The Republican Vice Presidential nominee, anti-science syndrome suffering Representative Paul Ryan, does something at the office that would get most Americans fired.

From the University of California, San Diego (pdf):

Offices are to be utilized for legitimate activities, meetings, gatherings, and functions consistent with the recognized purpose of the departmental unit and the curricular and co-curricular mission of the University.

Sleeping, overnight stays, or using the office space as a place of residence in any way
by any individual is prohibited.

UCSD is far from a unique institution in looking askance at using the office as a residence to avoid having to pay rent (or see one's spouse?).

While too many find this as some sort of virtuous sign of frugality, in fact this is a form of theft from the taxpayer. We, the People, provide Members of Congress salaries that -- while far from those of the K Street Lobbyist crowd -- put them at three times the average American wage, provide them free gym access (where Paul Ryan ever so loves to work on on other peoples' dimes), give them far more generous health insurance than the vast majority of their constituents have, and provide what all but the most-pampered CEO would call lavish retirement (without counting the $s from revolving door (lack of ethics) lobbying that enriches so many on leaving office). This, however, isn't enough for those who choose to sleep in the office to stretch their incomes further.

Members of Congress sleeping in the office are thus playing on the edge to eek out even more compensation from the taxpayer. They convert use of a space -- that we have paid for -- intended for work into living space as they avoid rent.

They use resources (whether for hot plates, showers, or others) that we have to pay for in utility bills.

And, from another aspect, they hinder the economy by living in tax-free, government furnished space rather than taking their salaries to pay for living space, furniture, utilities, and other things in the private economy.

While this abuse of public resources has its advocates, most every other public institution in the nation would fire an employee for emulating this practice as would essentially every private employer. Why should we hold up for praise a practice forbidden almost everywhere else in the economy?

To be clear, sleeping in the office is a bipartisan office offense -- but it is the practice of the Grand Oil Party's Vice Presidential nominee's hagiography and something that we are likely to hear bragged about (incessantly) in the coming months.

The practice of 'sleeping where one works' doesn't only raise the question of whether the Representatives are fleecing the taxpayer but also issues about whether this undermines effective governance.

while I want my members of Congress to work hard, I am not sure that what we should want as a country are Representatives working 20 hour days and then catching four hours of sleep in their offices and showering at the House gym. This doesn’t strike me as work habits likely to induce cogent work output.

Third, I am not sure that cocooning oneself in the Capitol and its tunnel-connected office buildings doesn’t create a more distorted view of reality than does having a residence in DC.

Consider this: is a member of Congress who eats and sleeps 'in the office' more or less likely to bump into and interact with people (other than lobbyists)?

if part of the alleged problem with Congress really is that politicians are “out of touch” then it would seem this type of lifestyle would further exacerbate, not alleviate, such an issue.

Now, some falsely assert that this practice saves the taxpayer money and represents sacrifice on the member's part. In fact, it is performance art that costs us (U.S.) money. As for that performance art

The question is, what do these lawmakers think they are accomplishing for their constituents? Don’t they think the folks back home want their congressmen to be rested and on their collective game? Waking up with a bad back doesn’t put the lawmakers in closer touch with the struggles of everyday Americans. It just adds another distraction to an already difficult and demanding job.

And, let us not forget, emulating the Republican Vice-Presidential nominee by making our offices into residences to avoid paying rent would likely get you fired.