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All-In [28802]
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Lot o points [155633]
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She's really messing with tradition.
Dec 5, 2018, 11:35 AM
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Of course they weren't paid because they were all filled with the connected rich kids who didn't need the $$$. DUH!
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All-In [28802]
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A lot of them are, for sure
Dec 5, 2018, 11:45 AM
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The one good thing I can think of about paying interns is that it would allow people whose parents weren't supporting them, or who weren't part of a school program, to intern. Still, you'd have to pay them more than probably $2500 per month for it to be feasible for them to live and work there as an intern. I was paid $1500/month as an intern for 6 months, and I was also waiting tables on the weekends.
Seems like they should either stop requiring people to have interned to get jobs there, or just increase the salaries of the full staff. Interns are supposed to be there to learn and gain experience, not to really be a part of the staff. That's not to say that they shouldn't or can't be paid, but that unpaid internships shouldn't be banned.
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All-In [47795]
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how about charge money to to the rich ones and
Dec 5, 2018, 1:47 PM
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use it to fund the poors
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Legend [16226]
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Many interns are already paying their way through "campaign
Dec 5, 2018, 7:36 PM
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contributions" from affiliated family or firms as it is - they can obviously afford food, clothing, and shelter in some capacity in one of the most expensive areas on the US while working for no pay. So the $$$'s there. Maybe cut back on media buys during campaign season? Create a GoFundMe page for a collection of smart yet poor kids to mix in? Keep eating and drinking out so there ARE those extra jobs out there?
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Heisman Winner [119571]
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OC's gonna wind up in a ditch along a dark road
Dec 5, 2018, 11:37 AM
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if she doesnt clamp that piehole....
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All-In [46799]
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I think I saw where she is talking about 15 per hour
Dec 5, 2018, 11:38 AM
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she will change that quick. These staffers work WAY more than 40 hours a week. OT will kill her.
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All-In [28802]
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Well, interns might not
Dec 5, 2018, 11:41 AM
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But staffers might work 70 hours some weeks, and more than 50 most weeks.
Message was edited by: camcgee®
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Rock Defender [53]
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So they work 50-70 hours a week for 30K and this should
Dec 5, 2018, 11:44 AM
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remain unchanged? With that salary they wouldn't be exempt from OT, so do they get paid OT or nah?
Just looking for clarification
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All-In [28802]
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No, they're exempt from OT
Dec 5, 2018, 11:48 AM
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I'm not talking about interns, either, just staff. Not sure what the exact rules are.
I definitely agree the full-time staff needs to be paid better, but I don't think all interns need to be paid. I also don't see it as some sort of injustice, since people are clearly willing to work there for that pay.
The other problem is that all staff salaries have to be paid out of the members room allowance, which is set in the legislative budget that's subject to appropriations. You can imagine how the optics of increasing the legislative budget are, politically.
Message was edited by: camcgee®
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Rock Defender [53]
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I get your point about interns, and yeah that's criminal
Dec 5, 2018, 11:54 AM
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about staff not getting OT. I believe the cutoff is around $48K now to be exempt from paying OT.
But more on the interns: They take these unpaid gigs while racking up loan debt, to hopefully land a staffer gig making less than most teachers?
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All-In [28802]
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Yes, basically
Dec 5, 2018, 12:05 PM
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When I was there from 2007-2011, the entry-level staff position still paid something like $28k in many offices. You can work your way up quickly, and things are very fluid, as you might expect in a job where the boss might change every two years. Most work their way up to Legislative Assistant after 4-5 years, and are making between $45k-$55k, which is still pretty low-end and well below what they'd be paid for that work if they were on the normal federal pay scale. After working as a Legislative Assistant for 3-4 years, many people start looking for Legislative Director jobs, which can pay as much as $90k, but which I think usually start close to $60K. Chiefs of Staff in the House usually make about $100K, but those people usually have 10 years or more of experience.
Really, though, people go to there to work because it's interesting, because they're idealistic, or they want influence. It's not about the money until you've moved well up the ladder.
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Oculus Spirit [97664]
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What's the endgame for interns? To run for office?
Dec 5, 2018, 12:42 PM
[ in reply to I get your point about interns, and yeah that's criminal ] |
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Be a staff member? Lobbyist? All of the above?
Network with the right people for free, or even minimum wage, and it will pay off tenfold later on if you're smart and humble. ##### about your pay, or lack of it, and you'll go nowhere.
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Rock Defender [53]
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Re: I get your point about interns, and yeah that's criminal
Dec 5, 2018, 5:28 PM
[ in reply to I get your point about interns, and yeah that's criminal ] |
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Yes, but you misunderstand the power that network brings, especially if you are on a staff that wins elections consistently.
I know several people who are very young and are pulling 6 figures. I chose to leave politics because I wanted a more secure future. The problem with politics is once you're in, you're in. You have to be a superstar to get income from things like speaking and book deals. Most staffers dont get there. They will make $250,000+ on a campaign or congressional staff, but thats your career. Wanna leave politics and get a civilian job? Good luck with that resume. Thats the other issue, once you're employed by a campaign and then want to leave to work int he real commercial world, your political affiliations work against you. First, employers see you have zero commercial experience (such as a product manager or production manager), then they'll see you worked for a partisan candidate and thats when they'll question your personal character.
I'll give you a great example from my personal experience.
In college I worked as an unpaid intern in Washington and in local campaigns. I got on board with Jeff Duncan and then some other candidates from SC that won elections. Got a job in Washington for $26k. Worked on a few projects, and within 3 months I was in a position earning $80k. Its all about winning campaigns, winning legislative, and networking at events with the "winning team". Jobs come quickly and pay well once you get recognition. The real key is making sure your campaign or legislative lobbying group wins. If you win, you get paid. I left because I didnt enjoy Washington and wanted a more stable career that didnt require me to sleep in my office every night.
My friend loves the political hustle. He is still in his early 20's, and is currently a director of legislative action for a high profile lobbying organization. He makes $380,000 per year from his job alone. That doesnt include the other $30k+ he earns writing editorials, books, and other contributions related to politics but are outside his job. He and I actually started as unpaid interns for Jeff Duncan, and bounced around as unpaid interns and volunteer campaign staff. I remember doorknocking with him in the summer in Spartanburg a few years ago.
But, my friend's problem is that he has no social life. He works 90+ hours a week. He doesnt get weekend time. Officially, he "earns" vacation, but he doesnt have time to use it. He has a nice apartment in Baltimore, but except for a mattress and a lawn chair, its unfurnished because he never gets enough free time to go home, shower, and change.
My friend also has ZERO experience working for a real company. No commercial sales experience, no manufacturing or technical skills. Now, I'm sure if he left his work and became a sales person somewhere, he would be great. But, he would be starting at the bottom, farming crappy clients making $35k per year for many years, hoping to make small spiffs and commissions.
To top it off, my friend is deeply tied to the Republican political network in Washington. So if he were to try and get a job at a normal company, they may look at his resume and say "Oh, you worked for a republican this or republican that. No thank you" as many companies would deem it risky to hire someone so deeply involved with a partisan political organization.
My friend is actually very moderate, even voted for Obama. He was a registered Democrat at one point, and doesnt profess to be a Republican. But, to keep his job and the money, he needed to pick the winners side. Currently, republicans are the winners.
But, its also nice being 23 years old making a $380,000 salary, another $30,000+ from freelance work, and probably more from endorsements and other ties in his network. And he is a "small fish" in his world. Even given what he does now, he is still considered "an expendable nobody" in his line of work. Now, not everyone earns $380K, but $100,000 is very common for young folks working in these arenas if they are hustlers, competent, and are good at networking and rubbing shoulders. Getting lucky by picking winning campaigns is also huge.
I would personally rather make a decent base salary, with bonus and commission, with health insurance, stock options, and free travel, along with free evenings and weekends to pursue other things like hobbies and side businesses. I'm starting a drop shipping business soon that I am hoping to bring in a few extra grand a month once I establish the model. I can do that, my friend cant.
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All-In [42021]
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Re: I get your point about interns, and yeah that's criminal
Dec 5, 2018, 10:46 PM
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Rock Defender [53]
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And yeah just saw your edit about optics and the budget.
Dec 5, 2018, 11:59 AM
[ in reply to No, they're exempt from OT ] |
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IIRC there was a push to increase state representative and senator salaries in SC a few years back.
State senators and representatives only make $10,400 yearly plus $95/day for food and lodging when in session.
Having the salaries that low pretty much guarantees that those who run and hold office will be independently wealthy from other ventures. You could argue that it prevents working class folks from seeking office.
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All-In [28802]
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Also just generally decreases the quality of candidates***
Dec 5, 2018, 12:06 PM
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Legend [15730]
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Why do full time staff need to be paid better?
Dec 5, 2018, 2:39 PM
[ in reply to No, they're exempt from OT ] |
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Are we suffering because congressmen can’t get quality staffers?
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Oculus Spirit [97664]
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As a business owner I always ask myself one thing
Dec 5, 2018, 12:25 PM
[ in reply to So they work 50-70 hours a week for 30K and this should ] |
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Where's the return? I mean I hear people all the time saying that salary sucks. Or that's too much work for too little pay, or whatever. Does anyone ever care to look at what they EARN the company at that wage or salary?
If you're running on a 15% profit margin and you suddenly have to pay the majority of your employees 30% more to flip a burger or whatever, then you either go bankrupt, or raise your price.
Like for a Congressional intern. They're getting an invaluable opportunity to network, see how campaigns and politicians offices function and serve constituents, and maybe give the President a blowie. But say you pay them $15 an hour. Where's your return on that investment? I mean they're free now and you're getting X out of them. Pay them $15 an hour and you're going to get X + what? What will happen is interns will become scarce if paid. You'll get someone in there to streamline interns since you have to pay them and you'll find you're getting stuff done with far less. Heck, it's really a public service, or it should be. For the intern AND the Congressperson.
No one runs for office for the money. They do it for the power. Get the power, and the money will follow. Trump would be the first to tell you, the power of controlling $4 trillion is FAR greater than the power to make $100 million.
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Oculus Spirit [93608]
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All-In [34533]
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phiggy would be glad to tell us all about it...***
Dec 5, 2018, 11:41 AM
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Oculus Spirit [78823]
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wood***
Dec 5, 2018, 11:54 AM
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Oculus Spirit [97664]
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I'd make her sign a contract...
Dec 5, 2018, 12:11 PM
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with a "Get Out of #MeToo" clause.
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All-In [47795]
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you could meetoo her since she's the one with power***
Dec 5, 2018, 1:50 PM
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All-In [47795]
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they're paid in valuable experience.
Dec 5, 2018, 1:44 PM
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and most already come from privileged backgrounds. and I mean privileged in the actual meaning of the word, not the liberal democrat meaning.
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