Democrats say Mr. Coburn is also exaggerating the potential costs of the bills he blocks because most of the proposals would require a second round of approval before any money was shelled out.
But Mr. Coburn, as is his wont, begs to differ. He said the Senate was shirking its duty by failing to give closer review to the hundreds of bills that slide through by unanimous consent. And he said Congress should not be clearing the way for billions of dollars in potential new spending — even on meritorious projects — without making reductions elsewhere. Fearful of the public debt piling up, he said he wanted the opportunity to at least propose those cuts.
“We ought not be borrowing and expanding the federal government unless we get rid of stuff that is not working,” he said.
Key quote: “I am not a go-along, get-along guy if I think it is the wrong way to go. I am O.K. taking the consternation of my colleagues. I take my oath seriously.”
He's nicknamed Dr. No because he is an M.D. and he says "No" by blocking spending legislation with procedural objections which require the Senate to actually debate the bills instead of passing them with a voice vote. We need more M.D.'s in Congress like Tom Coburn and Ron Paul.
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