Posted on 12/12/2012 4:51:59 AM PST by LD Jackson
Senator Tom Coburn, R-OK, has long been a voice of reason in the United States Senate. He was the same voice of reason in the House of Representatives, causing Speaker Newt Gingrich major headaches by not going along to get along. He has long been advocating a balanced approach to reducing the national debt and the deficit and it is worth mentioning that Coburn's approach is much more balanced than the proposals President Obama and the liberal Democrats have put forth.
Coburn is called Dr. No in the Senate for a reason. The number of bills he has blocked because they contain wasteful spending can not be counted. He believes in cutting the size of government and he is not bashful about calling his fellow Senators to task for failing to get that done. Democrats and Republicans alike have felt his scorn for their lackadaisical approach to their jobs. It is worth noting now that Coburn is no longer being silent on the issue of the fiscal cliff. As usual, he is not following the expected party line, but neither is he giving Democrats a pass. He says we have to raise new revenues and he would rather see that done by raising tax rates on the wealthy, instead of trying to cap deductions. At the same time, Coburn says raising taxes isn't something he wants to see happen, but is something he feels has to be done. It is not avoidable, but should also be accompanied by cuts in spending.
(Politico) In an interview, Coburn said the GOP should swallow hard and accept a smaller tax hike that would have the least effect on the economy. Without a deal, he warned, it’s “inevitable” all Americans will face an increase to their income tax rates when the 2001 and 2003 George W. Bush tax cuts expire Dec. 31.A lot of people may believe Senator Coburn has gone off the deep end and is siding with the Democrats, but that couldn't be further from the truth. I am not a fan of raising taxes and have said repeatedly that the GOP leadership should draw a line in the sand and refuse to raise taxes, unless those tax increased are accompanied by cuts in spending that are real and substantial. Coburn is advocating the same thing and is doing it from a strategic standpoint.And polls show Republicans would shoulder most of the blame if the two sides fail to strike a deal.
“I’m for raising revenue because we have to — it’s not because we should but because we have to,” Coburn told POLITICO. Republicans can say they refuse to support any tax hikes, “but it’s still going to happen. That’s what the law is.”
Last week, Coburn acknowledged on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” that Republicans “have to raise revenue” and that he preferred that rates go up for families making more than $250,000 rather than capping deductions. On Sunday, he told ABC’s “This Week” that he was willing to accept a tax increase as part of a deal to solve the nation’s debt crisis.
I wholeheartedly wish the "real world" Coburn is referring to didn't exist, but the political reality is that it does. We have to deal with it, regardless if we like it or not. I just hope the GOP leadership can follow Coburn's lead and find it in themselves to stand their ground and refuse to raise taxes, unless spending cuts are forthcoming from the Democrats.Coburn has also privately been making the “tactical argument” to Republican senators and his former House colleagues that the GOP’s best option is to agree to the rate hikes, then extract spending cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, said one Senate source. And while Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and other GOP leaders publicly oppose any tax hike in the fiscal deal, they haven’t tried to silence Coburn, sources said. But the former three-term congressman is perhaps freer to speak his mind than most Republicans: A proponent of term limits, he has pledged not to run for a third Senate term in 2016.
“The reality is there is a Democratic president, a Democratic Senate — and the only way you’re going to start doing something to save Medicare, to save Social Security is to give them revenue,” Coburn told POLITICO. “It’s wrong, but that’s the real world we live in.”
We’ll be screwed if the fiscal cliff is gone over. Polls make it clear that our side will disproportionately be blamed. Coburn is right.
Like many, I really just don’t care. Nothing will be solved with a deal or without. Our side has proved to be an absolute failure in the past 18 months in this discussion, as the entire discussion is about ‘more revenue’. We had a solid majority opinion on spending before the debt deal of last year, and now, there is no discussion of spending cuts and a losing debate on ‘more revenue’. I give up. If this deal stinks, I am off to a new party.
He has long been advocating a balanced approach to reducing the national debt and the deficit and it is worth mentioning that Coburn’s approach is much more balanced than the proposals President Obama and the liberal Democrats have put forth.
Why does he attempt to make the case using the democrat talking point “balanced approach”?
More importantly for the first time in my recollection, Senator Coburn makes the case for increased revenue. My opinion has always been there is more revenue poorly used than the house and Senate should ever have.
The bottom line makes since as well, NO tax increase without immediate spending cuts, and real ones not fake ones.
Sadly that’s true. We can’t expect Democrats, who clearly won the last election, to abandon what they want in favor of what we want. Just won’t work.
Sadly that’s true. We can’t expect Democrats, who clearly won the last election, to abandon what they want in favor of what we want. Just won’t work.
We’ll be blamed either way. Coburn is a fool. It’s not a football game where we root for the team with the R.
Here we go again _
Lucy = Dems
Charlie Brown = Washington Repubs
Spending cuts = the latest football
Like Limbaugh was saying last week (he may still be saying it I just haven’t heard) once the R’s agree to a tax increase, they’re basically admitting to being wrong all this time on taxes. 0 has won this thing and the lurch toward a one party system is all but complete. If the R’s cave on taxes, they have no reason to exist. If they don’t, they’ll get the blame for everything and be swept out of office in 2014. Which is find because we don’t need people saying the right things then voting the wrong way at crunch time. It’s like a pitcher that pitches 6 scoreless innings but gives up 4 in the 7th, every single time.
We conservative Americans) are fighting on the wrong battleground (DC), using the wrong weapons (GOP).
And that’s what’s wrong with this debate. The Democrats lost big, in Oklahoma, where I live. There’s no reason we should have to suffer because of what Philadelphia wants. 0 lost every county in Ok and our legislature is overwhelmingly conservative. Our focus needs to get away from DC.
What is wrong with going over the fiscal cliff? How will we be screwed?
Our side will always be blamed for everything so why don’t we do what is right and simply refuse to compromise with Obama?
Here is a thought.
“Senator, you can raise tax rates on the wealthiest 2% when the Democrats put forth a budget so we know what we are spemding. In addition, there will be no rise in the debt ceiling and spending is frozen for the next 10 years.”
In other words, this “we are spending 8% next year so making it 3% is a 5% cut, will not apply. You will cut the full 8%. And this is across the board.”
I guess my official position is the individual states are the only thing that could possibly save us now. We are already with our backs against the wall and Obama has the bulldozer. The states pushing back could buy some time, especially where the implementation of the affordable health care act is concerned.
You and Rush are right about raising taxes, either way we lose, so why worry, and the debt ceiling is another no brainer, or ought to be. It goes no further. Live within your means or else. Surely there is a ten year plan of livable spending cuts, and entitlement reform that would put us on the road to financial well being instead of where we are now.
“You will cut the full 8%. And this is across the board.”
That would be called a heck of a good start to financial sanity.
The voters selected the Republicans to run the House of Representatives, where fiscal issues originate. The voters want fiscal responsibility.
Coburn is ceding this very important power to the democrats.
I never thought I'd say it, but Coburn is an idiot.
These guys all got dementia or what?
Embrace the cliff. We’re going either way, today or next year. R’s will get blamed no matter what. May as well do the right thing.
The public has already pre-positioned the GOP for the blame for ANYTHING that negatively affects them, even if the GOP caves and gives Obama what he wants. It's a classic no-win situation.
Stupid comment, Coburn. So, you "have to" say, screw doing the right thing and... because we "have to," just give your friend Obama what he wants.
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