"Those people who are fiscally conservative, Republican or not, we don't have many years left that we better fix this, and we better be about it now," said Coburn on CNN Headline News Wednesday. "So [it's about] holding the Republicans accountable. And we're going lose some seats. There's no question about it. We deserve to."
Coburn, a first-term senator who has crusaded against government waste, said that most Republicans in Congress are fiscal conservatives and correctly vote against spending measures put forth by Democrats. But he decried votes by "a Republican portion" to go along with the Democratic majority.
"I think they've lost their courage," Coburn said. "And I think the focus has been on short-term benefits, rather than long-term leaders of the country. And I think they have to start acting like Republicans. And they either have to believe it or not. And if they believe it, they'll vote that way. And if they don't, they really aren't Republicans."
Coburn's harsh words for fellow Republicans come after his op-ed in Monday's Wall Street Journal in which he said that GOP efforts such as the K Street Project, which sought to foster ties between Republicans and lobbying firms, and "compassionate conservatism" backfired and weakened the party.
"The fruit of these efforts is not the hoped-for Republican governing majority, but the real prospect of a filibuster-proof Democrat majority in 2009," he wrote. He called for Republicans to focus on eliminating government waste before approving more spending.
Watch video of Coburn’s interview at The Briefing Room .
so, I guess self-flagellation is in.
Well, Tom old boy, you are cheerleading for a guy who defines what is wrong with the GOP.
Yep. Might as well turn it over to the democRATS since they are the real experts at wasting taxpayer money.
“The fruit of these efforts is not the hoped-for Republican governing majority, but the real prospect of a filibuster-proof Democrat majority in 2009,”
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What did these martini-sipping, country club pussies think was going to happen as they just sat around, did NOTHING, said NOTHING, never responded TO ATTACKS FROM THE LEFT AND THE ROTTEN MSM....these jerks can only blame themselves for selling out the people who gave them a mandate by sending them to Washington, with a CONSERVATIVE mandate TO FIGHT LIBERALISM, SOCIALISM AND THE POWER-MAD, TAX-MAD, SPEND-MAD LEFT, -—
They have failed miserably, screwed those that trusted them, and they must be REPLACED.
This campaign needs to come down to four issues--energy, the economy, national security and illegal immigration. These are all winning Republican issues. This is not complicated.
Crap like "Main Street" Republicans, Republicans "for choice"...
No, Senator, they didn't lose their courage, it's just that they have become so greedy that they're turning a blind eye toward the many problems that Americans face. They have sold out to the big corporations! Many of them do deserve to lose! Hopefully, Lindsay Graham is one of them!!
Coburn merely repeats what is said hundreds of times a week here on FR.
I hope the Republican party can be moved to again be a party that pushes limited government...being big spenders, especially for social welfare programs, is a HUGE mistake.
Absolutely noone points their finger at the correct culprit......Washington is run by lobbyists, not the people.
“Senator Coburn: We ‘deserve’ to lose seats”
Just look at your buddy Juan for the main reason.
How does a day old duplicate thread get moved into “Breaking News”?
This is from the guy that let Obama compare him to Bill Ayers. Yes republicans have lost their courage and that includes Coburn.
Maybe I'm wrong, but my understanding of the purpose of the US Senate is that it is to be a deliberative body, one wherein individual members, even those in the minority, can have influence beyond what their counterparts in the House have, where things tend to be steamrollered by the majority and the minority is told to go pound sand. So, acting alone, or with colleagues who support him, Coburn can do things, like start filibusters, propose amendments to legislation, put holds on various things in order to get them brought up for votes, etc. He isn't powerless (like the rest of us are, except for our votes, which may or may not make much difference).