Posted by
Frigglesnitz on Tuesday, March 11, 2008 8:20:41 AM
Late afternoon on March 10, 2008, I was fortunate enough to turn on CSPAN-2 and watch Senator Tom Coburn talk about the 2009 budget. Senator Coburn is possibly the most honorable man in Washington, D.C.
Senator Coburn spoke in no uncertain terms about the waste that has been occurring in the Senate since about 1990 (the year is as I remember from his speech). He spoke of earmarks, of course, and bridges to nowhere. He also spoke of an atmosphere of extortion on the floor of the Senate if one senator failed to "go with the flow"; that is, cave in to the uncontrollable spending everyone knows about but nobody talks about -- that is, except Senator Tom Coburn. Paraphrasing, it's the 5,000-pound gorilla in the room.
Senator Coburn spoke of the oath he took as a U.S. Senator. He stated that he had been elected by the people of the State of Oklahoma to go to Washington, D.C. and do what was right for the United States of America, not Oklahoma. It appears there are some senators who disagree with him. They are probably the ones who take home the most bacon for their home states.
For you lucky ones, you may see Senator Coburn on CSPAN-2 on March 11, 2008 on the floor of the U.S. Senate, when he will be pointing out every over-the-top spending plan in the 2009 budget -- that is, if the inimitable (thank goodness) Mr. Reid has the courage to give him the chance. It promises to be a wonderful thing to behold.
As Senator Coburn spoke, so eloquently, so simply, about the monumental debt this budget will pass on to people not even born yet, I thought, first, that he would make a wonderful, almost perfect, President of these United States. One cannot help but be swayed by his simple message of hard truth. I remembered then, however, that Senator Coburn would probably not compromise his principles to accept the job.
As Senator Coburn continued to speak, so eloquently, so simply, about the problems this budget will bring to all of us, now possibly on the brink of a recession (not his words), I thought that Senator Coburn would make a wonderful, almost perfect, Vice President of these United States. One cannot help but be swayed by his simple message of hard truth. I remembered then, however, that Senator Coburn would probably not compromise his principles to accept the job.