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With Jim Bunning Gone, Tom Coburn Steps Up to the Plate
Mar 27th, 2010 | 50 responses
Somebody has to make sure millions of Americans don’t get those unemployment benefits:
Due to the timing of the blockade, benefits could expire on April 5, a situation that would not be remedied for a week while the Senate is out of town. Senators will return from their Easter break on April 12.
When Bunning blocked the benefits extension in early March, government programs funded by the money — which includes everything from construction work, unemployment payments and doctor’s fees — were only shut down for a matter of hours. This time, with the expiration coming on April 5 while the Senate is in recess, the shutdown could last for days.
Coburn and the Republicans are making the same argument this time that Bunning made back on March 1: if Democrats want to extend the benefits, they need to find a way to pay for them. On the Senate floor, Coburn said he was blocking the benefits on behalf that old political standby, the average Joe.
“You see it is easy to cite the deficit as an excuse to cut off unemployed Americans’ food and rent money spend other people’s money,” Coburn said on the Senate floor, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “Especially if your own pantry is full of food, and you know exactly where the mortgage and car payments are coming from you’re sitting up here with a good pension, drawing a good salary.”
Defending his blockade on the floor today, Coburn turned to the other political stand by, placing a giant photo of an adorable little girl from Oklahoma on an easel next to him as he went on and on about how he was blocking the benefits extension for her.
Democrats have said that the $9 billion benefits extension is emergency spending, and therefore should be funded with deficit spending. They have pledged to pass a new permanent jobless benefits bill that will fund the process through normal spending channels.
So what? We’re not talking about a true emergency here, like we had back in the previous administration when un-paid-for funds were urgently needed to ease the suffering of multimillionaires and to pay for a war that Exxon-Mobil, Northrup-Grumman, Halliburton, and Blackwater were relying on to get those defense contracts and keep their senior staff happy. Anyone can understand the disastrous consequences that could flow from losing a big contract bid. But what’s the big deal if mom and dad don’t get their unemployment checks for a week, or two, or three? What’s the worst that could happen?
50 Responses to “With Jim Bunning Gone, Tom Coburn Steps Up to the Plate”
“Defending his blockade on the floor today, Coburn turned to the other political stand by, placing a giant photo of an adorable little girl from Oklahoma on an easel next to him as he went on and on about how he was blocking the benefits extension for her.”
Wait a minute…. Coburn actually put the picture of an adorable little girl who is going to make go hungry in a couple weeks? In other words Coburn is saying , “This adorable little girl is one of my victims and should starve”.
And there isn't an outrage over this? Whatever happened to Republican's family values? Oh that's right…. the Republican family values is all about taking personal responsibility in protecting their own family, even if you're a millionaire, and forcing others into starvation.
So what's really going on here, has the GOP turned into some kind of cult or something? Some of these actions make no sense whatsover – zero, zilch, nada. Don't these people police themselves at all? Are they collectively suffering from the same malady? They seem to become more unhinged with each passing week.
To bring the Republican perfidy to EVERYONES attention, the Senate should have stayed in session until the benefit extension was in place. No Easter break, tough noogies. Let all the blame fall on the “Party of Hell No.”
While I disagree with Coburn's actions in this instance, there are no good guys in this fight. Democrats tout pay-go when it suits them but in practice are no better than the free-spending and wasteful Republicans that preceded them.
What Kathy has left out is that this also blocks another temporary Doc Fix, retaining the 21% pay cut to Medicare providers the Democrats wrote into their health care bill. This allowed them to pretend HCR doesn't increase the deficit while having no intention of actually keeping the 21% cut.
I agree with DaGoat. I don't like the theatrics and the optics of this but anyone who doesn't see the point they're trying to demonstrate is being willfully ignorant.
These measures are being pushed through as emergency funding, in addition to the regular budget AND the ARRA funds. When Bunning first started this, it came out that there ARE funds available that have already been appropriated through ARRA, which is where the funds for this should come from. But the Dems now are trying to appropriate additional borrowed funds, instead of using the 'line of credit' that has already been appropriated for such emergency spending. That leaves the other borrowed money available for whatever other purposes they want to use it for- instead of using it appropriately for extension of unemployment benefits and related needs.
And as DaGoat mentions, the extension of the Doc Fix is another deception, since it proves what a lot of us have been saying- the HCR bill was gamed to get the CBO score that they needed even because expenses like the higher provider reimbursements will be added as needed as they go along.
Of course if we waited until all conditions were perfect before proceeding with difficult legislation then none would ever be passed. Even when the budget wasn't an issue (the 90's and pre Iraq war) the party of no either ignored HCR or fought against it. They also ignored all the warning signs of a south direction economy until it was too late. All these exuses and false equivalence posturing rings hollow I'm afraid. I understand why people like to protect their chosen ideology, but objectivity shouldn't be trumped.
Actually, Coburn shows why I dislike the GOP so much. So does CStanley's defense of him. Making an ideological point on the backs of real people who will suffer because of wanting to score political points is OK with them. Just fine. Most of the Republicans supporting Coburn have no basis to claim legitimate worry about the deficit because when their side was pushing it higher and higher with off budget spending for the wars and unending cries for more and more tax cuts they supported those bills with no questions.
I spent about 20 minutes looking but could not find any information indicating that there are still funds left for the extension from either the regular budget or ARRA. I did not find any information on a line of credit. If anyone has up to date information that the Democrats have alternate funds they can use please post it.
What I did find was that the emergency unemployment benefits have to be extended every 4-6 weeks depending on how long they vote to extend it.
The Republicans are indeed concerned that we are now using deficit spending for this. But that simply makes no sense. They used deficit spending as a matter of course when they were in control of congress, and I would challenge anyone to find either Bunning or Coburn complaining about that at the time, when in fact they voted for such measures on a regular basis during that period.
This looks like political grandstanding and nothing more. A good opportunity for them to get some press. They aren't operating on principle here – they were on the other side of this argument just a few years ago.
This seems just heartless and hypocritical.
Coburn, R-Muskogee, said the costs of the bill needed to be offset with cuts elsewhere, rather than adding to the national debt … Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky tried to get approval to advance a bill that would offset the cost of the bill with stimulus money, but Democrats objected.
It's false dilemma to suggest “Either we tack this onto our children's debt Or we don't pay for it at all.” There's every reason that unused stimulus funds should go to pay for this. The Democrats seem to suggest that we behold our children's future to Chinese creditors even more than we have. I don't understand why we are content to push such crippling financial obligations onto our children and grandchildren. It's heartless and selfish. The pain index is going to be felt somewhere. Why shouldn't we bear it rather than our children? Our grandchildren will despise us for our lack of discipline and our inability to bear their pain, and they should.
This is why I dislike judges who will uphold a narrow view of the law that helps the rich while hurting the middle class.
I live in Coburn's and Sullivan's district. These locked stepped Repulicans have already said NO to the 1.1 million Oklahoman's wihout health insurance, one of the highest in the nation, and now they're saying NO to the unfortunate who are without a job. They are shamefull and will do anything to protect the wealthy corporate benefactors and don't give a damn about the welfare of the commonwealth of Oklahoma or this nation. They're digging a huge hole with their policy of NO and obstruction that's going to bite them hard in the long run.
That sounds like a wonderful approach Zebedee.
I only wish they had this insight back in 2000, when the Republican controlled White House, House, and Senate inherited a 260 billion budget surplus.
It just seems like such an amazing coincidence that much of their hand wringing started right after Obama was sworn in. How about that.
Accurately, and very well said… Sorry I could only give you one “like”.
It just seems like such an amazing coincidence that much of their hand wringing started right after Obama was sworn in. How about that.
About as amazing as the liberal hand wringing over the 21% Medicare pay cut disappearing since they figured out it was part of their own HCR bill. No shortage of hypocrisy on either side.
And what's to stop Reid from calling on Senators to cancel their vacations and fix this? When I was in the Air Force the government had no qualms canceling my leaves if something happened. Was I more mission-critical than a Senator?
Tom Coburn is one of the most ethical if not the most ethical Congressmen out their. He has no earmarks and fights against them. To see Liberals try to attack him makes me LMAO. Totally barking up the wrong tree here. They might as well target mother Theresa next.
I spent about 20 minutes looking but could not find any information indicating that there are still funds left for the extension from either the regular budget or ARRA. I
There is still a great deal of ARRA funding which has been appropriated but not yet distributed/spent. This is what Bunning proposed should be used for these emergency extensions. When ARRA was passed, a lot of people (including myself) argued that they loaded it up with pet projects that had little to do with meeting the actual needs of the recession (which includes unemployment extensions, naturally) and job creation. Since they didn't target the spending wisely, and we now need additional funds applied toward unemployment extensions, the argument being made is that some of the money which was appropriated but not yet spent on programs that really shouldn't have been part of ARRA, should now be reappropriated to pay for these needs.
This looks like political grandstanding and nothing more. A good opportunity for them to get some press. They aren't operating on principle here – they were on the other side of this argument just a few years ago.
This just comes off as heartless and hypocritical
Agreed, that's what I meant when I said that I don't like the theatrics or the optics (although I don't think anyone thinks this gives them good press.) But the problem remains that they do come across as hypocrites because they didn't defend the principles of fiscal conservative when the GOP was in the majority with a GOP president, and now they're appearing disingenuous. The thing is though that even when people are hypocritical, I still might agree with the principles even if I don't feel that the person is an honest defender of that principle. When someone campaigns on family values, for instance, and then is caught in adultery- it means he's a hypocrite but it doesn't change my opinion that adultery is wrong. Same thing here- I don't defend any of the GOP who are now grandstanding as budget hawks, but since I'm a budget hawk and this is certainly a time in our history when I think that's extremely important, I agree with the principle that's at stake about paying for this out of the money we already borrowed for emergency use instead of borrowing more.
Leonidas is right though…if anyone does have the chops to stand up for this principle and not deserve to be called a hypocrite, it's Coburn:
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0406/042106nj1.htm
The issue though is that all GOP have been tarnished by the broad brush image of fiscal irresponsiblity, so the optics are bad because no one realizes that Coburn was consistent on this even when his party was in power.
This is a mix 'n match set of words. Take one from each column:
Unlimited Scrooge Assholes
Uncaring Sycophant Abominations
Unfeeling Selfish Asswipes
Tom Coburn protecting the next generation from out of control spending by the current generation.
Well done Tom.
Unlimited Scrooge Assholes
Classy.
As far as I can see, the point(s) Republicans are trying to demonstrate, and are demonstrating, is (1) that it's much more important to grandstand about the deficit than it is to make sure unemployed Americans have food to eat and a roof over their heads; (2) that it's more important to cut off emergency funds for expiring unemployment benefits because they're “not paid for” than to actually put the money in unemployed Americans' pockets that will allow them to put money back into the economy (i.e., it's more important to grandstand about the deficit than to stimulate the economy); and, most telling of all, (3) that it's more important to do Custer's last stand on deficit spending when the spending is for the essential survival needs of Americans who have no jobs and no income than when the spending is for huge tax cuts for the wealthy, and a war based on lies.
It's far more than the “optics” of the GOP's actions here that are undesirable or off-putting. The fundamental philosophy that underlies cutting off unemployment benefits at a time when millions of Americans have no jobs and no prospects of same is one that says the geopolitics of oil, corporate profits, and global dominance are inherently and by definition more important than the physical survival and well-being of millions of American children, women, and men.
I do not understand the mind-set of anyone who states, or suggests, that there is a valid “point” here that one must be “willfully ignorant” to miss.
Making an ideological point on the backs of real people who will suffer because of wanting to score political points is OK with them.
That's exactly what I was trying to say in my comment responding to CStanley. I might add that three of those real people are my ex-husband, his wife, and the 2 1/2-year-old child that they adopted a year ago. My ex has been unemployed for well over a year — almost a year and a half. His wife has a good, secure job (she is a tenured French professor at a community college in NYC), so they are in a better position than many, or even most. But they also have a mortgage to pay and a child to support, and that cannot be done on one income indefinitely.
I kinda like the third one.
Tom Coburn protecting the next generation from out of control spending by the current generation.
While he takes the food out of the mouths of said current generation.
Although nothing can approach, much less match or exceed, the classiness of cutting off unemployment benefits for millions of Americans right before a two-week recess.
Now that is awesomely classy.
Brian. It is going to backfire on the Republican for sure. I am one who will vote no to any Republican candidate here in California. You can be sure of that.
Although nothing can approach, much less match or exceed, the classiness of cutting off unemployment benefits for millions of Americans right before a two-week recess.
I agree with you that what Coburn did was wrong. I don't have the high opinion of him that others do.
From Rush Cygnus X-1
Dionysus: Bringer of Love
“I bring love to give you solace
In the darkness of the night,
In the Heart's eternal light.
You need only trust your feelings;
Only love can steer you right.
I bring laughter, I bring music,
I bring joy and I bring tears.
I will soothe your primal fears.
Throw off those chains of reason
And your prison disappears.”
The cities were abandoned,
And the forests echoed song.
They danced and lived as brothers;
They knew love could not be wrong.
Food and wine they had aplenty
And they slept beneath the stars.
The people were contented
And the gods watched from afar.
But the winter fell upon them
And it caught them unprepared,
Bringing wolves and cold starvation,
And the hearts of men despaired.
Doesn't rank up there with spending the money of taxpayers and future generations without being able to explain how it will be repaid. Why is that such a hard question for democrats to answer? Thats what is holding everything up, that inability.
Tell you what Kathy, go to a supermarket get a buggy full of food and go to the checkout, when they ask for money stare at them in surprise and say “You expect me to pay for this now?” Continue to protest and make a scene and see what the police have to say when they show up.
But what’s the big deal if mom and dad don’t get their unemployment checks for a week, or two, or three? What’s the worst that could happen?
Me thinks the writer of this article, Kathy Kattenburg needs to be unemployed for over a year, and collect 1/2 of what she is getting for unemployment benefits. Then watch as she is waiting with bated breath as to whether Congress will continue to keep her financial safety net up and running as she is looking for work and finding that there are more than just the “6 to 1″ ratio of unemployed to one job. More like dozens of people to one job. Then perhaps she can go without any unemployment money for a week, two weeks, three weeks, or even more as Congress continues to get unemployment deadlines extended but to no avail. Three weeks Kathy?? Are you sure about that??
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-03-26/rep…
Andrew I think she was being sarcastic bud.
I just talked to my parents and this came up. Both have been very middle of the road conservatives for most of their lives, and live in a small town dependent on rural income sources like ranching and tourism.
They say they are not voting for the Republicans any longer. They don't like how they object to everything and both feel they just say no to everything for political reasons, while many regular people are suffering.
The strategy of “hell no” will have a lasting impact on the right I believe.
America is pretty deeply divided on this, My mom is the exact opposite of Brian's folks, she is an independent who tends to favor democrats on healthcare issues in the past, but this legislation has her firmly in the GOP camp.
It's not a hard question; it's the wrong question. And shifting the blame for Tom Coburn's proactive action of cutting off unemployment benefits to the Democrats for not working through recess to stop him is just despicable.
And comparing one person going to the supermarket checkout with a buggy of food to millions of Americans having their unemployment benefits cut off is just plain silly, Leonidas. The impact on both a human level and an economic level are just not analogous.
Oh, and I was liking your song lyrics until I got to the end and realized your point was that Americans who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own, and cannot find new work through no fault of their own, are to blame because they were lazy and spent all their time playing.
Sometimes it's very difficult for me to separate the person from the opinion and maintain my respect for you *as* a person.
Andrew, I read your comment several times, and as bizarre as this sounds, it sounds to me as though you took my “So what's the big deal” sentence literally. Are you under the impression that I meant the words I wrote as a serious, straightforward expression of my beliefs?
Thank you, Brian, lol. It never occurred to me that anyone could or would take that sentence seriously.
Kathy: a lot of people lately have been writing articles saying harsh things about those of us on unemployment. Even Sen. Coburn has referred to unemployed people as “children”. That is not only disrespectful but just outright cruel. An elected official no less. People who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own are still hurting. I've been unemployed now for over a year, and it is not easy, in any way to look for work that isn't out there to get. When people who have jobs and are comfortable in their standard of living start to take potshots at all unemployed people, then I do take offense to it. Your comments may have been sarcastic, may not have been. I only read it as it was written. While our elected officials are at home this Easter break with their families eating ham, and all the goodies, do you think they are thinking about the thousands that may not have an Easter ham with all the goodies because their unemployment was cut off?? Perhaps stories like that need to be reported.
No whats dispicable is trying to blame Coburn for democrats not being able to take time off recess to find the money to pay for the programs they propose. Your playing the sympathy card to excuse fiscal irresponsibility. Thought the democrats had decided to suppoort Pay-Go.
Your comments may have been sarcastic, may not have been. I only read it as it was written.
Amb2745, I find it inexplicable that you would continue to think it possible that I was serious when you've been told by me and another poster that I wasn't. The sarcasm was really obvious, especially in the context of the entire comment, so I cannot agree that you “read it as it was written.”
Also, if you have read any of my other posts — any at all — you would know I am the last person to blame someone for being unemployed. You would know that if you read my entire post again, as well. I just don't know what else to say to you, except that I have direct and personal reasons from my own life and experience to know exactly how you feel and what you're going through, and that I know anger (which you're entirely justified in feeling, as regards your situation) can sometimes make people misunderstand or take offense where none was offered.
As far as the kinds of stories that need to be reported, again, I can only suggest that if you have not seen any other posts I've written here, you should try to make time to do so. You're preaching to the choir, and you don't even realize it.
I hope you figure out that you have completely misunderstood the tone and intent of my post, and that I am not your enemy.
amb2745, hi there and welcome. I know new people cannot necessarily easily grok each writer's personal circumstances, but Kathy has mentioned her own life challenges in other articles. (we all have them) Thus, I can pretty much guarantee you that she was not disrespecting nor being cruel to people who suffer joblessness or cut off of unemployment benefits. It's sometimes hard to tell tone of voice in the cyberworld. Sometimes people who have seen a lot and see ever more of what they've already seen that is egregious to them, really do make a try at laughing so they dont have to cry. I can't read minds, and just my .02, but that's likely pretty much the case here.
I just noticed that Kathy responded to you comment, so I'll end here. Again, welcome to TMV
dr.e
deputy managing editor TMV.
Anything to keep distracting susceptible people from the nature of the Dem's poor legislation and behavior this past year. Will you keep doing that if the Dems resume rushing to pass all the bad legislation they can now, before November, Kathy? (Probably. Evil Republican this, icky right-winger that…)
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by TMV, Carrie Hunt. Carrie Hunt said: With Jim Bunning Gone, Tom Coburn Steps Up to the Plate: “Especially if your own pantry is full of food, and you k… http://bit.ly/a64E2W [...]
richardhesting, thanks for the comment. It's one thing to hear elected officials speak on national stage and present their views as representative of their constituents. It's another thing to actually hear their constituents speak out and give their own views of how well their elected officials are doing. I wish there was a forum where people could offer personal observations on their own elected officials (such as your comment). Your comment is very interesting. Thanks again.
chedar, “I am one who will vote no to any Republican candidate here in California. You can be sure of that.”
Hey, I like Arnold…. I don't like the rest of the Republicans but I think Arnold is pretty good (though there have been times when I strongly disagree with him) and I would vote for him for guv if he wasn't being termed out. I think for the most part he gets it.
I think it is easy for people who feel their security and life are being threatened (especially when they've been out of work for a year) to take one comment that really strikes a cord with them and have a completely different interpretation, even if there is no basis for that interpretation. I think they're responding to their own anxiety and fear rather than the person who posted the comment. It's horrible that so many people in this country are in such pain. We as a country (and individually when we can) should do what we can to lessen that pain and we should each individually understand what is going on with them when they make such comments.
Most Unethical, more likely. Senator Coburn a few years ago had fundraisers soliciting MDs like myself for contributions to be on a Health Care Advisory Panel that he was setting up, with a payment of $300 to his campaign/PAC I was offered inclusion in a print listing of selected doctors with the other “Advisors” in The Wall Street Journal.” I will have my cancelled check or credit card receipt as proof of my donation. Unfortunately, I was duped, as no list was ever published, and no advice was sought or even allowed as my contact with the party soliciting funds on his behalf referred me to his phone number at the Congressional offices to attempt to make any input on health care (i. e. no staffer, no dedicated person in the office, guaranteed neglect of anyone not in the district). The advisory panel was a SCAM! All I got was a worthless certificate and lots of requests for expensive $300-1000 a ticket gatherings in D.C. The man has no ethics that I can see beyond the desire for power and position at the expense of true democracy. A constitutional amendment limiting campaign contribution to candidates ONLY from Registered Voters ONLY would go a long way toward fixing the crap that passes for government in Washington. A strong and moderate third party wouldn't hurt either, as the Republicans have migrated toward the lunatic fringe since the 1980s. It is a shame that one of the few MDs in politics is Tom Coburn. Republicans had the opportunity to fix health care, and now can't stand to see anyone else (Dems) put their mark on it. Meanwhile, maybe I'll be taking out another loan when, because of his jackassedness, Congress stops all medicare payments April first.
thanks StockBoySF
been there many times in life when many of us who have lost jobs say in the recessions and oil bust of the 80's didnt have people like you on our sides. No one noticed back then. All the more reason, onward and upward. And thanks for your good heart.
dr.e, you're welcome!
StockBoySF: You hit the nail on the head concerning understanding of what unemployed people are going through. Unless you've been out of work in the last couple of years, and have been for longer than six months (or in my case a year), it's hard to grasp what people on unemployment are going through. If you have a job, with benefits, paying all your bills on time, etc. then your world is fine. Walk into work, and get the dreaded “you've been laid off ” from your manager, and your whole world goes upside down. Not right away, but over time it does. Especially when you aren't having no luck whatsoever finding a job. COBRA health insurance benefits are still too expensive even with the 65% reduction. Unemployment is 1/2 of what your previous salary was. So you've lost 1/2 your income just like that. As time goes on, and Congress doesn't get it with people on unemployment needing additional help, then you start to wonder when that day will come. The day you lose your house, and are out on the street. Hard to fathom when you have a job, and all seems to be going well. I know I've felt that. Then, there are elected officials like Sen. Coburn who compare unemployed people to “children”. Sen. Bunning, who felt his stance on unemployment included the words “Tough S**t”, not to mention one article on the internet where the writer blames unemployed people for the unemployment rate being as high as it is. Huh?? This kind of reporting is inaccurate and is making it much more difficult for Congress to get us the help we need. Not to mention having people turning against us because of things like this. I was laid off in 2001 during that recession, and I found a job 5 weeks into my layoff. This recession is much more deep, much more severe, and needs to be treated as an emergency.
amb2745, thanks for your comment. I hope you (and all unemployed people) find work soon. You must be going through a terrible time. All the support I can offer is to say, “Hang in there”. It's not much, but there are many people in this country who DO care about your (and others like you) problems and who ARE pressing our elected leaders to do something to alleviate your situation. You and millions of other Americans were not laid off through any fault of your own. It's a horrible situation you're in. Take care and God bless.