this post was submitted on 16 Jan 2024
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The 118th Congress will be remembered for many firsts: Electing the first Black leader in the House, that 15-round speaker’s vote, and then removing that same speaker. The latest: Leadership swapped their apple-green members’ pins for deep navy ones mid-cycle at a cost of $40,000, according to one source familiar with the decision.

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[–] FuglyDuck@lemmy.world 50 points 10 months ago (1 children)

So, like... you know how these freaking boomers bitch at "kids these days" for their participation trophies??

This. This is a participation trophy. Try telling them they can't have it. I dare you.

[–] Copernican@lemmy.world -1 points 10 months ago

A participation trophy for participating in a group made almost exclusively of election winners of various congressional districts?

[–] Copernican@lemmy.world 35 points 10 months ago (4 children)

40,000 bucks for 540 people is like 75 bucks a person. It's only a big deal if folks make it a big deal to spend time debating discussing. The biggest waste is spending significant time debating this given the salaries of all members involved.

[–] ryathal@sh.itjust.works 14 points 10 months ago (1 children)

It's still congress carving out a special perk for themselves. Give them a basic badge like all the support staff, and make them provide their own lanyard/case like they likely do for everyone else.

[–] Copernican@lemmy.world -2 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

It’s still congress carving out a special perk for themselves.

It's part of the job. It is a special privilege to be a member of congress. And the tradition of a congressional pin goes back a long time. I don't think it's uncommon for members of government to have some trinket the is a physical display of their position.

https://rollcall.com/2005/01/20/for-members-of-congress-traditional-lapel-pin-serves-as-more-than-just-a-form-of-identification/

[–] JustUseMint@lemmy.world 2 points 10 months ago
[–] CraigeryTheKid@lemm.ee 2 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Still sounds high though, right? Are they made of tantalum?

[–] Copernican@lemmy.world 6 points 10 months ago

Just think of all the tech bros and finance bros with their branded Patagonia vests and backpacks. $75 for federally elected leaders to have a pin that doubles as a security badge is a nothing burger, and shouldn't distract from passing of a budget which I am actually scared about.

[–] VikingHippie@lemmy.wtf -1 points 10 months ago

It could have been one tenth as much and still be a gigantic waste of money AND it demonstrates how they're a bunch of gigantic hypocrites.

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 18 points 10 months ago (1 children)

I wish I could just find $40,000 under the couch.

[–] voracitude@lemmy.world 8 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Be the US government and you'll find a lot more than that, in much stranger places.

[–] numberfour002@lemmy.world 4 points 10 months ago (2 children)

Stranger even than a live armadillo in the anus?

[–] hydrospanner@lemmy.world 5 points 10 months ago

That's strange?

[–] VikingHippie@lemmy.wtf 1 points 10 months ago

Moscow Mitch doesn't like carrying a wallet. Ruins the lines of the suit he'll hopefully soon be buried in.

[–] Pat_Riot@lemmy.today 17 points 10 months ago

Needed new participation trophies

[–] snekerpimp@lemmy.world 9 points 10 months ago

My 13 year old budgets her money better than grown ass humans.

“Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely”

[–] AnneBonny@lemmy.dbzer0.com 7 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Well, I'm going to go find out how many they bought. I doubt it will improve my opinion of the situation.

[–] Zitronensaft@feddit.de 13 points 10 months ago (1 children)

There are 435 voting members from states and 6 non-voting members who represent US territories like American Samoa, so likely at least 435 pins and maybe a handful more. That comes to a little over $90/pin.

[–] Zerlyna@lemmy.world 2 points 10 months ago

That’s an expensive pin.

[–] sramder@lemmy.world 4 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Doesn’t fit on thicker chains because the clasp is to small??? How does this apply to a pin or broach or whatever this ugly turd of a government collectable is.

[–] oDDmON@lemmy.world 8 points 10 months ago (1 children)

“Thicker chains”. What, like Mr. T?

[–] sramder@lemmy.world 3 points 10 months ago

Maybe Madison Cawthorne, dressed as Mr. T… that’d be a cool costume ;-)

[–] lolcatnip@reddthat.com 0 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

The federal government operates on a scale of millions or billions of dollars. This is a 0.04 million dollar purchase. Nobody should care.