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

[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.