Coburn: 'Stupid and naive' to think cutting deficit won't require tax increases

[jefferson_dem]

Coburn: 'Stupid and naive' to think cutting deficit won't require tax increases
By Daniel Strauss - 07/22/11 10:55 AM ET

Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) on Friday said it's "stupid and naive" to think that a grand bargain on reducing the federal deficit can be reached without tax increases.

"I think it's terrible that we would have to raise more taxes," Coburn said on C-SPAN's "Washington Journal." "But if we're going to get an agreement in Washington to fix our problems, when those of us that don't want to raise taxes control the House of Representatives, don't control the Senate, don't control the White House — I think it's pretty stupid and naive to think you're going to win that battle."

Coburn, a member of the so-called Gang of Six that proposed a $3.7 trillion deficit-reduction proposal earlier this week, continued his war of words with the anti-tax advocate Grover Norquist, saying he "represents the silliness of our political situation today."

"I would rather fix the country and lose a battle with Grover Norquist than send our country down the tubes and pay attention to a point of view that is just suicide," Coburn said. "And the fact is that there's a lot of ways to enhance the revenue to the federal government. Reforming the tax code is a way to do it but we have to get $4 trillion."

The senator's comments were in response to recent criticism from Norquist, who said Coburn has lost the support of Republican leadership by not ruling out tax increases in a debt-ceiling deal.

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http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/172973-coburn-stupid-and-naive-to-think-cutting-deficit-wont-require-tax-increases?utm_campaign=briefingroom&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitterfeed

[dmallind]

1. Who is this guy and what has he done with the real Coburn? nt

[DrToast]

3. Sounds like the same Coburn over the last 6 months.*

[davidpdx]

14. I'm wondering the same thing

[Palmer Eldritch]

2. Damn. Coburn better watch his back.

[bornskeptic]

4. The leftwing of the modern Republican Party--Tom Coburn and Saxby Chambliss n/t

[rocktivity]

5. He must have found out that Olakhoma will be downgraded financially

if there's a default. The governor of Virginia changed his tune when he found out about that, according to Rachel Maddow.

:headbang:
rocktivity

[DrToast]

6. He's been saying this for months.*

*

[rocktivity]

8. Get your ass-terisk out of here

if you're not going to explain yourself!

;)
rocktivity

[bullwinkle428]

7. Someone's about to get "Norquisted".

[tanyev]

9. When's his term up?

It would be hilarious if he got primaried by a teabagger.

[JCMach1]

11. He will be, it is OK

[JCMach1]

10. Out of the mouth of the village idiot comes...

well something at least

[Politicalboi]

12. Maybe we made a deal

After the Ensign debacle, and is trying to look good. Holder won't investigate him if he is for raises taxes on the rich. We have to look forward ya know.

[Tx4obama]

13. Cenky Uygur talks about Coburn in the VIDEO below

around the 10:40 minute mark - talks about how Coburn will buck the party line and is somewhat anti-establishment
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x602776

[Bluenorthwest]

15. And yet, just a few days ago, Coburn said this about the 'cap cut

and balance' bill, his claim that Obama would sign it:
“It doesn’t matter what the polls are. We've got to fix our country, and this is the only viable plan right now that will do that. And I will bet you a Porterhouse steak that if it lands on his desk, he’ll sign this puppy.”
So that was Thursday or Wednesday. The worm that is Coburn seems to have turned. Perhaps someone has the goods on his C-Street gig as cover up artist for the adulterous 'Sanctified Marrieds' in his Party.