TRUMP'S AMERICA: Some DC internships are unpaid and apartments on Capitol Hill aren't cheap

We’ve already heard from Congresswoman-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez once on this today when she was shocked to find when she visited a “dive spot” in Washington, D.C., that several bartenders, managers, and servers currently worked in Senate and House offices. In other words, they had to take on second jobs just to work in Congress.

Looks like the talking point has gone out. Bloomberg’s Steven T. Dennis reports:

Lawmakers still seeking unpaid interns in 2018.
Apartmentsdotcom lists zero apartments under $1,000 a month on Capitol Hill.
Zero.
That seriously limits who can afford to take an internship.

— Steven Dennis (@StevenTDennis) December 3, 2018

Why yes, yes it does. And yet, people will still take unpaid internships to pad their resumes and climb the ladder of Washington politics.

This is a screenshot of Capitol Hill apartment listings under $1,000. The only listings are technically outside of Capitol Hill. pic.twitter.com/RIBgawqDgb

— Steven Dennis (@StevenTDennis) December 3, 2018

Of course, Ocasio-Cortez wasn’t done yet:

Gotta love the rich irony of Congressmen asking “How are you going to pay for it?” suddenly grow awfully quiet when called out on their expectation that part-time workers magically invent money to work for free https://t.co/303cx5DpvA

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Ocasio2018) December 3, 2018

The income inequality is coming from inside the House!

And this all started with T-rump! https://t.co/0m11O01Xji

— Carl Gustav (@CaptYonah) December 3, 2018

Can you believe that guy?

This shouldn't hold back interns…find a few roommates, get a small place near the Hill, stay there for a year or so, and move up the ladder.

— Josh Arnold (@JoshDavidArnold) December 3, 2018

Unless you have a roommate or two?

— Leroy Shiggity (@LeroyShiggity) December 3, 2018

i interned full-time in Congress, made 0 dollars: lived in a one room apartment in Ballston w/ two roommates (still paid $850/month), commuted an hour and a half each way by taking two buses, & worked nights/weekends as a caterer. @JoshDavidArnold what else should i have done?

— bianca (@biancacockrell) December 3, 2018

Gotten paid for the internship and skipped the job. I don’t think ppl are blaming interns. It’s about not paying interns.

— Tammy Miers ?????‍♀️? (@GaddyTam12ge) December 3, 2018

@JoshDavidArnold said "This shouldn't hold back interns…find a few roommates, get a small place near the Hill, stay there for a year or so, and move up the ladder." i tried all of those things: it's definitely about not paying interns, just not sure if he sees it that way.

— bianca (@biancacockrell) December 3, 2018

Plenty of us worked jobs on top of our internships in order to get started on the Hill. Interns can get in line behind people who have actual paying jobs on the Hill and can barely afford to live here

— Michael Viggiano (@MikeJViggiano) December 3, 2018

Grants. Roommates. Family support in doing these prized internships for future connections & earnings. Credits if in school or grad school. Seriously- ever thought of what it takes for a serious grad degree, with no guarantee of future big money or connections. Reality

— Ellice K. (@ElliceK33) December 3, 2018

It's part of their education and getting real experience. There are ways for those interested who come from modest means to achieve these posts and to obtain living arrangements.

— Cindy Cooper (@CindyCoops) December 3, 2018

I'm sure the "unpaid" interns that are chosen will be well taken care of.

— Da'Bozack (@Ponokyo) December 3, 2018

They can commute in like everyone else.

— Don McGlynn (@bethesdadon) December 3, 2018

Why do they have to live by themselves on Capitol Hill?

— Rat Fink (@shmidtBC) December 3, 2018

The city is bigger than Capitol Hill.

— Joshua Gray (@BumpinFresh) December 3, 2018

Head a little farther down Pennsylvania towards 295. The housing is less expensive.

— NavyVet (@NavyVet963) December 3, 2018

FYI — there are more communities in DC other than Capitol Hill. And we have this thing called public transportation that is cheap and effective

— Influence Strategies (@Influenstrategy) December 3, 2018

I bet there are lots in Gaithersburg.

— Brendan Dunn (@brendanmdunn) December 3, 2018

Should the landlord offer free rent ?

— Cheng Zeng (@nycdecision) December 3, 2018

I have absolutely no problems with this.

— WSD (@cpt_house) December 3, 2018

I did a nearly unpaid teaching internship during the day, went to Masters classes at night, and worked a part-time job on the weekends. Millennials are S-A-W-F-T.

— Matt H (@boatsNhoagz) December 3, 2018

Ocasio-Cortez seemed to think unpaid internships were the GOP’s fault, with the intent to make a statement about “fiscal responsibility,” but if she’s really going to fight for interns on the Hill to be paid a living wage, she’d better knock on a whole lot of Democrats’ offices as well. We’d be happy if members of Congress paid their interns out of their salary.

Just pay for it!

CNN's Jake Tapper presses socialist Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on how she'll pay for her $40 Trillion in government programs.

She can't answer.pic.twitter.com/RDvHYoRSZA

— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) December 3, 2018

Related:

The HELL is she talking about now?! Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez calls her salary as a Congresswoman a living wage and yeeeah no https://t.co/ZEPHtGq9XM

— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) December 3, 2018