The term “intern” is a freindly euphamism for the word “slave”. But interns in the White House, Capital Hill and throughout Washington, while they may not get paid, receive incredble opportunities to network and amazing experiences that should more than make up for not being paid in the long run if they leverage those experiences correctly during their job/career hunting.
“A 15-member commission created to investigate the shortages of doctors, nurses and other health care professionals has never met in two and a half years because it has no money from Congress or the administration.”
I am glad this commission isn’t being funded because I have lots of doubts of its efficiency in addressing this supposed shortage. There is a real shortage of people with more technical skills in this country, so should another commission be spending money to address this issue as well? What will they accomplish? Aren’t there think tanks and other research organizations and institutions that can help provide statistics and advice on these issues already? Shows how much waste is being proposed.
Everyday there seems to be more and more stories about the inability of Congress to agree on something. I understand the Republican’s hesitation to fund something that supports the ACA, but we are going to have a shortage of health professionals regardless of policy.
“Patients in New York regularly told me that they called an ambulance because it was cheaper to them (free!) than a $20 cab ride. An ambulance ride in New York City costs $704 per ride not including mileage. Medicare and Medicaid contribute approximately half of the FDNY’s total revenue of $205 million yearly.”
@Hazen Zilla, I do not agree that just because these internships may provide great networking opportunities, it is fine to overwork and not pay these young professionals. A good portion of these interns aren’t even college students anymore, especially due to the economic downturn, and most of the ones who can afford living in an expensive city without pay rely on their parents help. Meaning that interns from low-income families cannot afford the internship experience even though they may be more than qualified for the experience. The NCPA, for example, pays its interns because it does not believe in unpaid labor. Perhaps Washington ought to stop exploiting young professionals and creating an experience gap since many end up not obtaining these experiences because they can’t afford it. However, it’s great business for those in Washington, of course. Why not cut down on the high federal government and congressional salaries and start paying interns?
@Andrew O, It sounds like the NCPA is a wonderful place to work, where do I sign? There are some paid internships and hopefully, a lower-income more qualified individual would receive that internship. I like your suggestion of cutting congressional salaries to pay interns. I’m just pretty skeptical that it will ever change. So I choose to view the situation in a positive light. D.C. is a tough environment though, no about it.
I second Gabriel and Andrew O. How can Congress men/women stand up for liberty when the interns they employ perpetuate an inequitable system that continues to relegate more political power and participation to the most wealthy in society?
The chairman of the commission, Peter I. Buerhaus, a professor of nursing at Vanderbilt University, said: “It’s a disappointing situation. The nation’s health care work force has many problems that are not being attended to. These problems were apparent before health care reform, and they will be even more pressing after health care reform.”
With this in mind, shouldn’t we be acting with greater urgency.
A15-member commission created to investigate the shortages of doctors, nurses and other health care professionals has never met in two and a half years because it has no money from Congress or the administration.
Moreover, the members have been told not to have contact or meet informally. The commission is not allowed to meet unless funds are appropriated.
A15-member commission created to investigate the shortages of doctors, nurses and other health care professionals has never met in two and a half years because it has no money from Congress or the administration.
Too bad other worthless government bureaucracies cannot be defunded this way. The Dept of Education comes to mind. The Dept of HHS is another that could probably be defunded.
Bureaucratic inequities cause huge increases in private payout. The government also hires companies to make sure that they’re paying the lowest possible amount. I would hazard a guess that in aggregate, they’re actually paying close to that of a private insurer.
I think this is a classic irony. Eloquently captured in the following quote: Maybe the politicians don’t want to wake up. Raising the minimum wage is usually a political winner—only a Grinch would oppose helping low-income workers, right? But the appeal is to emotion, not to the practical, long-term interest of helping the disadvantaged.
I do think most of these politicians are abusing the entry level interns of free labor in return for so called “experience & networking opportunities!”
The healthcare industry is booming compared to BLS outlook for other sectors. Investigative committees and other lesser known fed groups hiding in the corners are massively understaffed and underfunded. Some few people trying to do good suffocating under the weight agency titans.
The term “intern” is a freindly euphamism for the word “slave”. But interns in the White House, Capital Hill and throughout Washington, while they may not get paid, receive incredble opportunities to network and amazing experiences that should more than make up for not being paid in the long run if they leverage those experiences correctly during their job/career hunting.
“A 15-member commission created to investigate the shortages of doctors, nurses and other health care professionals has never met in two and a half years because it has no money from Congress or the administration.”
I am glad this commission isn’t being funded because I have lots of doubts of its efficiency in addressing this supposed shortage. There is a real shortage of people with more technical skills in this country, so should another commission be spending money to address this issue as well? What will they accomplish? Aren’t there think tanks and other research organizations and institutions that can help provide statistics and advice on these issues already? Shows how much waste is being proposed.
Everyday there seems to be more and more stories about the inability of Congress to agree on something. I understand the Republican’s hesitation to fund something that supports the ACA, but we are going to have a shortage of health professionals regardless of policy.
“Patients in New York regularly told me that they called an ambulance because it was cheaper to them (free!) than a $20 cab ride. An ambulance ride in New York City costs $704 per ride not including mileage. Medicare and Medicaid contribute approximately half of the FDNY’s total revenue of $205 million yearly.”
I am dumbfounded.
I propose, “The Grand Commission on the Study of Wasteful Commissions”!
Operating budget: $100,000,000,000
@Hazen Zilla, I do not agree that just because these internships may provide great networking opportunities, it is fine to overwork and not pay these young professionals. A good portion of these interns aren’t even college students anymore, especially due to the economic downturn, and most of the ones who can afford living in an expensive city without pay rely on their parents help. Meaning that interns from low-income families cannot afford the internship experience even though they may be more than qualified for the experience. The NCPA, for example, pays its interns because it does not believe in unpaid labor. Perhaps Washington ought to stop exploiting young professionals and creating an experience gap since many end up not obtaining these experiences because they can’t afford it. However, it’s great business for those in Washington, of course. Why not cut down on the high federal government and congressional salaries and start paying interns?
Andrew, you are so right.
@Andrew O, It sounds like the NCPA is a wonderful place to work, where do I sign? There are some paid internships and hopefully, a lower-income more qualified individual would receive that internship. I like your suggestion of cutting congressional salaries to pay interns. I’m just pretty skeptical that it will ever change. So I choose to view the situation in a positive light. D.C. is a tough environment though, no about it.
We need more colleges and high schools to provide internship opportunities and funding to make up for the current gap.
I second Gabriel and Andrew O. How can Congress men/women stand up for liberty when the interns they employ perpetuate an inequitable system that continues to relegate more political power and participation to the most wealthy in society?
@ The 15 Member Commission.
The chairman of the commission, Peter I. Buerhaus, a professor of nursing at Vanderbilt University, said: “It’s a disappointing situation. The nation’s health care work force has many problems that are not being attended to. These problems were apparent before health care reform, and they will be even more pressing after health care reform.”
With this in mind, shouldn’t we be acting with greater urgency.
Moreover, the members have been told not to have contact or meet informally. The commission is not allowed to meet unless funds are appropriated.
A15-member commission created to investigate the shortages of doctors, nurses and other health care professionals has never met in two and a half years because it has no money from Congress or the administration.
Too bad other worthless government bureaucracies cannot be defunded this way. The Dept of Education comes to mind. The Dept of HHS is another that could probably be defunded.
Bureaucratic inequities cause huge increases in private payout. The government also hires companies to make sure that they’re paying the lowest possible amount. I would hazard a guess that in aggregate, they’re actually paying close to that of a private insurer.
@ The Congress Internship Struggle
I think this is a classic irony. Eloquently captured in the following quote: Maybe the politicians don’t want to wake up. Raising the minimum wage is usually a political winner—only a Grinch would oppose helping low-income workers, right? But the appeal is to emotion, not to the practical, long-term interest of helping the disadvantaged.
I do think most of these politicians are abusing the entry level interns of free labor in return for so called “experience & networking opportunities!”
The healthcare industry is booming compared to BLS outlook for other sectors. Investigative committees and other lesser known fed groups hiding in the corners are massively understaffed and underfunded. Some few people trying to do good suffocating under the weight agency titans.