Sen. Tom Coburn of Muskogee blames 'career politicians' for federal debt

In a town-hall meeting Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn said career politicians in Washington are to blame for excessive federal spending and debt.

BY JULIE BISBEE

http://www.newsok.com/sen.-tom-coburn-of-muskogee-blames-career-politicians-for-federal-debt/article/3474310

Published: July 8, 2010

In a town-hall meeting Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn said career politicians in Washington are to blame for excessive federal spending and debt.

U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn holds a meeting Wednesday in a conference room at the Francis Tuttle Technology Center.

Sen. Tom Coburn of Muskogee blames 'career politicians' for federal debt
Coburn, a Republican seeking his second term in the Senate, spoke out against his congressional colleagues during a meeting that nearly 140 people attended at Francis Tuttle Technology Center in northwest Oklahoma City.

"Congress needs a pay cut,” said Coburn, a medical doctor who also served three terms in the U.S. House. "It's the conflicted nature of the career politician that's killing this country.”

Coburn said many lawmakers are too worried about fundraising or providing for special interest groups and aren't policing government like they should.

"You have a government that nobody's running,” said Coburn, R-Muskogee. "It's kind of like the inmates running the prison.”
Coburn said he favors creating a website to disclose financial contributions and other perks.

The website would be "where you can go to see all the favors Congress is doing for the well-connected,” he said.

"I don't have a problem with lobbyists because the government impacts every part of everybody's lives every day,” Coburn said. "The lobbyists are not the problem. The problem is the members of Congress.”

Coburn drew applause from audience members several times, especially when advocating that politicians need to remember they are accountable to voters and should be more fiscally conservative.

Coburn has been critical of efforts to expand unemployment benefits without having a dedicated funding source to pay for it.

When pressed by a participant in the town hall meeting about what Republicans were doing to come up with a solution of benefits for the unemployed, Coburn said he had an amendment to fund benefits from stimulus dollars, but that was blocked.

Personal responsibility must also be considered in the debate for extended unemployment benefits, the senator said.

"This country didn't guarantee an outcome. They guaranteed the freedom to determine the outcome,” Coburn said. "You get to determine it. I'm willing to help the unemployed who can't find a job, but I'm not going to help it on the backs of our grandkids.”

Coburn also urged the public to stay involved and aware of what government is doing. He predicted a record-high voter turnout in the next election, saying the American people are now "aware.”

"You get the government you deserve,” said Coburn.

"When you get such low voter turnout, their voices aren't heard. I'm encouraged that the American people are now aware.

"I think there will be Republicans that get beat, and rightly so. I also think there will be Democrats that get beat.

"I hope in the next elections we have real people who come to Congress and a have real world experience and use that common sense to make decisions for our country. We were intended to have a citizens' legislature and we don't have that.”