Politics

GOP senator, friend of president, says ObamaCare will “divide and bankrupt America”

Jon Ward Contributor
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Sen. Tom Coburn, an Oklahoma Republican and personal friend of President Obama’s, on Saturday took a highly public stand against the president’s health care plan and against his intentions to “ram” a bill through Congress, warning that such a move will “divide and bankrupt America.”

Coburn, chosen as the Republican lawmaker to deliver the party’s regular weekend address to the nation, cautioned Obama against supporting the use of “reconciliation,” a legislative maneuver Democrats could execute to pass a bill through the Senate with 51 votes instead of the 60 usually required to overcome a filibuster.

The senator, himself a physician, said that the day-long health care meeting Thursday between Democratic and Republican leaders, hosted by the president, had been the beginning of a true exchange of ideas that he said have been missing for much of the last year.

“If the president and the leaders in Congress are serious about finding common ground they should continue this debate, not cut it off by rushing through a partisan bill the American people have already rejected,” Coburn said.

Republicans have cited significant opposition in almost every poll over the last several months to the Democratic bill, while Obama and Democrats say that polls also show support for individual components of their plan.

“The majority now has a choice. We can continue to make progress like we did at the summit. Or, they can try to ram through a partisan bill that will divide and bankrupt America,” Coburn said.

Obama, in his weekly address, said that a “spirit of cooperation and bipartisanship” is needed to pass the reform bill he wants.

“But I also believe that we cannot lose the opportunity to meet this challenge,” the president said, again signaling his intent to move forward with or without Republicans. “The tens of millions of men and women who cannot afford their health insurance cannot wait another generation for us to act.”

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Friday that Obama will make an announcement this coming week, likely Wednesday, about how he plans to proceed.

Despite his call for bipartisanship, the president, in his address, went after Republicans, saying the GOP does not think health insurers “should be held accountable when they deny people care or arbitrarily raise premiums.”

Republicans said this claim by the president was factually incorrect.

“This is what Democrats would call a George Bush argument: You’re either with us or you’re with the insurance companies. Nonsense. We have a different way to hold insurance companies accountable in our bill,” said Coburn spokesman John Hart.

Obama said his plan “will bring down the cost of health care and give Americans more control over their insurance.”

But Coburn said the Democrats’ plan “includes a half trillion dollars in new tax increases, a half a trillion dollars in cuts to Medicare, job-killing penalties for employers, taxpayer funded abortion and new boards that will ration care to American citizens.”

Republicans, Coburn said, “have put forward several proposals that … are patient-centered, not government-centered.”

“We believe in expanding options, not government; increasing access, not taxes; and reducing costs, not quality.”

And while Coburn said he was “proud” of work he and Obama accomplished together in the Senate, and said he shares Obama’s “desire for more civility and bipartisanship in Washington,” he fired a shot across the president’s bow.

“True civility, however, is measured by actions, not words,” Coburn said.

Coburn and Obama have a friendship that is unusual, to say the least, by Washington standards and something of a historical anomaly. The two men are worlds apart ideologically and politically, but bonded during their time together as senators and remain close personally.

Coburn said in an interview last fall that he writes the president personal, handwritten notes “fairly often” that are not about politics or policy.

“We have a relationship that’s based on a friendship, not on our political positions,” Coburn said.

Hart, the Coburn spokesman, said the senator’s national address Saturday was nothing more than a policy disagreement.

“It’s not a public break at all. He strongly disagrees with the overall bill and the process but he’ll continue to strive to find common ground,” Hart said.

“There’s a proverb that says ‘wounds from a friend can be trusted but an enemy multiplies kisses.’ In Washington, people who only tell you what you want to hear often are not your friend.” Hart said.

The president, in his address, also praised the U.S. Olympic team for its performance at the 21st Winter games in Vancouver, and said their performance has given many Americans a much-needed infusion of nationalism.

“In the middle of an extremely challenging time for America, we’ve been able to come together as one nation for a few weeks in February and swell with pride at what our citizens have achieved,” Obama said.

Here is video of Coburn’s address:

Here is a video of Obama’s address: