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Thursday, November 01, 2007 "Reagan21" Introduced Today Today, a bicameral group of Senators and Congressman presented a positive alternative to the current majority in Congress. Members of Reagan21 are committed to the advancement of a new and invigorated Republican Party fighting for Reagan’s principles of liberty and a 21st Century vision for America, including individual freedom, free enterprise and common-sense values. The Partnership’s goal is to give Americans a positive choice in public policy by advancing the integrity and optimism of the Republican Party. Senator Tom Coburn: “At a time when Congress’ approval rating is at an all-time low, it is vital that elected officials regain the trust and confidence of the American people. Reagan21 provides a way for members of Congress to commit themselves to a clear set of common sense principles about freedom and limited government that are not merely Republican values, but American values.” Read more... Related: London Telegraph: Coburn Rated United States' 43rd Most Conservative Politician Labels: Sen. Tom Coburn Posted at 7:10 AM |Taxpayers Go Trick Or Treating Treat: To Sens. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) and Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and the grassroots Internet campaign that unmasked Sens. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) and Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.) as the secret holders who had been preventing the consideration of the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (S. 2590). The bipartisan legislation, signed into law by the President, requires the Office of Management and Budget to create a public website listing the individuals and groups receiving federal grants and contracts. Read More Labels: Pork, Sen. Barack Obama, Sen. Tom Coburn Posted at 10:01 AM |Healthy Americans Act Not Freedom Says Tom Coburn
Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Oklahoma, says the Healthy Americans Act's mandate for insurance "is not freedom."
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Coburn has his own plan, which he is sponsoring with North Carolina GOP Sen. Richard Burr, which would change the tax code to give every person the refundable tax credit for health care. They could purchase insurance through their employer or go out and get it on their own. States could create a blanket plan to cover those who don't sign up on their own. Those who fell into this default plan wouldn't be penalized, but they would have a high deductible, making them responsible for a sizable chunk of the final bill. Both of these proposals would provide financial incentives for people to get preventive health care. Read More Labels: Healthcare, Sen. Tom Coburn Posted at 9:58 AM |GOP Senators Hunt for Democratic Earmarks By Kevin Bogardus and Manu Raju Following in the footsteps of their House counterparts, Senate GOP budget hawks have targeted more Democrats than Republicans in their hunt for earmarks. Based on a review of the amendments filed to the six appropriations bills brought to the Senate floor so far, Sens. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) and Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) have targeted 13 specific earmarked projects — nine of which were sponsored solely by Democrats. This includes the successful attack on a high-profile earmark backed by the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.). In a vote last week, Coburn won a vote to cut $1 million in funds for a museum detailing the 1969 Woodstock music festival. The request was co-sponsored by Clinton and Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.). Only three of the 13 earmarks targeted were sponsored exclusively by Republicans. In the House, earmark critic Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) and other fiscal conservatives targeted 20 earmarks in the first six spending bills, with only four sponsored exclusively by Republicans. Despite these figures, Coburn insisted his quest to cut spending was not about party but about spending priorities. “We never look at who they are, we look at what it is,” Coburn said. “I’m equally grievous towards both groups that want earmarks.” Read more... Related: The Hill Blog: Coburn’s Awesome Victory for Taxpayers Time Herald-Record: (NY) A senator from Oklahoma has squashed a $1 million earmark to billionaire Alan Gerry's Woodstock-era museum in Bethel. In a rare rebuke of a pet projects, senators, including Democrats, pulled monies last week earmarked by Sen. Chuck Schumer and Hillary Clinton, and shifted that money to provide health care for pregnant woman and homeless children. "I'm pleased my colleagues took a bold stand... in defense of common sense and rejected the self-interested parochial politics that have disillusioned millions of Americans," said Sen. Tom Coburn, the Republican who organized the effort to kill the earmark, saying public monies shouldn't be given to a private museum backed by a man worth $1.3 billion according to Forbes. "Maybe this is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius for taxpayers." Read more... Labels: Congress, Sen. Tom Coburn Posted at 6:49 AM |CCAGW: Sen. Coburn Rocks; Rolls Million Dollar Earmark Out Of Spending BillWASHINGTON -The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) today celebrated Sen. Tom Coburn’s (R-Okla.) successful removal of a $1 million wasteful earmark in H.R. 3043, the fiscal 2008 Labor-HHS-Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. Sen. Coburn’s amendment eliminated $1 million targeted to the Bethel Performing Arts Center Museum in New York, which includes a tribute to the 1969 Woodstock Festival, and transferred it to the Maternal and Child Health block grant program. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), a sponsor of the earmark along with Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.), attempted to table or kill the amendment, but was rebuffed 52-42. The amendment was then passed on a voice vote. Sen. Coburn said in a statement, “I’m pleased my colleagues took a bold stand today in defense of common sense and rejected the self-interested parochial politics that have disillusioned millions of Americans. Maybe this is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius for taxpayers.” Read More Related: Keeping A Place At The Trough Labels: Pork, Sen. Tom Coburn Posted at 9:05 AM |Sen. Coburn on Flashpoint Click here to view.Related: CQ.com: Coburn Nets Another Victory in Realigning Funds for Spending Bill Earmark Labels: Sen. Tom Coburn Posted at 12:14 PM |Smoke On This Hippies!! by Andrew Roth Congrats to Senators Tom Coburn and Jon Kyl who offered an amendment today to defund the $1 million earmark to the Woodstock Museum in New York. The Senate just accepted the amendment, 52-42. Actually, that Woodstock guy -- billionaire Alan Gerry -- is scheduled to be on CNBC's Squawk Box tomorrow morning to debate Senator Tom Coburn on this wasteful pork project. Should be interesting. Read More Labels: Pork, Sen. Tom Coburn Posted at 5:23 PM |Coburn's Crusade: Bending Ears Against 'Earmarking'Two years ago, when Sen. Tom Coburn proposed killing funding for two projects known as the "Bridges to Nowhere," senators from both parties reacted with fury. That sort of thing just wasn't done. "If you want a wounded bull on the floor of the Senate, pass this amendment," thundered Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, who inserted money for two bridges in a transportation bill — a practice known as congressional earmarking. Democrat Patty Murray of Washington warned: "If we start cutting funding for individual projects, your project may be next." Coburn's amendment failed, but it contributed to a wave of bad publicity that eventually doomed one of the Alaska bridges. It also kicked off the senator's crusade against what he considers wasteful earmarks. Elected in 2004 after spending six years in the House, he has spent the past two years making life difficult for colleagues trying to steer money to local pet projects. Read MoreLabels: Pork, Sen. Tom Coburn Posted at 9:11 AM |Coburn Pummels Pork SpendingTahlequah Daily Press by Garron Marsh Although pork wasn't on the lunch menu, it was the main topic of discussion for Sen. Tom Coburn at Wednesday's meeting of the Kiwanis Club. "I'm just going to spend a few minutes talking with you about what's going on in Washington and what we're trying to accomplish," said Coburn. "The rest will be a dialogue with you here." He began by explaining a little of his own personal history, but ended by looking toward the future, and addressing the priorities he feels are important. "What do we want to leave our kids?" Coburn asked the audience. "We want to leave them opportunity. We want to leave them freedom and liberty. We want to leave them with a sound fiscal policy." Read More Labels: Pork, Sen. Tom Coburn Posted at 10:19 AM |Keep notices in most public viewMuskogee Phoenix If government is to be accountable, then it must be as open and visible as possible. That’s a good reason for governments to continue publishing public notices in local newspapers. Some people are saying that should change because of the Internet, where notices can be posted and accessed by citizens at less cost. The information world is changing. The Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 is an example. Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., proposed the act that is now law and requires all entities or organizations receiving federal funds to make full disclosure on a Web site maintained by the Office of Management and Budget. The site is open to the view of any citizen who wants to go to it on the Internet. Read MoreLabels: Sen. Tom Coburn Posted at 9:29 AM |Coburn’s Block May Change Strategy for Gun BillBy Elana Schor Labels: Gun Bill, Sen. Tom Coburn Posted at 12:21 AM |Prominent Right Wing Bloggers Choose "Favorite People"
Right Wing News asked 225 prominent "right of center" bloggers for their favorite people. (We guess our email got lost.) Senator Tom Coburn was the highest ranking member of Congress. See list here.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Labels: Sen. Tom Coburn Posted at 11:16 AM |Senator Tom Coburn: The Doctor Of TruthFriday, September 28, 2007Dr. Coburn Explains Hold on NICS bill
Click here to read the American Legion's letter of support for Dr. Coburn's position on the NICS bill. Labels: Sen. Tom Coburn Posted at 7:37 PM |American Gun Law Expert Commends Senator CoburnGun rights expert John M. Snyder this morning commended Sen. Tom Coburn (OK) for blocking an attempt by Sen. Chuck Schumer (NY) to ramrod firearms legislation through the United States Senate without full consideration of the proposal. “America’s millions of law-abiding gun owners owe Coburn their appreciation for his action,” said Snyder. “Schumer tried to bring a so-called National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) improvements bill out of the Senate Judiciary Committee and directly to the floor of the Senate without amendment by virtue of a unanimous consent agreement. Under such a procedure, a piece of legislation may be brought to the floor and acted upon unless at least one Senator objects. Fortunately, Coburn objected and that is why he now is a hero of the gun rights movement.” Read More Labels: Sen. Tom Coburn Posted at 11:13 AM |A Bridge Too Far? Sen. Tom Coburn, an Oklahoma Republican who requested the inspector general’s report, tried to get a measure passed that would place a moratorium on earmarks until all of the nation’s deficient bridges were either repaired or replaced. It should come as no surprise that he was unsuccessful. The measure failed by a lopsided vote of 82 to 14. “The bridge in Minnesota didn’t fail as much as Congress failed,” Coburn said. “We failed to direct dollars where they were needed most because this body is obsessed with parochial pork-barrel politics.” The House passed a similar bill prior to the Minneapolis bridge collapse that also was packed with pork totaling $2.2 billion. The projects include:* A museum to present and interpret the colorful and fascinating history of Las Vegas — $200,000. * A peace garden on North Dakota’s border with Canada — $450,000. * A minor-league baseball stadium in Billings, Montana — $500,000. * A mule and packers museum in Bishop (population: 3,575), Calif. — $50,000. Labels: Pork, Sen. Tom Coburn Posted at 9:29 AM |TIME Magazine: The Senate's G.O.P. Bomb Throwers U.S. Senator Jim DeMint (L) speaks as Senator Tom Coburn look on during a news conference. Alex Wong / Getty By JAY NEWTON-SMALL Senator Tom Coburn spent a good part of last Wednesday trying to stop the federal government from building bike paths. He wanted to redirect the $12 million allotted for them to shoring up U.S. bridges following the collapse of a highway bridge in Minneapolis that killed 13 people. The amendment failed 80-18. Undeterred, Coburn, an Oklahoma Republican, immediately introduced his second amendment of the day: a motion to suspend all earmarks — or pet projects often attached in secret to funding bills — until structural integrity of all U.S. bridges can be verified. There were $2 billion in earmarks in the bill, which, if passed, will fund the Transportation Department next year; the amendment failed 82-14. That same day Senator Jim DeMint, a South Carolina Republican, added his own amendment to suspend a rule that requires the government to use unionized workers to make emergency repairs to bridges, which DeMint says raises the cost by as much as 35%. That amendment also failed, 56-37. Read more... Related: An anonymous Republican Senator, identified by Think Progress as Tom Coburn (R-OK), has placed a secret hold on a law that would restore public access to presidential records. Two other senators were initially suspects but their offices have denied involvement while Coburn’s office has refused comment. The secret hold is part of an attempt to undermine the Democratic bill nullifying Bush’s executive order of 2001 that called for many executive materials to be kept secret “in perpetuity.” (Think Progress and The Dallas Morning News) CQ.com: Sen. Labels: Congress, Sen. Tom Coburn Posted at 2:47 PM |Don't Tread On Me "The most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help."~ Ronald Reagan The past couple of weeks on Capitol Hill have been interesting to say the least. But there seems to be one voice of reason in the wilderness every time. Last week it was on spending and this week it is on something so fundamental that one would be an idiot not agree with our Senator Tom Coburn. H.R 327 or the Joshua Omvig Veterans' Suicide Prevention Act has been the center of a certain amount of scrutiny by Senator Coburn ( A Doctor might I add) because he says "it preconditions health care for veterans on mental health screening." At first glance one would vote for this bill because it is sort of a feel good measure to help our veterans. With this bill even with the COMMON COLD a veteran would have to undergo comprehensive mental screening. I have heard that word comprehensive before and I didn't like it then and now it seems to be getting worse with the bills it is associated with. The Citizens Committee for the Right To Keep and Bear Arms have criticized Democrats for trying to push a back door scheme and do what Democrats do best TRY AND TAKE YOUR GUN! It is time that we stop with the feel good measures in Washington and start finding real solutions to our ever increasing problems. Senator Coburn seems to think around those terms I guess thats why the Democrats hate him so much. If you tried to impose spending limits on a group of people who don't know how not to spend, they would criticize you too. They would probably even call you a racist because being fiscally sound is racism, right? Labels: Sen. Tom Coburn Posted at 6:05 AM |Peace parks, Bicycle trails, and stadiums = Pork Chops Senator Tom Coburn in an effort to save my money and yours too has made headlines recently for embarking on a pork chop crusade (pun intended). Let's hope that every other Senator starts this Pork Chopping crusade."No one in America seriously believes that bike paths, peace gardens and baseball stadiums are more important national priorities than bridge and road repairs." Senator Tom Coburn Read More Labels: Pork, Sen. Tom Coburn Posted at 8:24 AM |Senator Coburn takes on pork THUD Bill This was a post from Brendan Steinhauser over at FreedomWorks. Oklahoma Senator Tom Coburn is offering several common-sense earmarks to the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development bill. Here are a couple of the best ones: * Amdt. 2810 would prohibit spending federal transportation funds on earmarks until all structurally deficient bridges in the U.S. are repaired * Amdt. 2813 would require that the housing needs of all Louisiana residents displaced by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita are met before spending money to design or construct a Wetland Center in Lake Charles, Louisiana Instead of prioritizing the funds to take care of the most pressing issues, Congress continues to earmark money for wasteful projects. And what will happen when the next bridge collapses or the next natural disaster occurs? The politicians will scream that they need more taxpayer money to rebuild. Talk about a disaster. Labels: Pork, Sen. Tom Coburn Posted at 10:16 AM |Shouldn't he be running for President?
Someone in the Senate is listening to Conservatives across the nation and that man is none other than Senator Tom Coburn. This is who Republicans should nominate for President!
The Senate last week approved an amendment sponsored by Sen. Tom Coburn, Oklahoma Republican, to halt all appropriations to the world body "until the secretary of state certifies that the United Nations [and subsidiaries] is fully and publicly transparent about all of its spending, including procurement purposes." Read More Labels: Decision '08, Sen. Tom Coburn Posted at 8:25 AM |Healthy Medical ReformsDoctor Coburn: Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK), has put forward the most market-oriented reform of health care yet. Under the "Universal Health Care Choice and Access Act," all Americans would be eligible for a $2,000 tax rebate, $5,000 for families. This money would be paid directly to the patient's health insurance. This would allow patients to make their own medical decisions. If the patient uses a cheaper health insurance company, the excess money will be deposited in a Health Savings Account (HSA). The HSA is a personal, tax-free savings account that can be used to help pay future medical bills. The account would be completely controlled by the individual. Furthermore, under Coburn's bill federal laws will be changed to deregulate insurance companies and allow portable insurance to be offered by employers. Insurance policies will be compatible nationwide and increased transparency in the health care system will be required. Read More Labels: Sen. Tom Coburn Posted at 8:16 AM |Who Woulda Thunk it! "President" Obama on who he would like to work with in the Congress:"I would also seek out people like Tom Coburn, who is probably the most conservative member of the U.S. Senate. He has become a friend of mine.'' Sen. Barak Obama Labels: Decision '08, Sen. Tom Coburn Posted at 12:47 PM |Senate Earmark Battle Turns Very Personal
From The Hill:
Monday, August 20, 2007
By Daphne Retter A battle between the offices of Sens. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) and Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) over a controversial earmark intensified earlier this month, displaying how debates on Capitol Hill sometimes can turn personal. The senators had been at odds over the matter for much of the summer, but it would reach a new level when John Hart, communications director for Coburn, forwarded a news article detailing his boss’s request for an investigation of a defense contractor. The target of the would-be investigation, 21st Century Systems Inc. (21CSI), employs Patrick Nelson, the son of the centrist senator. Sen. Nelson had requested an earmark for 21CSI, triggering a heated battle between the senators that has raged for weeks. “This will shut that f---er up,” Hart stated in an Aug. 1 e-mail sent from his Senate account to several of his colleagues. “I can’t wait to send an In Case You Missed It to Nebraska press that will be forwarded to a--face.” Read more... Related Huffington Post: "Nasty E-mails Fly As Senate Earmark Battle Gets Personal" Labels: Congress, Sen. Tom Coburn Posted at 10:29 AM |Coburn Considering Run for President?
From Transworld News:
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Does Tom Coburn Have a Snowball's Chance? There has been no paperwork filed and his name does not appear on the USA Election Polls website, but one republican who is still mulling over a run for the presidency is the junior senator from the state of Oklahoma, Tom Coburn. He has the dubious distinction of being Newt Gingrich's nemesis, in part owing to Coburn's estimation that Gingrich is a symptom of what ails the Republican Party: a gradual drifting to the left. Furthermore failing to make friends with the more moderate conservatives by calling for the dismissal of embattled Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez, he is considering a run for the White House on his conservative values. While in theory there is a substantial number of conservatives who will welcome this back to basics approach Mr. Coburn embraces, the more realistically minded constituents admit that his candidacy – should he declare it – does not have a snowball's chance of taking off, suggesting that Coburn has alienated too many moderate republicans he will be unable to garner the nod of the party. Read more... Labels: Decision '08, Sen. Tom Coburn Posted at 12:36 PM |Coburn On Lobbying Reform "Republicans faced a time for choosing last week, when Senate Democrats brought to the floor an ethics "reform" bill that may make it easier for Congress to dole out pork-barrel spending. In the words of GOP Sen. Tom Coburn, the bill "not only failed to drain the swamp, but gave the alligators new rights." Read more... Labels: Sen. Tom Coburn Posted at 11:15 AM |Sen. Coburn: "The Problem In Washington Is Not Lobbyists, But Members of Congress
Senator Coburn:
Thursday, July 26, 2007
“Rather than opening the secret chambers of government to the public, this new Congress has opted to change the locks. This bill, which was negotiated in secret, guts key earmark reforms that both houses of Congress approved overwhelmingly. Unfortunately, this process shows that Congress’s 28 percent approval rating is well-deserved. (Chart below from Sen. Coburn)
Related: The Hill: "Dems unveil ethics plan" (Comments by Sen. Coburn) Ernest Istook: "Congressional Spending: Past Abuse Is No Excuse for Today's Excess" Labels: Congress, Sen. Tom Coburn Posted at 9:07 AM |Senate Vocabulary LessonBy Daphne Retter The phrase of the day, brought to you by the United States Senate, is: “It’s not personal.” What it means: “It’s personal.” Take the squabble between Sens. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) and Ben Nelson (D-Neb.). It started in October 2005, when Coburn went after a Nelson-requested earmark. In the course of that debate — ultimately won by Nelson — the two made a deal whereby Coburn would talk to Nelson whenever he publicly sought to cut one of the Nebraskan’s projects. Nelson said he was shocked to discover that Coburn filed an amendment on July 13 to strip out a $7.5 million earmark for 21st Century Systems Inc. (21CSI), a Nebraska-based defense contractor, even though the former hadn’t yet made his case to leave the earmark alone. When Nelson saw Coburn on the Senate floor July 18, he told Coburn, “I thought we had a deal!” Read more... Labels: Sen. Tom Coburn Posted at 5:15 PM |Shame of the SenateBy Robert Novak WASHINGTON -- When Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid picked up his ball and went home following his staged all-night session last week, he saved from possible embarrassment one of the least regular members of his Democratic caucus: Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska. Reform Republican Sen. Tom Coburn had ready a Defense authorization bill amendment to remove Nelson's earmark funding a Nebraska-based company whose officials include Nelson's son. Such an effort became impossible when Reid pulled down the bill.  When the Defense authorization bill came up last week, Coburn prepared amendments to eliminate the Nelson earmark and the most notorious earmark now pending in Congress: Rep. John Murtha's proposed $23 million for the National Drug Intelligence Center in his Pennsylvania district. Reid's game plan to satisfy anti-war activists with an all-night debate averted debate for now on these two earmarks. Read more... Related: "Medical Marijuana under attack by fascists..." Labels: Congress, Sen. Tom Coburn Posted at 12:07 PM |Wonkette Gossip RoundUp
From Wonkette and Roll Call:
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
"Senate handyman Tim McClintock might have saved a man from drowning, but it took a lowly intern to rescue Sen. Tom Coburn’s aide Drew Berky from an eternity of being locked in the conference room" Related The Hays Daily News: Oklahoma senator criticizes government mascots Labels: Congress, Sen. Tom Coburn Posted at 12:39 PM |Senate Leaders Break Impasse Over 9/11 Commission Bill Senate leaders reached agreement yesterday to move a massive bill implementing unfulfilled recommendations of the 9/11 commission to a conference with the House, paving the way for negotiators to wrap up work on the legislation as early as this week, according to lawmakers and their aides. "Republicans did drop their objection to taking the bill into conference," said a spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., had objected to going to conference, saying the bill did not include a provision for auditing how billions of dollars in homeland security grants are spent. Democratic aides said Coburn's concerns would be addressed in the underlying bill. Coburn's office acknowledged an agreement was reached to go to conference but declined further comment. Read more... Labels: Congress, Sen. Tom Coburn Posted at 11:22 AM |Liberal Sees Media Bias Against Coburn We reported this story to you last month on how Sen. Coburn blocked a proclamation for an author of "Junk Science." A Coburn spokesman wrote: "Dr. Coburn believes the tremendous harm Carson’s junk science claims about DDT did to the developing world overshadow her other contributions." From News Busters: "This was a rare treat. Seeing a self-described liberal hitting the Washington Post for liberal bias. In this case the writer, one Philip Evans of Kensington, Md., sees the bias stemming from a case of lazy reporting: Regarding the May 23 Metro article "Rachel Carson Bill From Cardin on Hold": I'm a knee-jerk liberal, but sometimes I find myself sympathetic to conservatives who see bias in The Post. Does The Post lack the reportorial resources to confirm whether Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) is a physician? The story reported Coburn's opposition to a resolution to honor environmentalist Carson on the 100th anniversary of her birth, and his pithy rationale, "junk science." The next paragraph began: "Coburn, whose Web site says he is a doctor specializing in family medicine, obstetrics and allergies . . . ." The Web site attribution of such an easily confirmed fact seems intended to cast doubt on the senator's medical credentials. Would you report, "Sen. Barack Obama's Web site says he attended Harvard Law School?" Labels: Sen. Tom Coburn Posted at 12:50 PM |Sen. Coburn On Alberto Gonzalez's "No Confidence" Vote
The Senate has a responsibility to be good stewards and secure the future for our children and grandchildren. We must, therefore, first hold Congress accountable for its failures, before pointing fingers at the shortcomings of others, by acknowledging and accepting the lack of confidence that the public has in Congress’ unwillingness to cut wasteful spending and balance the budget." Labels: Congress, Sen. Tom Coburn Posted at 11:55 AM |Hotline TV Discusses Sen. Coburn
Hotline TV discusses a possible Coburn presidential run.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Labels: Decision '08, Sen. Tom Coburn Posted at 10:15 AM |Coburn Mulling Presidential Bid?  Sen. Tom Coburn is mulling an entry into the Republican presidential primary, according to sources inside and outside the Senate. Coburn, a senator from Oklahoma, is believed to be receiving encouragement from a small group of wealthy businessmen and philanthropists in the Oklahoma-Kansas-Texas region of the country.He's all about faith, lower taxes, and staying the course in Iraq,' says an adviser outside of the Senate who has been speaking to Coburn. Coburn had been mulling a run earlier this year, but with what appeared to be a crowded field, including two sitting Senators (John McCain and Sam Brownback), along with another seriously looking (Chuck Hagel), Coburn appeared to pull back. 'He's not bound to any timetable or any fundraising imperative,' says a longtime adviser to Coburn, who has spoken with him. 'What's important for him is that there is no other true, Reagan conservative in the race, and he thinks he can fill that void.' Coburn is believed to have the backing of several low-profile members of the so called 'Swift Boaters,' men who financed the ads that doomed the presidential aspirations of Sen. John Kerry. Labels: Decision '08, Sen. Tom Coburn Posted at 9:05 AM |Coburn Blocks Honors for "Junk Science" Author By Michael Roston A Republican Senator known for his criticism of various environmental causes is single-handedly holding up two bills in the US Senate that would honor the life of Rachel Carson, author of the well-known book Silent Spring, RAW STORY has learned. The bills were introduced by a bipartisan group of Senators from Carson's home-states of Pennsylvania and Maryland on the occasion of the centennial of her birthday on May 27. "This week, Dr. Coburn blocked two bills intended to honor Rachel Carson on the 100th anniversary of her birth (one bill to name a post office after her in PA, and a resolution honoring her)," said a press release at Senator Tom Coburn's (R-OK) website. Coburn said through a spokesman that Carson was undeserving of honor from Congress because she had promoted 'junk science.' "Dr. Coburn believes the tremendous harm Carson’s junk science claims about DDT did to the developing world overshadow her other contributions," said spokesman John Hart in an e-mail to RAW STORY. "Millions of people in the developing world, particularly children under five, died because governments bought into Carson’s junk science claims about DDT. To put it in language the Left understands, her 'intelligence' was wrong and it had deadly consequences." One of the resolutions Coburn is blocking with a parliamentary 'hold' seeks to mark the 100th birthday of Carson, who died in 1964. Read more... Labels: Sen. Tom Coburn Posted at 3:12 PM |Sen. Coburn Calls for Rifle Competition Senator Coburn sent a letter last month to the Army asking them to hold an open competition to select the best rifle for our soldiers. Can you imagine the uproar from the gun nuts when they get wind of this? Here's an excerpt:"I am certain that we can all agree that America’s soldiers should have the best technology in their hands. There is nothing more important to a soldier than their rifle, and there is simply no excuse for not providing our soldiers the best weapon – not just a weapon that is “good enough.” Unfortunately, considering the long standing reliability and lethality problems with the M-16 design, of which the M4 is based, I am afraid that our troops in combat might not have the best weapon." Read the full letter here. Labels: Sen. Tom Coburn Posted at 1:32 PM |Henry Vetoes Abortion Funding Bill
Gov. Brad Henry vetoed yesterday - overwhelmingly bi-partisan legislation - that would have banned the use of public funds for abortions. The so called centrist governor, surrounded by doctors and other medical professionals at a Capitol press conference, chose to side with NARAL, The National Organization for Women, and Moveon.org over life. Henry claims the measure doesn't protect the rights of women who are the victims of rape or incest.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Speaker Cargill Released this statement: "It's especially sad that on a day when the U.S. Supreme Court is advancing the cause of life, Oklahoma is moving backwards thanks to the Governor. I don't think the Governor's actions today are in line with the beliefs of most Oklahomans, who value the sanctity of life and are in favor of stronger protections. But we can take heart in the fact that the U.S. Supreme Court's decision is a victory for efforts to protect the unborn. The idea that taxpayer dollars could be used to perform abortions is terrible. Most Oklahomans oppose it and I am very disappointed that our Governor supports it." Senator Coburn released this statement last week after the bill's passage in the legislature: "The reality is that every tax dollar that is spent to perform an abortion is a dollar that has been taken away from providing medically necessary health care for patients," he said. "More than 18 percent of Oklahoma's population is uninsured, the seventh-highest rate in the country," Coburn added. "How can we justify spending limited public resources on abortion when our fellow Oklahomans cannot even afford basic health care?" Labels: Brad Henry, OK Legislature, Sen. Tom Coburn, Spkr. Cargill Posted at 8:47 AM |Sen. Coburn Speaks at Heritage By Nathaniel WardHealth care reforms based on principles of free enterprise will bring about “increased health, increased quality of life and decreased costs,” Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) said today (Tuesday) at The Heritage Foundation. Speaking in Heritage’s Lehrman Auditorium, Coburn argued that his free-enterprise reforms would provide “universal access to affordable care.” He would achieve this goal through various regulatory reforms and the mechanism of a refundable tax credit, which he said would benefit “the vast majority of Americans.” Read more... Labels: Sen. Tom Coburn Posted at 3:00 AM |Sen. Coburn Strips Pork From War Appropriations Bill Before their recess, Sen. Tom Coburn introduced an amendment to successfully strip a $2 million supplement inserted in the emergency war appropriations bill by Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt. The $2 million dollars was to set up an institute at the University of Vermont named after former Sen. James Jeffords.Leahy aides claim the proposal should have been considered an emergency because of Jeffords' failing health. Leahy said on the floor of the Senate that Sen. Coburn's effort to strip this non-emergency supplement from the emergency war supplemental bill a "disgrace." "Senator Leahy has agreed to work again on that later this year, in the regular appropriations process," said David Carle, a spokesman for Leahy. A $3 million measure for the same UVM institute was in an appropriation bill last year that died, Carle said. Labels: Congress, Sen. Tom Coburn Posted at 7:45 AM |Tulsa World a "Republican Outfit"
Below is a quote from Daily Kos, the most popular and influential left wing blog on the Internet. The site averages over half a million hits a day. Today they gave their assessment of the Democrats chances of picking up additional Senate Seats in '08. Senator Inhofe's re-election is in the "could get interesting" category.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
"Races that are or might be interesting by Election Day 2008. The first thing that surprises is that out of 33 races this cycle, a full 20 have the potential of turning into real races. Given that 14 of those are Republicans, it's a great map for Democrats.The Tulsa World a "Republican outfit?" PLEASE!! RELATED: Tulsa World Endorses Henry. What???? Labels: Brad Henry, Decision '08, Sen. Inhofe, Sen. Tom Coburn, Tulsa World Posted at 6:08 PM |Sen. Coburn Exposes Democrats' Earmark Cover-Up JOHN FUND ON THE TRAIL The Congressional Research Service is helping its masters hide wasteful spending. Nothing highlighted Congress's spending problem in last year's election more than earmarks, the special projects like Alaska's "Bridge to Nowhere" that members drop into last-minute conference reports leaving no opportunity to debate or amend them. Voters opted for change in Congress, but on earmarks it looks as if they'll only be getting more smoke and mirrors. Democrats promised reform and instituted "a moratorium" on all earmarks until the system was cleaned up. Now the appropriations committees are privately accepting pork-barrel requests again. But curiously, the scorekeeper on earmarks, the Library of Congress's Congressional Research Service (CRS)--a publicly funded, nonpartisan federal agency--has suddenly announced it will no longer respond to requests from members of Congress on the size, number or background of earmarks. "They claim it'll be transparent, but they're taking away the very data that lets us know what's really happening," says Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn. "I'm convinced the appropriations committees are flexing their muscles with CRS." Indeed, the shift in CRS policy represents a dramatic break with its 12-year practice of supplying members with earmark data. "CRS will no longer identify earmarks for individual programs, activities, entities, or individuals," stated a private Feb. 22 directive from CRS Director Daniel Mulhollan. When Sen. Coburn and Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina submitted earmark inquiries recently, they were both turned down. Each then had heated conversations with Mr. Mulhollan. The director, who declined to be interviewed for this article, explained that because the appropriations committees and the White House's Office of Management and Budget (OMB) were now preparing their own lists of earmarks, CRS should no longer play a role in the process. He also noted that both the House and Senate are preparing their own definitions of earmarks. "It is not appropriate for us to continue our research," his directive states. Read more... Sen. Coburn Discusses Earmarks with John Gibson of Fox News Channel Labels: Congress, Sen. Tom Coburn Posted at 7:57 AM | |
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