Paul Ryan is best known for crafting draconian budgets that hurt the poor.
In a stunning display of hypocrisy and white male privilege, Congressman Paul Ryan said that if he gets the nod for Speaker of the US House, he wants to make sure he can preserve family time with his wife and three young children, who live in Wisconsin.
You’re sounding a bit entitled, Mr. Ryan; after all Congressional representatives work only a handful of days per year– compared to the rest of us.
Ryan has not been a friend to families and the working poor. As head of the House Budget Committee under soon-to-be-former Speaker of the House John Boehner, Ryan became infamous for multiple draconian budgets that cut programs for the poor and proposed making Medicare into a voucher program to screw future generations out of their Social Security benefits. He’s also voted against paid leave which would enable employees to care for sick children and voted against childcare subsidies for the poor.
It’s commendable that Ryan wants to spend more time with his wife and kids, but I think he should be afforded the same family time privilege as his constituents. I suggest that Ryan get in touch with his voters and work three part time jobs for minimum wage and leave his kids alone with TV dinners and video games, while his wife cleans house to make ends meet.
For more on this, check out: Paul Ryan, Opponent of Paid Family Leave, Demands Congress Respect His Need for Family Time
I certainly agree with the main point of your piece but I think you are off track when you say, “… after all Congressional representatives work only a handful of days per year…”. Representatives and Senators may spend only a few days a month on the floor or in their Washington offices but they are working almost every day. Constituent services, community contacts, advocacy, and although it often seems to be missing, getting informed. They are similar to professional athletes—not a lot of time in the game, but a hell of a lot of time preparing.
Excellent points. Do you think he told Mitt Romney he could be his VP running mate only if he had plenty of family time?