Posted on 09/26/2013 4:51:12 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
Alternate headline: “RINO surprised to discover he’s a RINO.” No, no, kidding. It’s a testament to how much goodwill Coburn has earned with grassroots righties that he remains a minor player in the RINO/true conservative squabble over defunding despite having been one of the first big-name Republicans to publicly criticize Cruz’s tactics. Or maybe I’m wrong and he’s simply being ignored because a more attractive target for right-wing wrath has inserted himself into this. Coburn gets a pass vis-a-vis McCain, I think, not just because of differences in their record but because Coburn takes no obvious personal pleasure in rebuking the wacko birds. When he tells you it’s too bad that Cruz is doomed to fail, you believe him. Not so Maverick. In fact, there’s an odd symmetry between Coburn as low-key opponent of trying to defund and Mike Lee as a (comparatively) low-key supporter. Both of them are being overshadowed on their respective sides by guys who are lightning rods for criticism. The left (and Peter King) will come away from this declaring Ted Cruz some kind of terrorist but Lee will sail on undamaged.
I think Coburn’s right, though, that confusion about what’s possible here risks disappointment and demotivation next year. Tactically, things have reached the point where even some grassroots conservatives who are following this closely aren’t sure what’s going on. Here’s something one of Orrin Hatch’s staffers posted yesterday:
Callers into our office very confused after that 100-0 cloture vote
— Antonia Ferrier (@ahrferrier) September 25, 2013
The confusion over cloture is understandable, but it comes on top of the earlier confusion about Cruz wanting to filibuster the House bill that actually defunds ObamaCare and on top of the broader uncertainty about which side would suffer more from a shutdown over defunding and how badly. Ironically, I think the more convoluted the tactical debate becomes, the easier it is to simply choose a side between the RINOs and true conservatives and start hammering the other as sellouts/grandstanders. Democrats insist that Cruz’s filibuster will achieve nothing; Coburn, whatever his feelings about ObamaCare, agrees with them on at least that much. If he’s not willing to risk a months-long shutdown in a quixotic bid to pressure the other party into defunding the biggest “accomplishment” of the Obama presidency, then he’s kinda sorta “with” the Democrats, isn’t he? QED.
Update: If Tom Coburn’s the new president of the RINOs, Rick Perry must be his VP.
Yes Senator Coburn, you are a RINO, given you're ALL TALK and NO ACTION!!
Cruz has moved the ball forward, Coburn is a JERK for not supporting anything to kill OBozoCare!!
What did the Democrat expect when he opened his mouth? Coburn is a useful idiot who got played like Rubio.
And Rick Perry had to pile on, too?
Perry: ObamaCare defunding effort ‘a bit nonsensical’
Has Abbott flipped or is he still supportive? Anyone know?
I hear ya bro. I think a lot of us are a tad warm under the collar. In fact, we are downright hostile right now.
Coburn loves Pelosi. Rino or not, that does it for me.
Tom must be feeling some heat in Muskogee but not enough heat for him to just STFU and do as he is told. He has to get some licks in. In other words, he really does support Cruz but he just doesn’t think it will work so he doesn’t support Cruz.
He sent this clap trap out today. He fails the “So let your speech be yea, yea or nay, nay for to say more is of the devil.” test.
Q: Does Dr. Coburn support defunding Obamacare?
A: YES. Dr. Coburn has always supported efforts to delay, defund, and repeal Obamacare. Dr. Coburn offered his free market alternative to Obamacare, the Patient’s Choice Act, but it was blocked by Majority Leader Harry Reid. Dr. Coburn has since conducted extensive oversight on Obamacare (See here,here, here, and here.) In fact, Dr. Coburn has been involved with amending or destroying certain provisions of Obamacare nine times.
Q: Does Dr. Coburn support the Continuing Resolution (Including both House and Senate versions as of September 26, 2013)?
A: NO. Dr. Coburn has never supported continuing resolutions because they are short term budgetary band-aids that continue wasteful spending and duplication. Continuing Resolutions are an irresponsible way to fund the federal government. Further, this particular Continuing Resolution sets the fiscal year 2014 spending level at $20 billion more than the spending level promised in the Budget Control Act - the 2011 bipartisan agreement to reduce government spending - plus an additional $18 billion in short-term accounting gimmicks. This bill violates the spending restraint laid out in the Budget Control Act and increases government spending at a time when we are nearly $17 trillion in debt and borrowing 19 cents for every dollar we spend and adding to our debt nearly $26,000 every single second.
Q: Why doesn’t Dr. Coburn support the “Defund Obamacare Campaign” associated with the current CR?
A: Because attaching it to the CR is not achievable or strategically smart. Dr. Coburn has and will continue to support defunding Obamacare. The current “Defund Obamacare” campaign, however, is based on a false promise that has been used by special interest groups to bolster political careers instead of focusing on smart strategies that can actually weaken and destroy Obamacare. By coupling the issue with the CR, these groups are telling the American people that Republicans in Congress can actually defund Obamacare by not voting for the CR or by allowing the government to shut down. This is simply not true. Simply put: we cannot defund or replace Obamacare completely until we have a Republican supermajority in the House and Senate that can override a Presidential veto. Even then, Dr. Coburn questions if we could obtain all 67 votes in the Senate needed to override a veto. Additionally, the Congressional Research Service (CRS) issued a report which concluded that even if the government were to be shutdown, Obamacare would still live on, not least of because the power to continue its implementation would be given to President Obama. Again, if a shutdown occurred, Obamacare would remain nearly fully funded and implementation of the exchanges would still continue on October 1, 2013.
Q: How can Dr. Coburn support defunding Obamacare but not support the current “Defund Obamacare” strategy with the CR?
A: Because it is not achievable and has actually allowed for focus to be taken away from increased spending. Since there are not enough votes to secure defunding Obamacare and since Obamacare will live on even if a government shutdown occurs, conservatives should instead be focusing on the spending levels in the current CR. The House CR actually busts the budget caps set forth in the Budget Control Act (BCA) by $20 billion and includes $18 billion more in short-term accounting gimmicks; negating much of the savings found through the sequester.
Q: But no one is talking about shutting down the government, so why is Dr. Coburn still against the “Defund Obamacare with the CR”?
A: Because Dr. Coburn wants to shut down ALL wasteful and duplicative spending. The “Defund Obamacare” campaign has distracted true fiscal conservatives from the fact that the current CR increases spending. Dr. Coburn wants the debate surrounding the CR spending bill to focus on what is workable on spending, not misleading strategies meant to raise political profiles and campaign cash.
Just the Facts:
Dr. Coburn supports defunding Obamacare and is opposed to the CR, but Dr. Coburn disagrees with the misleading and ill-conceived “Defund Obamacare” strategy promulgated by special interest groups to bolster political careers and campaign coffers. Dr. Coburn wants to cut through the smoke and mirrors of DC rhetoric to get something done: SHUTDOWN ALL WASTEFUL SPENDING.
Supporting Documents:
Q and A
Lucky, lucky you. Senator Coburn is a man who practices his beliefs. He term limited himself to 3 rounds in the House and 2 in the Senate. We Oklahomans grass rooted him in over strong GOPe opposition in 2004 and voted overwhelming to keep him in 2010. Since that means his seat will be vacant in 3 years, why don't you put yourself out there to take his place. Hmm?
Just because two good men have different views on how to proceed on an issue does not mean that one of them should be voted out over that one issue. Look at Dr Coburn's whole history in the US Senate before you judge him so quickly.
start here
Yet another WORTHLESS bastard whose only tactic is to "blow to the galleries."
Pontificating your A$$ off Coburn doesn't change a thing.
As Cruz has stated.. "Either you're FOR IT or you're AGAINST IT."
RE: Coburn loves Pelosi. Rino or not, that does it for me.
What evidence is there for this?
As far as I’m concerned if you can’t say something bad about a democrat, you shouldn’t say anything at all.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20001827-503544.html
In the following he takes a slap at Fox.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/06/tom-coburn-defends-nancy_n_526791.html
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