Let Us Now Pity Congress, Which Must Go Without Ice Cream in the Shutdown

Earlier this week, we shared our map of the government shutdown's effects by state, replete with curtailed food programs and cuts to Head Start programs. Now, a more harrowing tale: How the shutdown is affecting the White House and members of Congress.

The White House is serving turkey chili every day.

The New York Times reports that the government shutdown has reduced the staff at the executive mansion from more than 1,700 to fewer than 500. And many of those furloughed (or, in the parlance, not "excepted" from the shutdown) are service employees.

Which means that lunches aren't quite the affairs that they once were. "No more soup of the day, according to those still working in the kitchen," the paper notes. "To simplify, it will be turkey chili as long as the shutdown lasts."

Congressmembers have to eat boxed lunches — without ice cream!

The White House isn't the only place suffering from more limited lunch options. From Politico:

Another difference lawmakers might notice? Their lunches have been scaled back as well. The usually buffet-style lunches with ice cream were instead box lunches for the Senate GOP on Tuesday. Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia said Senate Democrats had boxed lunches as well.

There are only two cafeterias still open on the Hill! But it gets worse.

Read more on The Atlantic Wire. 

(Image via pilipphoto/Shutterstock.com)