Earmarks for Exclusive Clubs

The Rainier Club in Seattle, Washington, is a private, exclusive club. Up until the mid-1980s it's members were only male. There is still only one woman's bathroom. On the other hand it has one of the best private collections of Edward Curtis's amazing photographs of Native North Americans (displayed on the stairwell leading to the one woman's bathroom. Curtis exchanged photos for a room). John Muir and Gifford Pinchot are among the historical figures known to have stayed in the Club.

But for the past thirty years it has mainly been a base of power in Seattle. Political fund raisers have been held there, law firm dinners, and banking deals drawn up in it's men's grill.

Now, apparently, it needs some remodeling. To the tune of $500,000. And because the building is considered historical (although it is not on the National Register of Historic Buildings) it can qualify for federal funding. So the local Congressman (who probably collects lots of fund raising dollars at the Rainier Club) submitted a federal earmark for $250,000 to be matched by the members (many of them wealthy beyond belief).

My house was built in 1924, and while not historic, it's old and needs a lot of work. Hmmmm.