March 19, 2024

A phrase associated with President Harry S. Truman, “The Buck Stops Here” refers to making the important decisions, taking accountability, and getting the job done.

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To quote Truman:

You know, it’s easy for the Monday morning quarterback to say what the coach should have done, after the game is over. But when the decision is up before you — and on my desk I have a motto which says The Buck Stops Here’ — the decision has to be made.

Another Buck recently stopped in northern Colorado, specifically U.S. House Rep. Ken Buck, who a few months after announcing that he would not seek reelection after serving his fifth and current House term, last week announced his abrupt resignation at the end of the following week.

He certainly made his decision. But to what end?

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There is rampant speculation as to why and what consequences will result, intentional or unintentional. This is not a one-off event. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, after unceremoniously losing the Speaker’s gavel, promptly resigned from Congress.

McCarthy’s resignation created the need for a special election to be held in May, further diluting an already thin GOP House margin. Given that both Buck and McCarthy won reelection by about a two to one margin over their Democrat opponents, their districts appear safely red.

But we are talking California and Colorado, two blue states, with Democrats eager to grab control of the House, where election chicanery could turn these safely red districts blue.

Rep. Buck is not my congressional representative and I have never met him, but as I live in and follow Colorado state politics, I will offer my own ideas of what Buck’s surprise exit means for Colorado, Congress, and dare I say it, liberty versus tyranny.

Buck had a strong GOP pedigree having served as chair of the Colorado Republican Party and Weld County District Attorney. He was first elected to the U.S. House in 2015, riding the Tea Party wave, and was considered a strong constitutional conservative.

Recently Buck has turned against the MAGA America First coalition of the Republican Party. This is Donald Trump’s party now, as evidenced by his overwhelming support in the Republican primaries, recently securing the GOP nomination, at least in terms of delegates.