Posted on 09/08/2003 10:14:47 AM PDT by Osage Orange
Ex-representative releases book criticizing Washington culture
2003-09-08
By Chris Casteel
The Oklahoman
WASHINGTON --
All that talk about revolution nearly a decade ago -- Tom Coburn meant it. And he thought all his Republican colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives did, too.
The Muskogee doctor, who woke up one morning "with the sudden realization I should run for Congress," came to Washington in 1995 with the class of Republican freshmen who took over the U.S. House for the first time in 40 years.
He would leave six years later, after serving only the three terms to which he had limited himself, disillusioned and disgusted, believing his party's leaders in Congress had sold out the principles of the GOP revolution.
This week marks the official release of Coburn's book: "Breach of Trust -- How Washington Turns Outsiders into Insiders," a chronicle of his crusade to contain the growth of government and his fight against the culture of "careerism" in Congress.
For those who followed Coburn's time in Congress, the themes will be quite familiar, as will some of the events he recounts -- the fight against "pork" in the highway bill; secret discussions among a group of Republicans to replace Newt Gingrich as House speaker; the public relations debacle created by his press statement criticizing the prime-time airing of "Schindler's List."
And though he is as harsh a critic now of the process and the players as he was during his time in Washington, his finger- pointing gives way at times to some humility when he questions his own motivations and actions.
Recounting a time when he made an easy vote rather than a principled one, and then declined to tell a staff member why he had voted the way he did, Coburn wrote, "What these failures illustrate is that no one in Washington has a monopoly on purity of purpose or motive, which, in my opinion, is all the more reason to believe that we can achieve much greater representation through term-limited members."
In an interview last week, Coburn said he wrote the book "to kind of unwind" after retiring from the House in early 2001. And he said he wanted to explain how the system works, or doesn't, from his perspective.
"I don't think the American public has a clue about how out of sync" lawmakers' actions are with the desires of voters, Coburn said.
"I think an informed electorate will change things."
The book, is being released at a time when Coburn, 55, is undergoing treatment for colon cancer. It is the second time Coburn has fought cancer; the first was in 1975, when he had a malignant melanoma, behind his left ear. Despite a gloomy prognosis then, Coburn beat the cancer.
And he said his prognosis now is much better. He had surgery and faces three more months of chemotherapy.
"I feel good about three weeks out of a month," Coburn said last week. A physician who has delivered several hundred babies, Coburn said he has continued to work despite his illness.
"Work is a great healer," he said.
Coburn said he hopes to be able to make some trips in support of the book's release and that he has book signings scheduled in Tulsa. The book is being published by WND Books, a publisher of many Christian and Bible study works.
There are unflattering passages in the book about former and current Republican leaders in Congress. Gingrich and former Senate leaders Bob Dole and Trent Lott, for example, probably won't be buying copies for their friends and families.
"My goal really wasn't to make people look bad," Coburn said. "My goal was to describe events, and those sometimes involved people."
In fact, Coburn said, "I really held back on a lot of people."
In the book, Coburn describes a time during the government shutdown in 1995, when Republicans were fighting with President Clinton over the budget, that he and former U.S. Rep. Steve Largent, R-Tulsa, went to meet with Dole, who was the Senate Republican leader preparing a presidential run.
In an interview, Coburn said the leaders who should have been forcefully pushing the principles that won them power instead "lost their nerve ... then they started acting like the very people they replaced."
Coburn wasn't free of criticism during his time here. Some of his colleagues considered him naive and self-righteous; one GOP House member called him a jerk to his face, according to the book.
But he was also lauded by some for his courage and convictions.
Throughout his time here, and throughout his book, Coburn said that his iron-clad pledge to serve no more than three terms gave him a freedom that other lawmakers didn't enjoy. He reiterated that last week, saying lawmakers too often make decisions based on their re-election hopes instead of the benefit of their constituents.
"I'm convinced that anybody, liberal or conservative, can do a good job as long as they're not there very long," he said.
There is at least one person who's been in Congress for a long time that Coburn still supports Sen. Don Nickles, R-Ponca City, who was first elected in 1980.
Though Nickles is considering retiring after the 2004 session, Coburn said he hopes the senator seeks reelection. Coburn has been mentioned as a possible candidate, but Coburn didn't sound too interested last week.
Besides being busy with his medical practice, Coburn also serves as co-chairman of a presidential advisory council on AIDS and is working on an organization that will inform people about how their elected representatives vote on fiscal and other issues.
"I don't have any political aspirations," he said. "What I'd like to do is see things change."
Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
"So he thinks we're all dopes who don't know exactly what's going on in D.C."
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Naw....just the ones that are.
FRegards,
Congressman Billybob
Latest column, "We Are Running for Congress -- Maybe," discussion thread on FR.
How about how corrupt this "Two-Party Cartel" is & how "the people" have no say due to this cartel. What I believe he is saying is to put pressure on their fiefdom by voting outside the box.
...In fact, Coburn said, "I really held back on a lot of people."
Why hold back. Both barrels, please.
"With that attitude - he lost me!"
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Surely you realize he means "collectively".
The American "public" doesn't have a clue.......
Of course you have a clue....you are here, aren't you?
FRegards,
"Why hold back. Both barrels, please."
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I think because Dr. Coburn is a genuine nice guy.
Fwiw-
"Please put up a link, if you have one, where I can buy this book. I want to use it as Exhibit A in my potential campaign for Congress. (Click below.) Put the link up as a reply to me, and that will automatically ping me."
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I will check around..and let you know.
FRegards,
I am sure he is. I just wish that he would press the issue more. There is a good book by the Heritage Foundation, written by Eric Felton, titled, The Ruling Class: Inside the Imperial Congress in 1993. That book goes into excruciating detail of what is wrong in and about Congress. Since, the Republicans have taken control, some things have been remedied. Yet, most of the problems outlined in the book have not been touched, only made worse!
I hope the good doctor re-iterates these issues and then some. FWIW
"I am sure he is. I just wish that he would press the issue more. There is a good book by the Heritage Foundation, written by Eric Felton, titled, The Ruling Class: Inside the Imperial Congress in 1993. That book goes into excruciating detail of what is wrong in and about Congress. Since, the Republicans have taken control, some things have been remedied. Yet, most of the problems outlined in the book have not been touched, only made worse!
I hope the good doctor re-iterates these issues and then some. FWIW
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I agree with your statements....Plus I think...that if done correctly one can point out mistakes and miscues...without being polarizing.
But what do I know......
FRegards,
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