# House of Representatives to end page program. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 8, 2011, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-of-representatives-to-end-page-program/591990 "2011-08-08T21:03:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-of-representatives-to-end-page-program/591990/1 "2011-08-08T21:03:50Z")
This was a joint decision by the Speaker and the Democratic Leadership, made due to the skyrocketing cost of the program and the fact that most of their duties have become redundant: > [@](#): > > Speaker Boehner and Leader Pelosi issued the following statement: > > ``` > “We have great appreciation for the unique role that Pages have played in the history and traditions of the House of Representatives. This decision was not easy, but it is necessary due to the prohibitive cost of the program and advances in technology that have rendered most Page-provided services no longer essential to the smooth functioning of the House. Although the traditional mission of the Page Program has diminished, we will work with Members of the House to carry on the tradition of engaging young people in the work of the Congress.” > > ``` [From here.](http://www.speaker.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=255391) It’s probably about time - way past time, actually. I support this move. And I think the Senate should follow suit. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-of-representatives-to-end-page-program/591990/2 "2011-08-08T21:09:51Z")
It’s probably best for the safety of those boys, now that Republicans control the House again. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-of-representatives-to-end-page-program/591990/3 "2011-08-08T21:16:56Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > It’s probably best for the safety of those boys, now that Republicans control the House again. Was that _really_ necessary? ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-of-representatives-to-end-page-program/591990/4 "2011-08-08T21:19:27Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Was that _really_ necessary? … “screw him out of _what_?” ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-of-representatives-to-end-page-program/591990/5 "2011-08-08T21:40:12Z")
I know nothing about the page program, but I’m assuming it mostly consisted of the children of major donors and other “connected” people, right? If so, then fuck them. Let them pad their resumes elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-of-representatives-to-end-page-program/591990/6 "2011-08-08T22:45:40Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Was that _really_ necessary? Well, yeah. If he was talking about the girls, they’d have to be wary of the Democrats instead. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-of-representatives-to-end-page-program/591990/7 "2011-08-08T23:09:31Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > I know nothing about the page program, but I’m assuming it mostly consisted of the children of major donors and other “connected” people, right? If so, then fuck them. Let them pad their resumes elsewhere. Not really. It was open to any 16-17 year old with at least a 3.0 GPA. The would be page did have to be nominated by his district’s House member, so at least in theory, it could be biased the way you described, but in practice, I don’t think it usually was. While it makes sense from a financial standpoint to get rid of the program, and I understand why they’re doing it, I still think it’s sort of a shame. It’s a 200 year old program that’s really part of Congressional tradition. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-of-representatives-to-end-page-program/591990/8 "2011-08-09T00:14:21Z")
> [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > Not really. It was open to any 16-17 year old with at least a 3.0 GPA. The would be page did have to be nominated by his district’s House member, so at least in theory, it could be biased the way you described, but in practice, I don’t think it usually was. I know two kids who went into the program. Both were kids of major donors to the congressman who nominated them. Do you have first hand knowledge of any random kid who got through? Not doubting that it happens, just trying to fight my ignorance. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-of-representatives-to-end-page-program/591990/9 "2011-08-09T00:23:11Z")
> [@Mighty\_Mouse](#): > > I know two kids who went into the program. Both were kids of major donors to the congressman who nominated them. Do you have first hand knowledge of any random kid who got through? Not doubting that it happens, just trying to fight my ignorance. I don’t. But I’d be really surprised if that were the usual case. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-of-representatives-to-end-page-program/591990/10 "2011-08-09T00:26:09Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > It’s probably best for the safety of those boys, now that Republicans control the House again. That is a vile and unnecessary statement, Diogenes. > [@asterion](#): > > Well, yeah. If he was talking about the girls, they’d have to be wary of the Democrats instead. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-of-representatives-to-end-page-program/591990/11 "2011-08-09T00:42:22Z")
Geeze, Skald. It seems like all the Republican sex scandals involve a man and all the Democratic ones (including the latest resignee from Oregon) involve a woman as the other party. I know, oversimplification (and also not true) and not fair to the many members who, whether I agree with them or not, would never do anything inappropriate with a staff member or page. And it is a shame that they are canceling the program. So, I agree, rather tasteless. But I could see a similar remark on a late night comedy program. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-of-representatives-to-end-page-program/591990/12 "2011-08-09T00:57:39Z")
Let’s not forget that the last Republican House covered up for a pederast for years. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-of-representatives-to-end-page-program/591990/13 "2011-08-09T00:59:59Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Was that _really_ necessary? Of course it is. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-of-representatives-to-end-page-program/591990/14 "2011-08-09T01:07:34Z")
No, it wasn’t necessary: it was a threadshit. **Mr. Moto** has an interesting topic here. To boil it down, does tradition trump thriftiness? In this case it appears not to. Especially if, as others have suggested, it was a perk given to donors. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-of-representatives-to-end-page-program/591990/15 "2011-08-09T01:13:08Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Was that _really_ necessary? They were asking for it. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-of-representatives-to-end-page-program/591990/16 "2011-08-09T01:35:39Z")
I’m moving this to MPSIMS because I don’t see it as a Great Debate. And everybody in the thread is advised to grow up. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-of-representatives-to-end-page-program/591990/17 "2011-08-09T13:02:04Z")
To be fair, I’d have made the same joke had **Dio** not beaten me to it. It was the first thing I thought of when I saw the thread title! ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-of-representatives-to-end-page-program/591990/18 "2011-08-09T14:10:30Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > If so, then fuck them. No, no, no! You’re NOT supposed to do that to the pages! Bad Congressperson! ---
**Author:** ![fumster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9c0ed/32.png) [@fumster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fumster)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-of-representatives-to-end-page-program/591990/19 "2011-08-09T15:33:05Z")
With Kindles you can mark the location in a document electronically, in the old days Congressmen needed to bend over a page. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-of-representatives-to-end-page-program/591990/20 "2011-08-09T16:09:39Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > No, it wasn’t necessary: it was a threadshit. **Mr. Moto** has an interesting topic here. To boil it down, does tradition trump thriftiness? In this case it appears not to. Especially if, as others have suggested, it was a perk given to donors. Considering the scandals involving pages, I would be not surprised if the need for thriftiness is also related to the potential lawsuits resulting from sexual contact with minors. Maybe I just watched too much _West Wing_, but I’ve long been under the impression that all the “honorary” or intern-like positions in the House and the Senate went to the relatives of members or donors. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-of-representatives-to-end-page-program/591990.md?page=2)