Senator Coburn Creates Angst Over Oklahoma Assistance

What is Oklahoma Senator Coburn thinking? (He's obviously NOT.)

His response to tornado relief reported in the National Memo is badly timed, to say the least, and cruel, at worst.

"Oklahoma Senator Demands Spending Cuts In Exchange For Disaster Relief,"- oh really? 

Why doesn't Senator Coburn  begin by cutting his generous government paid salary and benefits?

Dealing with the catastrophe aftermath of an F5 tornado should bring Senator Coburn in front of television cameras to praise the rescue efforts.  Thankfully, Oklahoma's well spoken Governor Mary Fallin is saying and doing all the right things to support Oklahoma and the victims of the tornado, while Senator Coburn creates angst. Shame on him!

On the other hand, while Coburn bristles politics, during his constituents' grief, President Obama has responded generously and appropriately. President Obama said:

"In the aftermath of the massive tornado that devastated Moore, Oklahoma on Monday, President Barack Obama promised that, 'As a nation, our full focus is on the urgent work of rescue and the hard work of recovery and rebuilding that lies ahead,' and told the victims, 'You face a long road ahead, but you will not travel it alone. Your country will travel it with you'.”

Apparently, that sentiment wasn't shared by Oklahoma senator Tom Coburn (R). Just hours after the storm hit, Senator Coburn (R) told CQ Roll Call that he would not support providing disaster aid to his own constituents, unless it's offset by other federal spending cuts.

Although the tornado damage in Moore, near Oklahoma City, is still being assessed and the death toll is expected to rise, Coburn (R-OK) jumped to the conclusion that federal disaster aid to his suffering state must be paid for with cuts elsewhere.  This circular reasoning is incredulous. He shows complete insensitivity for the suffering of his Oklahoma constituents.
Coburn insists, according to National Memo, that he will fight to make sure disaster funding from the federal government is paid for. It’s a position he has taken repeatedly during his career when Congress debated emergency funding for disaster aid.

On Tuesday, after Coburn’s stance attracted widespread criticism, the senator’s office released a statement slamming those who say he's more concerned with ideology than with the economic reality or the well-being of his constituents.

Rather than his first statement to the press be an apology for his statement, or, (God Forbid) sympathy for his constituents, Senator Coburn, instead, defended his stupidity:

“It is crass for critics to play disaster aid politics when first rescuers are pulling victims from the rubble,” the statement reads, ignoring the fact that Coburn himself barely waited before announcing his preemptive opposition to the still-undefined aid package.

Oklahoma's senior Senator Inofe pushed back on Coburn's negativity.  Senator, Jim Inhofe (R), declined to endorse Coburn’s position during a Tuesday morning appearance on MSNBC’s Morning Joe. Inhofe, who had called the Hurricane Sandy relief bill a “slush fund” before voting against it, insisted that the situation in Oklahoma is “totally different.” (Oh paleeeze! Really....????)

Well, both of Oklahoma's senators need to learn communications. They must take lessons from their state's governor Fallin, who clearly knows how to support her devastated citizens.

Perhaps, hopefully, one progressive outcome of the terrible Oklahoma tornado might be that voters will finally remove their two entrenched and highly paid senators. They need to be put out of office. (Especially, considering how Senator Coburn lied about recently debunked Benghazi emails, creating myths about another tragedy. Certainly, his deceitful behavior is grounds for censure.)

Meanwhile, Americans are emotionally united in support of the Moore, Oklahoma victims and all who were in harms way on Monday, May 20th, when the F5 destroyed their lives, forever.