Sarcasm aside, for a Congress that has grown increasingly disconnected from the public it serves, it’s laudable to see a few of our elected officials making an effort — albeit a gimmicky one — to put themselves in the shoes of some everyday Americans.

And it’s been entertaining, in a perverse sort of way, to watch two members of Congress struggle mightily to pinch pennies and live within a strict daily budget even if they don’t see the irony in being members who constantly urge the federal government to borrow and spend vast sums of money despite already being trillions in debt.

But there are a couple of issues with the “living the wage” challenge, starting with the $77 number. It’s bogus. It’s calculated by multiplying $7.25, the current federal minimum wage, by a 40-hour work week ($290), less $213 for the average weekly cost for housing and taxes.