Ken Buck has missed more votes than any other member of the Colorado Congressional delegation. The reasons behind his absenteeism are unclear. However, to be fair, let’s assume that there are legitimate medical reasons for Mr. Buck missing so many votes after taking his oath of office.
Do you get paid when you miss work? How many parents have to choose between getting paid and staying home with a sick child?
As a Congressman, Ken Buck makes $174,000 a year, or about $1,567.50 for each day Congress is in session, even when he isn’t there.
Mr. Buck may believe he is entitled to miss a few days of work. He does not, however, believe that privilege should be extended to others. Congressman Buck refused to co-sponsor H.R. 932, the Healthy Families Act, which would allow workers to earn at least 1 hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked. He has voted against the Affordable Care Act and other bills that would provide insurance for Americans who otherwise could not afford it. In Mr. Buck’s free market utopia, people who can’t afford insurance should simply expect to pay the full price for their treatment.
If Ken Buck wants to get rid of America’s entitlement mentality, then he should start by checking his own privileged entitlement mindset at the door.