I try to be OK with not being a "real" journalist for the time being. I really do. But when I see HUNDREDS of stories covering the avoided government shutdown, I expect to find at least one that goes beyond just "but what will we do about the cherry blossom festival?" Here are my suggestions for interviews, in place of regurgitating press releases, or (and how no one thinks plagiarism isn't a problem is lost on me) regurgitating other people's reporting without citing it:
1. What part of the budget allows for senators and representatives to be paid in a government shutdown, but not their staffers who do most of the actual work?
2. What would be the cost comparison of one day of missiles used in Libya to the combined budgets of Planned Parenthood, NPR, Teach for America, and Head Start? I can guess on this one without even asking a low-level appropriations intern.
3. Who forgot to change the desk calendar in Donald Trump's office? I'm pretty sure it's still stuck on April 1st.
4. How are some conservatives, who are so bend on sticking to the Constitution, reconciling making funds illegal for an act that the Supreme Court has deemed Constitutionally legal?
5. What is the process for admonishing elected officials for lying on the Congressional floor?
Luckily at least one staffer at the Washington POst came through with a great feature on the Capitol's "non-essential" staff and the shutdown's potential impact on them. Now if only the other 99 stories could bring their A game.
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