Amazing - not a single post on the death of the house page program?

[tangent4ronpaul]

The supreme court page program went away 20-30 years ago. The Senate one is still in existence. The house one is going away. This was really an excellent program to introduce young people to politics - Many graduates of this program went on to become congressional staffers - one became a congress critter.

That it's budget is 5M a year is a joke! It could be run much more effectively, yet where do I see the cost in congressional office budgets - they re not there.

In looking at the larger budget picture - cutting this is a JOKE! - even at the higher price representing the inefficiently of government.

House to end page program after nearly 200 years
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-ap-us-goodbyehousepages,0,3480778.story

After nearly 200 years, the House page program that allowed high school students to serve as messengers and learn about Congress is ending, rendered obsolete by the Internet and email in cost-cutting times.

House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said Monday that the $5 million annual expense can no longer be justified when messages and other materials are delivered electronically. The blue-jacketed pages, who have been a common sight in the House since the 1820s, now have little to do, according to the two leaders.

The program, which also has been touched by scandal, will end by Aug. 31.

Before the Internet and personal electronic devices, pages "crisscrossed the congressional complex each day delivering countless messages and documents to members, committees and leadership offices," the two leaders said in a letter to House members -- delivered via email.

[...]

OK, maybe scaled back - but they still do useful work and there have only been 3 scandals in 200 years.

This is a useful program - and if Congressional offices just cut their budgets by a little bit - could be kept.

This is eye candy - if congress wants to demonstrate real fiscal responsibility - they should cut their own office budgets rather than cutting a program for HS students!

-t

[Unelected]

Is this satire? It's a waste of taxpayer money. If you want to fund little proto-fascists and enable their future political careers, then go ahead, do it with your own money.

[tangent4ronpaul]

Country wide - 15 cents a year?

No it's not a joke - and what makes you think they will be fascists?

It's a really good educational program - but really expensive for the number of pages that get in. It should be run much more effectively.

-t

[Revolution9]

Some joke about congressmen not bending over the pages anymore should get inserted here.

Rev9

[cindy25]

I,m surprised; I would have thought many pages would be children of big donors.

[Unelected]

Country wide - 15 cents a year?

No it's not a joke - and what makes you think they will be fascists?

It's a really good educational program - but really expensive for the number of pages that get in. It should be run much more effectively.

-t

It's fiscally irresponsible to demand $5 million from taxpayers for something that can be done for free electronically. The federal government isn't authorize to be in the "educational" business by the Constitution. This program's days are over because it has been rendered completely useless due to technology.

[KingRobbStark]

It's fiscally irresponsible to demand $5 million from taxpayers for something that can be done for free electronically. The federal government isn't authorize to be in the "educational" business by the Constitution. This program's days are over because it has been rendered completely useless due to technology.

I agree. Its frightening how some in this board will abandon principals when a government program meets their criteria.

[tangent4ronpaul]

It's fiscally irresponsible to demand $5 million from taxpayers for something that can be done for free electronically. The federal government isn't authorize to be in the "educational" business by the Constitution. This program's days are over because it has been rendered completely useless due to technology.

I agree - totally common gvmt mispending.... yet it is a good program if only it would be financed well...

-t

[LibertyEagle]

If it is no longer needed to get the job done, then any money spent on it would be too much.

[dannno]

Sounds like a distraction from areas that really need to be cut like the military... I'm not completely against cutting this program, but I don't think it's going to affect much. I'll bet a lot of Senators have their Pages perform more useful tasks for them, old Nancy is probably just tired of dealing with these young kids.

[tangent4ronpaul]

Sounds like a distraction from areas that really need to be cut like the military... I'm not completely against cutting this program, but I don't think it's going to affect much. I'll bet a lot of Senators have their Pages perform more useful tasks for them, old Nancy is probably just tired of dealing with these young kids.

Yes - the pages do more than just deliver messages. This is really "look at me - I'm doing something to cut the budget and save taxpayer dollars!". The program is really like a one semester apprenticeship and it's really cheap labor.

Lets compare the US House Page one and Washington States:

Ages:
US House: 16-17
Washington State: 14-17

Pay:
US House: $1,800 mo of which $600 is taken out for room and board
Washington State: $25 per 2 hour shift

Keep in mind that they are going to have to turn around and hire someone at probably $80K a year for most of the pages they replace. They are really cheap labor. This is kind of like outsourcing an in house maintenance department and contracting the work out so you can move it off one ledger and onto another an claim you are saving money when it's actually costing more.

Housing
US House: co-ed dorm
Wahington State: OK to stay with friends, relatives or has a list of housing, like an exchange student program where pages can stay for $100 a week that the page pays for.

HS Program:
US House: yes
Washington State: yes

Duties:
US House: duties appear to be narrower, but include messenger, setup of house floor, answering phones, etc.
Washington state: all of the above, raising and lowering flags, and most notably helping out in Congressional offices as well as other things like running errands.

uniform:
US House: Provided
Washington State: page must provide items that fit dress code.

Duration per page:
US House: 1 Semester
Washington State: 1 semester

http://pageprogram.house.gov/factsheet.pdf
http://www.leg.wa.gov/Senate/Administration/PageProgram/Pages/senpagefaq.aspx

The bottom line is they are cutting a useful program for HS students for political points. These students will be replaced by employees that will cost the taxpayers a lot more.

Instead of cutting it they could have done 2 things: Made the program more efficient and cost effective and and expand the duties of the pages.

To the poster that said the government should not be in the education business, does that mean we should close the military academies?

-t

[Son of Detroit]

Sad to see something so historic abruptly end, some say going back to 1789 in the first congress. But every penny saved counts I guess.

[Danke]

I don't know. It seems they have embraced technology. A long time ago I was on an elevator that was voice activated. I was touring the U.S. Capitol and they had some kid pushing buttons on an elevator that went to 3 or 4 floors on voice command for his summer job.