot of people out of certain jobs, and many unpaid internships, under the

law, should be paid. It's best for employers not to offer them at all, because it's so tricky to get it right. OTOH, you're not fined if you're not caught, and a lot of employers rely on unpaid employees to be grateful and/or not know any better and/or be afraid they'll lose the opportunity they do have.

[Wellstone ruled]

4. About friggin time

someone speaks up. Wanted to do a Internship in early 1960 for Senator Proxmire,Could not do it because of the cost of living in DC. And if you did not find some type of well paying Part Time job,forget about it. And my Parents would not and could not pay the freight.

[lilactime]

5. She's 100% right.

[Bettie]

6. She's right

I agree with her.

[ancianita]

8. She's picking some good battles here. Good for her.

[knightmaar]

9. Isn't the cue for Fox to tell us her opinion is invalid because of her shoes?

I mean, people who wear nice dresses while campaigning shouldn't be believed when they talk about helping poor people.

[rocktivity]

10. I haven't nicknamed her "Cardi A Plus" for nothing

Last edited Thu Dec 13, 2018, 12:09 PM - Edit history (1)

rocktivity

[George II]

11. Oh geez, here we go again. She might want to discuss this with her mentor.

[babylonsister]

13. Who is her mentor?

And did someone do something with the freedom of speech I'm not aware of? Are opinions now forbidden?

I agree with her and think she's fierce for standing up.

[George II]

18. I think we all know who her mentor is. There's a reason why these people are interns....

...many are college students using their internship for college credit and experience. No one makes a career out of being an intern.

https://www.house.gov/educators-and-students/college-internships

The House offers many college internship opportunities in Washington, DC, and district offices around the U.S. Opportunities are generally available in the spring, summer, and fall. Summer positions are the most popular and most competitive. Applying for an internship or fellowship is similar to applying for admission to a college or university. The application process takes time and effort, often requiring essays and inte

Because details of individual internships vary, it is best to contact the office in which the internship is available for information. Many representatives post internship information on their websites.

For college internship listings and other employment resources, visit the Positions with Members and Committees page.

[Blue_true]

20. The main issue is that if even college kids do not get paid enough to afford DC rents.

Then ONLY kids whose families can afford to have them work as a unpaid intern will get the jobs. That mean upper-middleclass and rich kids. That is not what we should strive for as democrats. The New York Congresswoman is dead right on this, the situation stinks.

[thewhollytoast]

38. Right-f*ckin-on!

My youngest would have to throw bake sale every weekend, from the age of five, in order to afford a congressional internship. We did the math. But, that's okay because only rich people should be in charge.


Christ is spinning on his cross,
Toast

[Ccarmona]

23. Your veiled attempt to take down "her mentor" is both wrong and childish

AOC is her own person. Just stop.
I was paid my full wage when I interned, why can’t those working for Members of Congress.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

29. Par for the course.

[Blue_true]

41. Wrong.

I think that you are a good person and are a fairly regular poster. But I believe that your charge is dead wrong.

As I pointed out, I think that she is right, as you clearly do. But some strong democrats still have not gotten on board with her, for reasons that I am sure they can justify.

[pangaia]

59. Brava !

[melman]

98. +1

[babylonsister]

24. Talk to Schumer-he agrees with her.

Link to tweet

https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/schumer-unpaid-interns-762950/

Chuck Schumer: Ad for Unpaid Interns Was Posted in ‘Error’

The senate minority leader has promised to compensate his office’s interns come January 2019

[Pacifist Patriot]

113. I had to forego an internship in the State Department in 1989 because I couldn't afford it.

Would have been the summer before my senior year in college. The person who got the slot was from a famously wealthy family and used the opportunity to make great networking connections and party his ass off.

My life has turned out fine, but I do sometimes wonder how different it would have been had I been able to accept the opportunity practically handed to me if I'd been able to make it work financially.

Unpaid/low paid internships are essentially slave labor and a very real barrier to talented, but less fortunate people.

She is absolutely correct.

[EffieBlack]

117. Internships aren't a barrier - they're an opportunity that otherwise would not be available

If internships paid a living wage, they wouldn't be internships - they'd be jobs. And there isn't enough money to pay for all of those jobs. And you can bet that if Congress tried to appropriate more money for them, people would object loudly and demand that those funds be used for something other than to pay Congressional staff.

Did you know a lot of people who work at the White House - from advance staff to letter writers - are volunteers? Many of the employee at our national museums and parks - guides, docents, etc. - are also volunteers. These and other government entities couldn't function without them. Should they all be paid? Maybe we could start charging or increase the cost of admission to pay for their salaries? I wonder how many y of the peopke demanding a living wage for interns doing entry-level work would be as insistent if they actually had to pay for it. I'm don't think it will go over well when the families get to Yosemite and have to cough up double or triple the fees.

Internships are a great way for young people to get experience. AOC greatly benefitted from her own internship with Ted Kennedy and she didn't come from privilege.

This is much ado about nothing.

[Pacifist Patriot]

119. Internships are not a barrier. Unpaid internships most assuredly can be and frequently are.

Volunteerism is not germane to this discussion. The purpose and expectations regarding volunteer positions verses an internship are quite different. For one thing, the educational component can be, but is not as integral, to the expectations of a volunteer as they are to an intern. Interns generally expect the experience to further their career. Volunteers much less so. Internships usually last a specific length of time while volunteers can be the same or open-ended.

No matter how anyone wants to dress it up, compensation is going to have a significant impact over who is able to take a position. We may disagree over the seriousness of the impact and what it's implications are, but to deny that fact (like I saw up-thread) is unrealistic.

I have worked for several corporations that utilize internship programs that pay a living wage. They are internships because of the finite duration of the assignment and the mentoring and educational component involved. A well-paid internship is not a job. It should be a structured program with specific goals for both the organization and the intern.

I have no doubt there are any number of reasons that make unpaid and low-paid internships practical. That's not my argument.

[HopeAgain]

128. Mostly only kids from wealthy families can afford to be interns

The advantaged continuing to advantage themselves. Or is this just more about hating everything she says?

[MadDAsHell]

132. This sounds an awful lot like the Con's "No one makes a career out of Walmart or McDonalds." nt

[WeekiWater]

44. Where are you witnessing a government crackdown on speech here?

I’ve always been taken back a bit when it comes to how little people understand the concept of freedom of speech and it’s importance.

[Gore1FL]

19. Yep! And get her mentor (whomever that is) on board.

We need our representatives espousing our values like this.

[green917]

57. I believe they are referring to senator Sanders

who absolutely is on board with this and a hell of a lot of other issues relating to income inequality that the democratic leadership should support.

[Politicub]

124. The best mentorships are symbiotic relationships

Where mentors learn as much from the people they are mentoring. It should not be a shut-up-and-watch, transactional relationship.

I know this is the case in my industry, where I learned a tremendous amount from new folks coming into the organization. They enriched my career and I thrived on the dialogue.

[Tarc]

127. In other words, get that uppity woman in line

Progressive, you are.

[George II]

139. Rather presumptuous of you, don't you think?

[Hermit-The-Prog]

12. tell it!

Years ago, a local magistrate made it on the prime-time local news. He was tired of fighting the county government to try to get a wage increase for county road workers. They hadn't had a raise in over a decade. He stood in front of the camera and told who was opposing, what they were paid, and finished with, "If they can't vote for a raise for the people who do the work, just take my salary and split it amongst them. I challenge the others on the board to do likewise!"

The workers got their raise. The executive board tried to eliminate the magistrate's district. Didn't work -- public protest.

Congress should be paid no more than the median income of the people they represent.

[PaulX2]

14. AOC Is Not Taking Any Prisoners

Maybe some folks can start doing the right thing before she rings their bell.

[rocktivity]

15. Based on a consumer report I heard on the radio when I was in junior high school

Last edited Wed Dec 5, 2018, 11:17 AM - Edit history (1)

-- your monthly rent shouldn't exceed your weekly gross income (19%). So she shouldn't be spending more than $3.3K a month on housing on her $174K salary. I was in junior high school QUITE a while ago...


rocktivity

[shanny]

26. "shouldn't be"?

did she say she is?

and btw how long ago were you in high school? 'cause wages have been flat for 40 years but costs haven't

[TexasBushwhacker]

30. But she has to maintain 2 domiciles

One in DC and one in her home state. She's lucky she doesn't have kids. I assume she's still sharing an apartment in the Bronx w/ her boyfriend. Can she keep her total rent to $3.3K or less? It will be tight, but it's possible.

[summer_in_TX]

55. Housing costs in D.C. are a burden on many

Members of the House, especially freshmen members, often make so little money and have so many expenses that they have to room with more than one other freshman.

[TexasBushwhacker]

63. Is sharing housing so bad?

Chuck Schumer did it for decades. Why would their living expenses be exceptional? They get a large allowance to pay staff.

[summer_in_TX]

134. It depends.

Is it true of the majority, or is it the exception? Are the quarters available adequate?

I've heard of Congress members sleeping in their offices and foregoing even sharing an apartment.

Is it a satisfactory arrangement for the people involved, or is it a burden? Clearly not having a stipend for incoming members of Congress between election and swearing in is a burden for any newly elected member of meager means. There's obviously a lot to do to get ready. In this day, AOC was able to use social media to find a place to stay but some might not be comfortable doing that or have media amplification of their issue. And before the current era, what did they do?

[TexasBushwhacker]

137. I read about 40 sleep in their offices

For some it's a budget issue, like one member who has 2 kids in college. For others, they're just frugal and don't see the point of paying for an apartment year round when they may only spend 80 or so nights in DC. Obviously those who have children and don't have a spouse who works outside the home have to maintain a bigger house in their home state, but they pay lower income taxes too. In the case of AOC, after doing a quick and dirty calculation of her taxes, her take home pay will be about $11K a month. Even if she's paying $4K a month in rent for 2 homes, that leaves $7K for food, clothing, savings, etc. Maybe not 1% wealthy, but quite comfortable.

[PatrickforO]

35. That's an interesting rule of thumb.

Nowadays, the government considers that rent in excess of 35% of your income is unaffordable.

Generally, people figure 30%.

If your rent is 50% or more of your gross, then you pretty much can't afford anything else.

[CozyMystery]

54. I remember when the figure was 25% of net pay, including utilities....

Mortgages weren't supposed to exceed 2.5 x income. Today, those figures are laughable.

[KPN]

94. Yep. Exactly. It's a matter of perspective.

What was vs what is now. And the latter is justified by making it appear complicated.

[DAMANgoldberg]

68. I'm at 59% of income...

and that is in one of "da hood" neighborhoods here in Charlotte, which is rapidly acting all Seattle, DC, NYC, etc. with the high rise urban construction and including on both sides of the Lynx Blue Line rail system. And Duke Energy wonders why they can't get the electric bill on time. #charity

[Garrett78]

16. She's right.

[spanone]

17. She's got Fire....I like her.

[pdsimdars]

22. See how great it is to have someone speak up instead of "business as usual" !

[DRoseDARs]

25. But she's a Democratic Socialist! We're supposed to hate them!

I'm grateful for AOC and the energy she's bringing. I'm hoping all that *noise* can start going away for good from our side. Perhaps it will take the same message and ideas wrapped in a shiny new package to do that. Fine, whatever. It's the progress that always mattered, not the person. Bernie, love you, but sit down. Alex's turn to speak... and lordy she's bringing the fire so far. Taking no one's shit and giving no fucks for haters.

[leftofcool]

27. Guess who else works 2 jobs to support their families, Alexandria?

Teachers, firefighters, many local government workers, single mothers, single dads. Need I go on? Hope you will be as concerned about these people as well.

[Blue_true]

42. She has made it clear that she is concerned about such people.

As a matter of fact, she is pointing out how Congress is not treated like the rest of us. She is doing the right thing.

[Caliman73]

47. give it time.

Coming out for renewable and sustainable energy and universal healthcare may possibly help with that situation. I am not understanding if you are upset at Ocasio-Cortez for speaking up about unpaid staffers or because she hasn't yet hit upon the issue you are passionate about, or just because you've decided you don't like her because of her associations...

There are way more than those you listed, as you allude to that need a living wage. I am sure by the time she is done in the House she will have tried to address them all.

[BlueWI]

79. Sounds like a good reminder for the whole Democratic leadership.

I hear more about wealth inequality from AOC and Bernie Sanders than from other prominent Democratic politicians. Time to amplify the messages regarding fair wages as we all gear up for 2020.

[KPN]

95. No worries. She is. nt

[PatrickforO]

28. I like AOC more every day. n/t

[MichMan]

31. Congressional interns should be paid much more than a "stipend"

$25 per hour wages
Full health insurance with no copays or deductibles + dental & vision
Two weeks paid vacation per year
Ten sick days per year

[Blue_true]

45. They are there for only a short time.

So a rent stipend would work wonders and allow less than well off kids to take the jobs.

[Fred Sanders]

32. Ridiculous and distorting title from capitalist rag fearing the power of social democracy.

[aggiesal]

34. She's scoring points with me ...

Last week she said that waitresses were paying more for medical insurance than members of congress.
Waitress makes minimum wage, a 1st term congressman makes $174K.

Shine a light

[iluvtennis]

37. I agree with her. Ppl deserve a living wage

[Firestorm49]

39. RIGHT ON

It doesn’t matter which party it is, what’s right is what’s right.

[TeamPooka]

40. unpaid internships allow only the wealthy to gain access and entry into elite businesses

Ive seen it in Hollywood too.

[Blue_true]

48. I am afraid that you are right.

It just reenforced income inequality. Kids that can do the intern jobs get a leg up into college, top law schools, top banks, they build connections. There is just so much wrong with the unpaid crap. Pay them enough for a reasonable monthly rent and three squares per day.

[WeekiWater]

50. In large, you are spot on. NT

[KPN]

46. Unpaid internships are an abusive scam ...

And always have been. AOC rocks! Keep rocking the boat lady.

[EffieBlack]

81. No, they're not scams

As I wrote in another post, Members of Congress have a limited budget from which to pay staff. Their paid staffs range from the Chief of Staff and District Director to legislative assistants to legislative correspondents to entry-level staff assistants. They rarely can pay for all the staff they need out of the budgets, so they hire interns, many of whom are unpaid but many of whom are paid by their schools, special fellowships and other sponsorships. Many interns end up getting hired as staff assistants once the positions open up. And while some interns do come from families with the wherewithal to support them, many interns are low-income and working class young people who are clever enough to know that working for free or cheap for a short time in a Member office is a brilliant investment and gives them the experience and contacts they need to move up on the Hill or get great jobs in other areas. Member offices often don't have enough slots to accommodate all of the interns who are interested in and willing to work for them for free

What is your suggestion for eliminating unpaid internships? Reduce the number of staff overall - thereby curtailing the Members' ability to serve their constituents? Cut the paid staff's already below-the-private-sector salaries in order to cobble together enough money to pay interns? Have Congress vote itself more money to pay higher salaries to staff and interns?

It's easy to be critical of these things in the abstract. But in reality, it's much more complicated than it may appear.

[KPN]

99. Yeah, pay them more. That's the right thing

to do. It’s also a straightforward solution. Things are more complicated than they should be because we let them be.

[Politicub]

125. Unpaid internships are a form of class privilege

Those without means don't have the luxury of providing their hard work for no pay.

While I understand what you're saying, the culture of work needs to evolve where interns receive a salary all the time.

Employers take advantage of inexperience and it makes me sick.

[WeekiWater]

49. A bit shocked she is learning this at a bar.

Considering she has been educating herself on these matters. Seems she is supporting the thoughts of many Democrats while making blanket statements.

[samnsara]

51. shes kinda turning me off.....

[SharonAnn]

65. Not me! She's turning me on! And I wasn't a big supporter of hers, didn't think she had it.

[Quixote1818]

73. Same here, she could be a great leader

So far, pretty impressive

[ChubbyStar]

67. Why?

It appears she is speaking truth to power. Not a bad thing at all. Curious why she turns you off.

[RandySF]

52. I disagree with your interpretation

She wasn’t slamming her colleagues so much as the longstanding culture of paying congressional staff shit wages.

[EndGOPPropaganda]

53. Slams the government. Slams the Congress.

Tlking about "Colleagues" is BS

[lordsummerisle]

56. k&r n/t

[wellst0nev0ter]

58. Almost thought the OP slammed AOC as a "disgrace"

Glad I kept reading : )

[EffieBlack]

60. It's more complicated than the article and AOC suggest

Each Member is given a set annual budget - a Member Representational Allowance aka MRA - from which they pay all office expenses, including travel, postage and staff salaries. The MRA is usually not enough to pay a good wage to all of the staff they need in their DC and district offices, so they make do by paying salaries that are lower than the private sector and hiring unpaid interns. Despite the low salaries, the benefits are pretty good and the interns get excellent experience.

And while many students/recent graduates can't afford unpaid internships, many schools and organizations provide fellowships that pay the students a stipend or salary to enable low-income students to take the positions. For example, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation funds dozens of students and recent graduates who work in CBC offices each year.

The alternative would be hiring fewer staff at higher wages - and I can only imagine how constituents would squawk when their phone calls don't get answered, the correspondence is delayed even further and their constituent services fall by the wayside because their Member/Senator cut staff.

The Members are not taking advantage of their staffs. They're doing the best they can with what they have. Of course, Congress can vote itself more money to pay for staff, but I have a feeling that wouldn't be received too well...

[Stinky The Clown]

75. Tsk tsk tsk

How dare you bring reality into this!

[EffieBlack]

77. I sorry ...

[BlueWI]

80. Differences of opinion are always welcome.

That's the purpose of a message board IMO, to read and learn from the exchange of ideas.

On the substance of what was said, an organization that has essentially a 3.2 trillion dollar budget, last time I checked, can easily increase the staffing budgets to pay fair wages to college age interns. However, that would require the legislators, and us, to value this labor enough to believe it should be compensated. As much as some bring up ageism on this site, it seems that more would recognize that to hire college students for nothing is also ageism. Sure, some increase their employability, but if they have loans, they are also increasing their debt.

[EffieBlack]

86. I hear you, but still think you're being too simplistic

Interns are a small part of a Member's staff. Most staff is paid and the interns fill in the gaps - usually helping to answer the phones, answer correspondence, run errands, etc. A good Member and Chief of Staff recognize the most valuable part of being an intern is not performing .undane tasks, but "being in the room," observing and learning and will this allow interns to sit in on meetings, take notes, shadow the Member, etc.

In many instances, the interns who perform well over a few months (most internships don't last longer than that) can the move into paid, entry-level positions when they open up in that Member's or another office. These jobs don't pay great and aren't much different than the internships in terms of tasks and responsibilities, but they are in HUGE demand and they are hard to get. An intern is in a much better position to get them than someone coming in from the outside.

The bottom line is that no one is forcing these young people to work for free. If they don't want to do it, they don't do it. If they want to work on the Hill and be paid for it, they can certainly apply for the paid jobs. But it's way off base to insist that internships exploit people

And, as I've said, you want to hear some people - on the left and right - scream bloody murder, let Congress start appropriating itself more funds to pay for additional staff and see how that goes over.

[BlueWI]

89. Makes some sense, I replied below.

[betsuni]

82. Thank you for the information, didn't know that.

[JHan]

133. Great posts Effie+++

[ecstatic]

64. Kudos to AOC for this. Now... did Bernie Sanders also use unpaid interns?

That would be ironic as hell.

[MarvinGardens]

66. She's right.

Interns should be paid something if they are doing work for an organization. In science they are. I work in science and have never been, nor known, an unpaid intern. Even in high school I was paid a modest stipend for a summer internship. Grad students typically get paid tuition plus a near poverty wage for teaching labs, but at least it's paid. My wife was a grad student in the liberal arts and was not paid, and came out with additional loans.

[Pisces]

70. I'm still looking for the disgrace. Finding nothing

[Quixote1818]

71. She is winning me over nt

[BlancheSplanchnik]

72. 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

No job should pay less than minimum wage—and minimum wage itself isn’t enough to live on.

[linuxuser3]

74. "When you whine about minimum wage.."

Link to tweet

[Guilded Lilly]

76. More power to her! I'm liking this a lot.

[BlueWI]

78. Another example of why fresh perspective is needed.

Not only do unpaid internships provide free labor in numerous situations where compensation is possible, it is also very hard for low income students to access these opportunities when many of them can't afford to relocate to DC and work without pay.

Funny, this has been occurring for a long time, with not a word from DC incumbents.

Fresh voices in politics matter.

[EffieBlack]

85. One of the reasons that unpaid internship are prevalent in DC

is that taxpayers would scream bloody murder if they had to pay for all of the staff needed to make the legislature work.

I spent a lot of time on the Hill and hired and worked with staff at all levels. I had resumes stacked sky high from young people (and some not so young people) from all walks of life who were dying to get an internship so they could get a foot in the door and learn about Congress from the inside. No one makes them work for free and they aren't being exploited. Anyone who doesn't want to work as an unpaid intern can seek out organizations that provide Congressional fellowships or apply and compete for one of the paid positions or try to find a job somewhere else.

[BlueWI]

88. It would take political will to change this practice

and a belief that the labor provided by interns deserves compensation.

Sometimes there are paradigm shifts in how we view labor issues. In Wisconsin, you can pay wait staff $2.25 an hour. It benefits businesses and provides more opportunities to work as a server. But should it be legal to pay a sub-minimum wage to anyone, for any job?

The issue of unpaid internships is trending towards a paradigm shift in colleges and universities. I hear your reflecting on your own DC internship and that in your view, it's not exploitation. But that's one viewpoint and one person's experience. I would rather see multiple viewpoints on an issue like this, for someone in Congress to call attention to this practice, to assess the broad experience of many interns, and to see if more financial support for the outreach functions of Congressional offices is warranted.

Public opposition never seems like a big obstacle if Congress wants to act on certain priorities. Figure out a dollar figure for this and tuck it into an omnibus spending bill. Or call it the Making Internships Pay Act and brag about how it's creating new leaders. To me, this is one of many issues where uncompensated labor has become the norm, and there's no will to consider alternatives.

[Yavin4]

91. People see the world through their own perspective and youth.

They don't see things through other people's perspective/youth. The downside to unpaid internships is that primarily rich kids get these jobs which gives rich people access to these politicians.

[BlueWI]

141. Agreed.

I find it problematic that on a board for Democrats, so many rationalizations can be found for recruitment of people to work for no pay. I thought that mentality was reserved for Republicans!

[EffieBlack]

92. Sounds good but

You'd also get pushback from the paid staff who, at every level, already make below private sector salaries. If I were still working on the Hill, I wouldn't take too kindly to folks suddenly finding money to pay below-entry-level temporary interns while I was still stuck making the same salary.

But my experience - which is not nearly as limited as you suggest - tells me that if given the choice between restricting internship opportunities to fewer paid positions and keeping a wider range of unpaid internship, folks interested in working on the Hill would prefer the latter.

[realmirage]

83. Finally. This is what American spirit looks like

Bring the change

[Yavin4]

84. This one hits home for me.

I recall being told that I had to work for free in order to start my career, and I balked at that. It cost me dearly. You have to pay for college and then work for free?!?! Fuck that nonsense.

[EffieBlack]

87. I often worked for free to get in the door.

Smartest thing I ever did. It was kind of a family joke for awhile that I didn't seem to understand that the whole point was to earn a living.

Paying for college didn't make me think anyone owed me anything. And the money I missed making in those positions was exponentially made up for in the experience and contacts I gained.

[Yavin4]

90. You were lucky to be in a position where you could work for free.

I wasn't. My family didn't have enough money to support me while I worked for free, and part time jobs didn't pay enough for me to support myself. This was back in the late 80s and 90s when the cost of living is far cheaper than it is today.

This is why AOC was elected. People keep thinking that the times don't change. Life in the U.S. is far more expensive than when Baby Boomers were young.

[EffieBlack]

96. I was in a position where I could work for free but it wasn't easy

It was a big sacrifice and my family wasn't able to help much. But it was worth it.

But for people who simply can't afford it at all, there are still many opportunities to work on the Hill, either as a paid staffer or paid intern.

Contrary to what's been suggested here, all internships aren't free. Some Members offer both paid and unpaid internship - AOC isn't proposing anything that many Members aren't already doing. The House itself and the Committees offer all manner of paid internship - separate from those offered by individual Members. And many outside organizations place interns and fellows in Member offices and pay them. For example: https://www.cbcfinc.org/internships/internship-eligibility-the-application-process/

[Yavin4]

93. Unpaid internships give rich kids and their rich parents unique access to our policy makers.

Then you wonder why our government bails out the banks instead of homeowners.

[EffieBlack]

97. You'd be surprised how diverse the internship pool is

Yes - many of the interns are from wealthy families - so are many of the paid staffers. But many of the interns are low-income, working class and minorities.

Interns are a very small part of the Hill staff operation. And even when they're paid, they're not going to be paid well - the point of an internship is not to make money but to gain experience.

[JCanete]

101. the point of an internship is slave labor. Its a brilliant scam. It doesn't have to be the way it is

It is simply that companies or congress too apparently, can leverage the value of an internship at their offices, pay 0, set that expectation as just part of climbing the ladder, and reap the rewards. And as many have stated, this does weed out people who cannot pull this off. Certainly if your family is rich, you can.

This is governmental public service. Corporations are one thing, but we should be mindful of how hard we make it for some people to get this experience over others. A living wage, at the very least, seems appropriate.

[Yavin4]

110. Just because there's some diversity does not obviate my point

The majority of the interns come from very wealthy families. Otherwise, these kids could not afford to live in DC.

[bobGandolf]

100. Good for her!

Damn Democrat politicians need to do what they say. Don't tell us you are for the little guy if you are paying interns and low-level staff wages they can not live on.
Stop being hypocrites.....yes Chuck Schumer you too.

[ucrdem]

102. "It is unjust for Congress to budget a living wage for ourselves"

So will she be refusing her $174,000 congressional salary, or donating it to an intern housing fund? That's usually what such statements foreshadow. What's equally odd is that she claims to have worked for Ted Kennedy 10 years ago , when she would have been in her teens. If that were so, why would she need a bartender at her favorite dive to tell her what she would have experienced herself a decade ago?

Link to tweet

[betsuni]

103. Good point.

[ucrdem]

104. My rep isn't much older than her

but if he ever sent out a message like that he'd be forced from office in a New York minute. He fought hard to win that seat back and he takes his job seriously.

[R B Garr]

109. Great point. By these standards, she was rich/privileged

to have gotten an internship? Since apparently only kids from privileged backgrounds can afford to work free? It’s confusing...

[JCanete]

135. why does it foreshadow that. that makes no bloody sense. It foreshadows her promoting a living wage

for others. Why is it always, people who get a little should give up their little if they want to advocate for others getting anything...that money isn't the problem in itself...it is people only looking out for themselves that is. 174,000 is TOTALLY reasonable government representative pay. We want it to at least partially compete with the private sector to allow non-rich people to govern without the burden of their student loans, etc. barring them from public service.

[samnsara]

105. "My candle burns at both ends It will not last the night; But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends -

It gives a lovely light."...I think shes risking burning out early or turning folks off too early.

[betsuni]

108. I'm hoping she knows how to use people rather than being used.

All I want is for people to attack Republicans, not Democrats. If Democrats have the presidency and super-majorities in both Congress and the Senate for six or more years and don't do anything progressive, then fine, fire away, they're the same as Republicans, call them horrible names and accuse them of corruption. Until then, stop blaming them for that which they have no control over.

[Gore1FL]

116. She's fighting liberal values.

She is not burning the candle at both ends, she is bothering to burn the candle at all.

[malthaussen]

115. Doesn't Congress still exempt itself from all labor legislation?

I agree with her, it is disgraceful. Welcome to Congress, dear.

-- Mal

[Pacifist Patriot]

120. No, not all labor legislation. But they are exempt from some provisions.

[IronLionZion]

118. My parents wouldn't allow me to take internships, I had to wash dishes in a restaurant

I sometimes wonder how different my life would be if I had done internships to get valuable experience, networking, and interviews for full-time jobs afterwards.

I don't have anything useful to add to this discussion, just venting my regrets and resentment.

[namahage]

121. Looks like Congress may actually have done something about intern salaries

in their latest appropriations bill, which was signed into law:

https://www.rollcall.com/news/policy/house-and-senate-interns-set-to-receive-pay-in-legislative-branch-spending-package

ETA: H.R. 5895, scroll down to the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act:

For Senators' Official Personnel and Office Expense Account, $429,000,000 of which $20,128,950 shall remain available until September 30, 2021 and of which $5,000,000 shall be allocated solely for the purpose of providing financial compensation to Senate interns.

Sec. 120. (a) Establishment Of Allowance.—There is established for the House of Representatives an allowance which shall be available for the compensation of interns who serve in the offices of Members of the House of Representatives.

...

(f) Authorization Of Appropriations.—There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $8,800,000 for fiscal year 2019.

[EffieBlack]

122. Good catch

Did AOC know about this before she calkwf fir interns to be paid?

And the reporter apparently was unaware of it since they suggested AOC's "message" may have prompted Schumer to offer a stipend to his interns.

While this is a great gesture, $20k-$50k per office won't result in much income for each intern given the number of interns. And, based on my experience, even once the money runs out, there'll be plenty of young people who'll offer to work for free just to get the experience/school credit.

[Politicub]

123. Yes! Democrats should set an example and abolish unpaid internships.

By their nature, these internships are only attainable to the well-off because the cost of living is so high. The only people who can live off of nothing are those who get funds from mom and dad.

Obama was shaping the federal workforce to be a "model employer." The Democrats in Congress should aim for nothing less.

[AllyCat]

126. Agreed!

[calimary]

129. This young woman is really starting to grow on me.

Impressive.

A big future ahead. But we’re probably gonna have to be super-vigilant. You can bet the bad guys are VERY busy trying to figure out how to take her down.

They already got Al Franken. And Hillary. And more, I’m sure.

She’s a MAJOR threat to all the hypocrisy, apostasy, greed, character assassination, and calculated theft that they hold dear.

[VOX]

136. She's a hard charger who just needs a bit of seasoning. Her potential is extraordinary.

She’ll do exceedingly well with a bit of time and experience.

[George II]

138. Does she realize that Congress included pay for interns in this year's budget?

[disillusioned73]

140. AOC, what can you say...

she just gets better with age..

You know what really is scaring the living bejeezus out of these outdated lifelong status quo'ers?? That her young colleges are seeing this & realizing you don't have to sit back & shut the f up - you were elected for a reason.. time to represent the future, not the past...

[BeckyDem]

142. I like her, a lot. Not bad for a days complaint:

The message may have pressured Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to announce on Monday that he'll pay his interns a stipend in the new congress.