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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsCongress Threatens To Leave D.C. Unless New Capitol Is Built
WASHINGTON, DCCalling the current U.S. Capitol "inadequate and obsolete," Congress will relocate to Charlotte or Memphis if its demands for a new, state-of-the-art facility are not met, leaders announced Monday.
"Don't get us wrong: We love the drafty old building," Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert (R-IL) said. "But the hard reality is, it's no longer suitable for a world-class legislative branch. The sight lines are bad, there aren't enough concession stands or bathrooms, and the parking is miserable. It hurts to say, but the capitol's time has come and gone."
"If we want to stay competitive, we need to upgrade," said House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt (D-MO), who has proposed a new $3.5 billion capitol on the site of the current edifice. "Look at British Parliament. Look at the Vatican. Respected institutions in their markets. But without modern facilities, they've been having big problems attracting top talent."
Its cornerstone laid in 1793 by President Washington, the capitol has been built, rebuilt, extended, and restored countless times over the past 209 years. Legislators say another multimillion-dollar renovation is not an acceptable alternative to a new building.
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http://www.theonion.com/articles/congress-threatens-to-leave-dc-unless-new-capitol,98/
Incitatus
(5,317 posts)joeybee12
(56,177 posts)knr
chaplainM
(767 posts)At the time this was first published, China's Beijing Evening News took it as face value, then, when it finally corrected the story, explained that "Some small American newspapers frequently fabricate offbeat news to trick people into noticing them with the aim of making money."
Hassin Bin Sober
(26,330 posts)MineralMan
(146,317 posts)the current location are just plain lousy!
MADem
(135,425 posts)This debate has been made in our past history. Some quarters actually did think that the best place for the Capitol was in the center of the country, to make it "fair" for our citizens to reach it.
In the wake of the Civil War and President Lincoln's assassination, Congress took stock of the capital and saw a town worn out by years of war and awash in people, but still lacking the most fundamental facilities. The place was a mess. Members proposed moving the capital city elsewhere, perhaps to St. Louis or some other more centrally located city.
Read more: http://www.frommers.com/destinations/washingtondc/0035020044.html#ixzz1lofF9pJB
Archae
(46,335 posts)Same excuses, too!
wryter2000
(46,051 posts)No luxury boxes. Who's going to buy a Personal Seat License for a dump like that?
Initech
(100,080 posts)zipplewrath
(16,646 posts)Let's be honest, their #1 reason for wanting a new building is to that there is room for more lobbiests. Heck, they want to be able to rent out skyboxes over the chambers to the top lobbying organizations such as Big Pharma, Oil Lobby, and the NRA.