So I guess it is finally time for one of us to post about what has been happening in Washington this semester. Things have been pretty crazy here with the Syria crisis, Navy Yard shooting, government shutdown, and the impending debt ceiling negotiations. I could lie and say that all of this has kept me so busy that I have not posted here yet, but really I have just been lazy.
So I am working for Representative Marcy Kaptur's office, a Democrat representing Ohio's 9th district (my home district). Our district is crazy due to gerrymandering and stretches from Toledo to Cleveland all along the coast of Lake Erie. In her office, I do a wide variety of tasks. Answering constituent phone calls is always part of the day, though never so crazy as during the Syria crisis. I must have spoken with half of the 9th district that week. I also do research for staffers and attend briefings, doing any sort of work they need me to do to keep the office running. The environment is great, my coworkers are friendly, and they didn't furlough me during the shutdown.
About this government shutdown. I am still working during it, and frankly last week was the busiest week I have had yet. Our office is in the minority that is still answering constituent calls during the shutdown, so people from other Ohio districts have been calling just to get their voice heard. It is a very strange situation, and one that does not look like it is going to end soon. It looks from where I am sitting like the government will stay shutdown until the debt ceiling negotiations on October 17th, but then again I am just an intern so what do I know.
Unfortunately, this semester has seen two shooting incidents in the district, one that culminated right outside the Congressional, our apartment building. While the Navy Yard shooting did not affect me when it happened, last week's incident certainly did. We heard the gunshots from our office in the Rayburn House Office Building, and saw people running in all different directions outside. We then went into lockdown for about 45 minutes to an hour. Scary stuff.
Overall though, its been a great start to the semester here through WAIP, and I will try to get a few more posts up today about some other things we have been up to.
Tom McGraw
So I am working for Representative Marcy Kaptur's office, a Democrat representing Ohio's 9th district (my home district). Our district is crazy due to gerrymandering and stretches from Toledo to Cleveland all along the coast of Lake Erie. In her office, I do a wide variety of tasks. Answering constituent phone calls is always part of the day, though never so crazy as during the Syria crisis. I must have spoken with half of the 9th district that week. I also do research for staffers and attend briefings, doing any sort of work they need me to do to keep the office running. The environment is great, my coworkers are friendly, and they didn't furlough me during the shutdown.
About this government shutdown. I am still working during it, and frankly last week was the busiest week I have had yet. Our office is in the minority that is still answering constituent calls during the shutdown, so people from other Ohio districts have been calling just to get their voice heard. It is a very strange situation, and one that does not look like it is going to end soon. It looks from where I am sitting like the government will stay shutdown until the debt ceiling negotiations on October 17th, but then again I am just an intern so what do I know.
Unfortunately, this semester has seen two shooting incidents in the district, one that culminated right outside the Congressional, our apartment building. While the Navy Yard shooting did not affect me when it happened, last week's incident certainly did. We heard the gunshots from our office in the Rayburn House Office Building, and saw people running in all different directions outside. We then went into lockdown for about 45 minutes to an hour. Scary stuff.
Overall though, its been a great start to the semester here through WAIP, and I will try to get a few more posts up today about some other things we have been up to.
Tom McGraw
Yay, team! Many thanks!
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