Ever since Ronald Regan was president, the conservative conversation about taxes has been driven by a fervent belief that any increase in taxes is bad because it only makes government bigger. In a recent Free Press article, I called it the Tax Cut Religion because to fully believe that there is only one solution to budget problems, one has to ignore the other half of the equation, which takes a leap of faith. One must BELIEVE, not think.
That’s why the current dust up between Gover Norquist and Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) is so interesting. Coburn is arguably the most conservative Senator in congress. I’ve written many diatribes about the positions Coburn has taken. In fact I urged people to send money to his opponent when he first ran for the Senate. Coburn is a doctor who has trampled all over women’s rights, so he’s an easy target for feminists. I never thought I would find common ground with Tom Coburn. But I have.
On Meet the Press yesterday, Coburn said that he isn’t opposed to a net increase in taxes if it comes from changes in the tax codes, so long as the underlying tax rates are not touched. But then he went on to make a really shocking statement: “"Which pledge is most important... the pledge to uphold your oath to the Constitution of the United States or a pledge from a special interest group who claims to speak for all American conservatives when, in fact, they really don't?"
The pledge Coburn is talking about is a pledge that all office seekers are asked to sign. When I was running for office, I was asked to sign the pledge. My thinking was that thanks to TABOR, I’d never be able to raise taxes without a vote of the people, so a pledge was like a belt and suspenders approach to trouser security. Norquist, predictably, reacted strongly to Coburn disrespecting his pledge. He accused Coburn of prevaricating when he asked the people of Oklahoma to send him to Washington D.C. He called Coburn a liar.
What do I find hopeful about this dust up in conservative circles? A staunch conservative in the Senate is acting like a grown up. He is being guided by his responsibilities to the Constitution, instead of a religious belief that tax cuts cure all ills. Coburn is one of the “gang of six,” which is working on legislation that will forge a compromise that lets the budgeting process and debt ceiling crisis find some resolution. He’s looking at the whole equation (Revenue = Expenses) instead of just the expense side. I’m still not fond of Coburn, but at least he has the intestinal fortitude to stand up to a bully.
Homework
Coburn Vs Norquist
Norquist Calls Coburn a Liar
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Why I Don't Like Coburn
WSJ Story of Coburn Thinking Outside the Box
That’s why the current dust up between Gover Norquist and Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) is so interesting. Coburn is arguably the most conservative Senator in congress. I’ve written many diatribes about the positions Coburn has taken. In fact I urged people to send money to his opponent when he first ran for the Senate. Coburn is a doctor who has trampled all over women’s rights, so he’s an easy target for feminists. I never thought I would find common ground with Tom Coburn. But I have.
On Meet the Press yesterday, Coburn said that he isn’t opposed to a net increase in taxes if it comes from changes in the tax codes, so long as the underlying tax rates are not touched. But then he went on to make a really shocking statement: “"Which pledge is most important... the pledge to uphold your oath to the Constitution of the United States or a pledge from a special interest group who claims to speak for all American conservatives when, in fact, they really don't?"
The pledge Coburn is talking about is a pledge that all office seekers are asked to sign. When I was running for office, I was asked to sign the pledge. My thinking was that thanks to TABOR, I’d never be able to raise taxes without a vote of the people, so a pledge was like a belt and suspenders approach to trouser security. Norquist, predictably, reacted strongly to Coburn disrespecting his pledge. He accused Coburn of prevaricating when he asked the people of Oklahoma to send him to Washington D.C. He called Coburn a liar.
What do I find hopeful about this dust up in conservative circles? A staunch conservative in the Senate is acting like a grown up. He is being guided by his responsibilities to the Constitution, instead of a religious belief that tax cuts cure all ills. Coburn is one of the “gang of six,” which is working on legislation that will forge a compromise that lets the budgeting process and debt ceiling crisis find some resolution. He’s looking at the whole equation (Revenue = Expenses) instead of just the expense side. I’m still not fond of Coburn, but at least he has the intestinal fortitude to stand up to a bully.
Homework
Coburn Vs Norquist
Norquist Calls Coburn a Liar
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Why I Don't Like Coburn
WSJ Story of Coburn Thinking Outside the Box
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