Business

Well, There’s Your Problem: Congressional Offices Stacked Mostly With Inexperienced 24 Year Olds

Ever wonder why it takes so long to get things done in Washington, D.C.? Maybe the fact that congressional offices employ mostly inexperienced 24-year-olds has something to do with it.

“High turnover and lack of experience in congressional offices are leaving staffs increasingly without policy and institutional knowledge,” The Washington Times reports.

And do you know what happens when a staffer leaves his high-stress, lousy-paying job? A lobbyists steps in to fill the void.

“Most Senate staffers have worked in the Capitol for less than three years. For most, it is their first job ever. In House offices, one-third of staffers are in their first year, while only 1 in 3 has worked there for five years or more,” writes Luke Rosiak for the Times.

Aides who work on committees that are more influential tend to have longer resumes (maybe a whole four years of experience!).

But why would D.C. set up a system where legislative and political expertise is rewarded with lousy pay and few prospects for upward mobility?

That’s a good question.

Well, Theres Your Problem: Congressional Offices Stacked Mostly With Inexperienced 24 Year OldsImage courtesy Washington Times

“While senators make $174,000, staff assistants and legislative correspondents — by far the most common positions in the Senate — have median pay of $30,000 and $35,000, respectively, significantly less than Senate janitors and a fairly low salary for college graduates in a city as expensive as Washington,” writes Rosiak.

Moreover, Congressional staff salaries have barely (if at all) risen with inflation over the past decade.

For instance, according to the Times, the average legislative counsel in the House made $56,000 last year, which is actually less than in 2007. At the same time, the salary of parking-lot attendants in the House went from $26,000 to $49,000 in the past decade while pay for staff assistants increased from $26,000 to $30,000.

“It means that young workers have proximity to enormous power while surviving on a meager budget — dual forces that come together to push congressional staffers through the ‘revolving door’ to highly paid K Street lobbyists,” the Times reports

“In the revolving door, former congressional staff and members use their personal connections and insider knowledge to attempt to pull the levers of power on behalf of a paying client. A former congressional staffer is among the most valuable assets a company desiring legislative change can buy,” the report adds.

In fact, D.C. staffers will often engage lobbyists even while working for Congress. And why not? We’re talking about someone with maybe one or three years of experience being approached by someone with decades of finely tuned technical knowledge. It’s not surprising that the former would turn to the latter for “advice.”

“Who are congressional staff going to turn to?” asked Daniel Schuman, who studies policy at the nonpartisan Sunlight Foundation.

“The experienced staff aren’t there. But lobbyists and think tanks are beating down the door: ‘Here’s the legislation, here are the research materials and I’ve got the co-sponsors lined up,’” he adds.

Read the Washington Times’ full report here.

Comments (60)

1 2
  • lassiegirldawn
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 2:38am

    Hopefully these 24 year olds know how to read better than what I see because they are the people reading the bills and telling the idiot politicians what is in them. There are also the lobbyists that tell them what is in the bills and at times even writing the bills themselves. I know this to be true because I have been behind the scene in politics. I have seen all the evil little tricks that both sides play, because I played with both sides.

    Report Post »  
    • BOMUSTGO
      Posted on June 8, 2012 at 4:50am

      This is called “Ineptocracy–(in-ep-toc’-ra-cy) – a system of government where the least capable to lead are elected by the least capable of producing, and where the members of society least likely to sustain themselves or succeed, are rewarded with goods and services paid for by the confiscated wealth of a diminishing number of producers.

      Report Post » BOMUSTGO  
    • auntmoxie.com
      Posted on June 8, 2012 at 6:19am

      The fact in and of itself–that bills are so lengthy and/or numerous that they need people to decipher them–is a problem.

      Report Post » auntmoxie.com  
    • Thankful to be an American
      Posted on June 8, 2012 at 10:49am

      lassiegirldawn, the 24 year olds have one job and one job only, to help get their boss re-elected. I know first-hand how this works and I will tell you and everyone again.

      The lobbyists all know what the deal is and it is money. The lobbyists know that the person elected wants one thing and that is to keep their job, Lobbyists do not care what party they are from because they all want the same thing, power and influence, and to get they need money. So what the lobbyists do is befriend whoever gets elected and they blow smoke up their backside about how great they are and how much they want to help them by having their staff (the lobbyists staff that is) write and prepare the bills that get presented for a vote, so that the elected official’s staff can take care of the re-election stuff, Of course they would never write the bills in their favor, no way.

      The two party system only matters to the voting masses. If you ever meet a lobbyists ask them what party they are in and the answer will more than likely be it depends who I am having dinner with next!

      Report Post »  
  • neillwd
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 2:38am

    If the Federal government were involved in only that which The Constitution allowed they would not need the complex legislation that takes an expert to manufacture. Or a constitutional amendment that required all legislation to fit on one eight and a half by eleven piece of paper in 12 point type double spaced with one inch margins. In other words, keep it simple stupid.

    Report Post »  
  • Smokey_Bojangles
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 2:35am

    Median pay of $30,000 and $35,000? I have and do work a Helluva lot harder for less!

    Report Post » Smokey_Bojangles  
    • Itsnakemo
      Posted on June 12, 2012 at 11:08am

      I feel your pain. I have no job and I am taking care of a disabled family member. No one in my household works. We do not accept food stamps, free phones, etc. We depend on our savings and relatives who will help out. My brother mowed my lawn yesterday and I paid him for his gas. Our neighbors give us veggies out of their gardens. I live on real eggs from chickens and real milk from real cows. I am not starving to death and my bills are getting paid. Let’s just give Yehowah all the glory. He is my judge and my redeemer.

      Report Post »  
  • Ghandi was a Republican
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 2:00am

    I’m not sure the problem is 24. I truly believe we would be better off if we had 5 year olds in the whitehouse and Democratic leadership. I do not believe anyone can put up a credible argument to dispute this.

    Report Post » Ghandi was a Republican  
    • db321
      Posted on June 8, 2012 at 2:33am

      I not going to dispute your theory, your right at times it does seem like 5 yr old are running to show in DC! The inmates are defiantly running the prison it appears.

      Report Post » db321  
  • marine249
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 1:36am

    long time after youf

    Report Post »  
  • TROLLMONGER
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 1:15am

    Gotta love the comments frm the old, irrelevant and envious geezers. Face it old timers! You are a dying breed…LOL!

    Report Post » TROLLMONGER  
    • GulfPeg
      Posted on June 8, 2012 at 5:07am

      I might add that you, Trollmonger, will get to be an old geezer before you know what is happening.

      Report Post »  
  • Diane TX
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 12:29am

    What is this tonight? Attack young people night? This story and one about the kid shooting himself. These 24-year-olds are doing “stepping stones jobs”. Everyone must start somewhere.

    Report Post »  
    • RamonPreston
      Posted on June 8, 2012 at 1:13am

      Then start somewheres else…maybe a factory. The “Dumbing Down of America” really worked well. Over-paid and under-qualified.

      Report Post » RamonPreston  
  • Rajabear1
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 12:26am

    Maybe it‘s just prudent for the corrupted to get em while they’re ‘young and dumb’ (not meant as an insult). Easier to do ‘business as usual’ without having to worry if one of your inexperienced staffers that is in awe with you and your position, catching on to and maybe ‘snitching’ on you for, shall we say, less than ethical business practices.
    OR
    Easier to indoctrinate.

    Report Post »  
  • USA-Ron
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 12:00am

    Elected Congress and employees —- YOU ARE FIRED !!

    Report Post »  
  • BannedByHuffpo
    Posted on June 7, 2012 at 11:55pm

    Granting eighteen year olds the right to vote was a HUGE mistake.

    Yeah, yeah …. and don’t give me that crap about “if they’re old enough to die for their country….”

    I enlisted in the Army and volunteered for Vietnam at 19, two years BEFORE I could legally vote or buy a drink. So I don’t buy that crap for a minute.

    SOME eighteen year olds are smart. But what EVERY eighteen year old lacks is WISDOM. And I’ll even go out on a limb and make the same statement about twenty-one year olds.

    The best thing we could do to restore some sanity to our electoral process would be to re-institute the twenty-one year age limit to vote. Twenty five is probably more reasonable, but with such pressing national issues like gay marriage and pot legalization, those wise, clear thinking twenty-one year olds would have a tantrum if they couldn’t vote themselves some goodies along with everybody else.

    The congressional staffers cited in the story are nothing but immature children playing in this huge national sandbox called Washington DC. They no absolutely NOTHING of the imminent threats posed by our long time adversaries, and as evidenced by today’s congressional committee hearings, haven‘t a clue as to the damage they’re doing to our national security with the indiscriminate leaks relating to our national defense procedures.

    Send these irresponsible children back to “time-out” and replace them with mature, responsible ADULTS who can anticipate the consequences of

    Report Post » BannedByHuffpo  
    • marine249
      Posted on June 8, 2012 at 1:14am

      voting age should be 31

      Report Post »  
    • Altair
      Posted on June 8, 2012 at 9:39am

      One hundred percent agree. I was in uniform at age nineteen, and didn’t know jack about political issues. Got real interested about the late twenties, when I started paying heavier federal income taxes.

      Report Post »  
    • texan_conservative
      Posted on June 9, 2012 at 8:21am

      well i have been on top of political issues since the age of 18, when I discovered the great world of conservative talk radio. Now i am 24, and its funny when i talk to an older person that doesn’t know whats going on. I do believe there are A LOT of young stupid people that have gone into collage at 18 and had their minds molded by ******* college professors. So while the amount of young and dumb people does outnumber the amount of older dumb people, there are still a lot of older people who just don’t care to stay on top of political issues, these are the people voting for Obama. they vote because he’s hip, and sounds compassionate, and seem to not realize his socialistic agenda. These uniformed people will be the demise of America. Just wanted to let y’all know, not every young person is an idiot. Actually, its not often i can carry on a conversation with a person above 30 who knows what I am talking about.

      Report Post » texan_conservative  
  • Bryan B
    Posted on June 7, 2012 at 11:47pm

    It sounds like the Congress and the Senate need to go down to the local unemployment office, and find people the will grateful to have a job…..

    Report Post » Bryan B  
  • nighttrainno9
    Posted on June 7, 2012 at 11:28pm

    That explains alot, I haven’t met anyone under 40 that
    can add&subtract, write their own name or read with any efficiency.
    The dumbing down of America in our schools has worked, these kids
    can’t even make change. How are they supposed to survive after were dead,
    they can’t make anything, grow anything or fix anything, you tell me,
    hows this supposed to work.

    Report Post »  
  • Hickory
    Posted on June 7, 2012 at 11:27pm

    The problem is not the staffers; it’s the Representatives and Senators themselves. They come to DC for the moderate salary and in a few years are millionaires. What’s wrong with this picture?

    Report Post » Hickory  
  • Chromo200
    Posted on June 7, 2012 at 11:26pm

    And then they become a Chris Mathews. Believe me the three or so years they do this pays off great when they leave, either they stay in D..C. and work in lobbyist office, or they leave D.C. and work for a company that needs to lobby their congressional contingent..

    Report Post »  
  • RightThinking1
    Posted on June 7, 2012 at 11:24pm

    Gee, what a surprise…

    Report Post »  
  • hillbillyinny
    Posted on June 7, 2012 at 11:21pm

    If you have ever been in some of the Congressional offices you will understand the above!

    I go once a year to talk with staff out family farming issues, and in so many of the “downstate” NY office, the staff are very young, somewhat rude, and don‘t believe that their food ISN’T “MANUFACTURED” at the store where they buy it!

    Charlie Rangel’s office is about the most absurd! Beautiful young ladies, without a lick of sense!

    And some of the more conservation members’ offices have GREAT, LONG-TENURE staff–they remember who you are, they remember issues and they remind the Member when those issues come up for discusssion!

    Interesting place Washington, DC. Definitely NOT IN THE REAL WORLD!

    Report Post »  
  • Winedude
    Posted on June 7, 2012 at 11:10pm

    Y’all kill me. First you bitch that the government is wasting our money. Then, in this story, the implication is that these staffers aren’t getting paid enough, so they leave for greener pastures. Which is it…fools?

    Report Post »  
    • SHOWMESTATEGUY
      Posted on June 7, 2012 at 11:35pm

      Lay off the wine dude! You don’t make sense.

      Report Post »  
    • DesertRose1960
      Posted on June 7, 2012 at 11:49pm

      @showme, Yes, he does make sense. It’s facts and logic, and you don’t get it, because it disagrees with your view. Assuming someone else is drunk for pointing out a fact (from the article) speaks volumes about your state of mind.

      Report Post » DesertRose1960  
    • RJJinGadsden
      Posted on June 8, 2012 at 3:30am

      WHINEDUDE, You’ve made an interesting comment. It would likely save money in the long run to offer financial incentives to maintain those with at least some experience. Then I’m sure some take these positions in hopes of padding their resumes in the future. Regardless, it would save money in the long run if they don’t have to spend so much time training that new guy every few months.
      Still, Walter Williams has always had the best idea. The best way for the country to save money is to pay each and every member of Congress $10 million a year to stay out of DC. If they return to DC and the Capital Building any time during the year their salary reverts back to the current pay for that entire year. As long as Congress stays away we save money in the long run.

      Report Post » RJJinGadsden  
    • Link8on
      Posted on June 8, 2012 at 9:15am

      None of the poor blokes have decided to unionize or occupy K Street.

      I suppose the best ones eventually get recruited into K Street.

      The DC machine seems to be run by the lobbyist firms… and then eats everything.

      Just like the Empire in Star Wars.
      Anakin gets recruited into the Jedi (lobbyists / mentors)
      Senator Palapatine starts a phony war vs Trading Guild (another lobbying group).
      Palapatine’s Darth agents occupy the Jedi, one gets killed while Palapatine ascends to be chancellor.
      Chancellor Palapatine specifically request Anakin to be his body guard .
      From here Anakin is repeatedly tempted and tested and eventually corrupted to the point where he turns on his former mentors to become part of the Imperial Machine.
      The human conversion to machinery theme is forshadowed by the cyborg General Grievious, and made complete as Anakin becomes Darth Vader.

      The same thing is going on to our youth in DC.

      They need a Luke Skywalker figure who will fight that machine, maybe lose a hand in the process, and sometimes meditate on the machine parts creeping up on his own body.

      Report Post » Link8on  
  • lukerw
    Posted on June 7, 2012 at 11:06pm

    The Founding Fathers… never authorized a Staff for any Senator nor Representative: They wanted Congress to Debate and be Slow about passing Bills… in order to minimize mistakes!

    Report Post » lukerw  
    • Rajabear1
      Posted on June 8, 2012 at 12:16am

      Can I get an Amen? A-M-E-N! Hit the nail on the head on a couple of points. Kudos.

      Report Post »  
  • hillbillyinny
    Posted on June 7, 2012 at 10:52pm

    “stacked” or staffed by “mostly 24 year olds?

    Report Post »  
    • PATTY HENRY
      Posted on June 7, 2012 at 11:08pm

      ALSO, as I’ve heard for years: 85% of the GOV. workers in DC are DEMOCRATS/LIBERALS. The GOP appointees and volunteers usually leave with the GOP ADMINISTRATION and go back to Pvt. Sector.
      That’s what is wrong with the State Department too…why all the lousy decisions… all young, inexperienced DEMOCRATS/LIBERALS check it out!

      Report Post » PATTY HENRY  
    • DesertRose1960
      Posted on June 8, 2012 at 12:04am

      @Pattyhenry Boy, who have you been talking to? Most of the Civil Servants in D.C. or any other location I‘ve been to are Conservatives It’s very difficult to get a job with the State Department, you have to be well educated and very well rounded, most State Department folks serve for years and don’t really care who is in office, they serve the country, not the ruling party. Congressional staffers work very hard for very little pay, a lot of them are very idealistic and trying to serve their country.

      You are correct about Healthcare Reform. It did exist before it was debated in 2010. Much of Obamacare is based on Romneycare and Republican proposals from the 1990s. Legislation often sits around for months, even years, waiting to be proposed on the floor of the House. This is how Congress works. They also often have to rely on lobbying and special interest groups for some legislation, because they lack the time, expert knowledge, or money to develop a coherent piece of legislation.

      Report Post » DesertRose1960  
    • PATTY HENRY
      Posted on June 8, 2012 at 4:30am

      Check your Public records. Oh, forget trying to saddle RomneyCare with Obama’s mess. His came from Progressive ideology -single payer goal in a socialist country. Romney’s was designed so that everyone had some skin in the game, regardless of how little. It was a “trial” or an “experiment”…they can learn from it. There are still too many pitfalls involved (people signing up when ill, dropping when not; employers finding it cheaper to pay fine that provide care) They need to open it to cross state lines, really go after fraud. Senator tonight said 400BILLION with a B is duplication and waste; about 100B is from funds sent out for earmarks but never used…the 400B however is EVERY YEAR. First they have to “stop the bleeding” clean up their house before they ask us for MORE MONEY TO WASTE. But go back and check your stats. 85 % are DEMS. THAT explains why it’s impossible to get anything done in D.C. Good try. No Cigar.

      Report Post » PATTY HENRY  
  • blackyb
    Posted on June 7, 2012 at 10:37pm

    They should be paying us from what they have allowed to happen to our country. They live better than most people do and get hugh retirement to go with their winfall profits from whatever it is they are privy to. Look at that Pelosi philly, (more like a mule, I guess) but she is quite wealthy from being a part of that crowd and getting information that fuels her tanks to then turn on the hands that feeds her. She needs to know who buttered her buscuit.

    Report Post » blackyb  
  • SHOWMESTATEGUY
    Posted on June 7, 2012 at 10:33pm

    So that’s who wrote the obamacare bill. You know the one Pelosi said we had to pass to find out what was in it. What in the hell does Pelosi do all day? Drink 32 oz cups of coke all day. She could at least read the damn bill while drinking her 32.

    Report Post »  
    • PATTY HENRY
      Posted on June 7, 2012 at 11:23pm

      I think Obamacare was written by a Soros funded group and an Underground Weatherman from the 60‘s it’s an org. in NY, can’t remember the name. Supposedly they had had it written for years…otherwise how could they come up with 2400 pages in just a matter of weeks since that guy took office? I’m sure someone knows at the BLAZE….Glenn talked about it in 2009.

      Report Post » PATTY HENRY  
    • RamonPreston
      Posted on June 8, 2012 at 1:03am

      coke=cocaine?

      Report Post » RamonPreston  
  • blackyb
    Posted on June 7, 2012 at 10:32pm

    From the looks of it not many, if any are earning their keep. Who let Obama and thugs into the White House without being properly vetted and made to have background checks or yet covered this up? We are payin their salary and they give the farm away.

    Report Post » blackyb  
  • FEWL
    Posted on June 7, 2012 at 10:31pm

    Be careful, you are asking government to spend more money. I do wonder however, why a House Chief of Staff gets paid more than a Senate Chief of Staff? Budgets for members have always been low because when they spend more, they get beat up by the press.

    Report Post »  
  • silquin11
    Posted on June 7, 2012 at 10:29pm

    And you wonder why the legislations passed are thousands of pages long?
    It’s known as “cut and paste”!

    Report Post »  
  • Walkabout
    Posted on June 7, 2012 at 10:23pm

    median pay of $30,000 and $35,000 for staff in the D.C. Metro area.

    And they expect staff to live on that?

    Heck, Congressmen can’t live on $175, 000 & live on their home state & D.C. it put s a lot of stress on them

    Report Post »  
    • The_Almighty_Creestof
      Posted on June 7, 2012 at 10:48pm

      If you like that, look into Walgreens. They have announced that they are changing the titles of, and reducing the responsibilities of their managers…along with their pay. They are starting with the “MGT’s” which are 3rd in charge at the stores. They are reducing their pay by 25% nationwide and CAPPING their pay at $14.00 an hour ($30,100 a year). This will effect 21,000+ employees.

      How are they reducing their responsibilities? Simple, if it is not written down for them to do each day (in general or in specific) they are not responsible for it, or “allowed” to do it. So, if the ad product you got up early sunday morning to go get is not out on the sales floor, they are not allowed to decide for themselves to stock it unless their worklist says “Stock ad”…also, since they are no longer considered to be managers (the loophole which allows Walgreens to reduce their pay) they cannot tell another employee to do it, or ask them for help in doing it.

      So, unless you are in the store m-f between 8-4, whenever you ask to speak to a manager, you’ll get told to call in the morning…because the person in front of you is no longer ALLOWED to answer your question or address your complaint.

      They claim they are doing this because the almost zero new store growth makes being promoted nearly impossible, therefore it is “unfair of them to use and abuse us in this manner and hold us back from other avenues.”

      Report Post »  
1 2

Sign In To Post Comments! Sign In

Sign Up For Our Newsletter!

Glenn Beck Radio

Listen to Glenn Beck 24/7 Listen Now
Restoring Love