Very few of the columnists do their own research up here. This is not to mention the celebrity journalists. They spend so much time in makeup for their television appearances, they cannot even be troubled to write all of their own articles or books. Underpaid young staffers, aspiring to someday get no credit writing presidential speeches, take care of that. Even so, celebrity journalists look like workhorses next to the fine men and women of Congress.
Congressmen have much more to do than appear on television.
All those important functions of the Republic leave little time for the trite and mundane tasks we learn about in high school civics classes. Interns and other staffers do things such as write bills and research vital issues. Many spend time signing their Senator's name to letters answering constituent mail. Important men and women cannot waste time answering every schmuck who wants to make a federal case of every pothole and gross civil rights violation. They tell the Representatives where they are going and who they will be speaking to.