To regain credibility, conservatives should follow the Coburn legacy
The recent $3.5 trillion spending package could drive new debt in the COVID era to nearly $10 trillion, ushering in an era of government decadence that can no longer be justified by the pandemic and will ultimately be paid for by future generations.
Unfortunately, many Republican members of Congress now outraged by profligate spending lack the credibility to sound an alarm due to their own complicity in massive deficits not long ago.
Herein lies the lesson for the future of fiscal conservatism: Do not weaponize the issue of debt for political gain if we are serious about regaining control of our country’s financial future. Instead let us refocus on why stewardship in government matters and carry on the legacy of Dr. Tom Coburn.
Coburn was more than a mere “fiscal hawk” in his 16 years in the House and U.S. Senate. His colleagues could not easily dismiss his passion for restraint in government spending because he consistently connected the issue to his responsibility to the Constitution and future generations. Even on the other side of the aisle, Coburn’s most stubborn opinions on fiscal matters were often met with respect because he treated Democratic colleagues with kindness and decency.
Last week, at an event hosted by the Millennial Debt Foundation in Oklahoma City, Sen. James Lankford reflected on his predecessor’s leadership style during a discussion about the Coburn legacy and the national debt.
“Most people that didn’t know him didn’t know how much time he spent on the other side of the aisle talking to people, developing relationships, getting to know people ... he was the consummate teacher,” said Lankford. “It always takes bipartisan agreement to be able to work on debt and deficits. It always will.”
It would be revisionist history to conflate the intensity of Coburn’s beliefs as partisanship. In fact, he valued candor, virtue and even personal rapport much more than political affiliation.
As evidence, long before Sen. Joe Manchin was the swing vote in the U.S. Senate, Coburn supported his re-election, even writing him a $250 check. At the time, Coburn said, “I think (Manchin) votes thinking about the long-term interests of the country. We don’t agree on everything but he’s a good guy.”
Coburn’s long view of policy was a reflection of his own love of family. Reflecting on his time as an aide to Coburn at last week’s event, Oklahoma Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat said, “He would sit in a group like this and ask how many of you care more about your future than your grandchildren’s future.”
Most politicians talk about wanting to leave the country better for their children and grandchildren, but Coburn committed his career and political capital to making the tough votes, conducting the active oversight and nurturing the bipartisan relationships that will be necessary to stem historic deficits.
While the longstanding contract between generations, that one would not saddle the next with its obligations, has seemingly expired, there’s a rising generation that saw firsthand the authenticity of Coburn’s leadership and is working to emulate it in Oklahoma City and beyond.