Back in the Ring
You don’t have to be a Republican to admire Dr. Tom Coburn. Do you admire people who keep their word? Then tip your hat to Coburn. He had pledged to limit his own terms when he first ran for Congress back in the mid-’90s, and he did, retiring in 2000. Even during his three terms in office, he kept up his obstetrics practice in Muskogee. So “retirement” was simply from politics.
He has always been busy. And funny thing is, from the first days of his first term, he didn’t meekly stay in the background, “learning and watching and waiting.” Nope. He got involved. He relentlessly criticized pork-barrel spending. He piped up for Medicare and Social Security reform at every chance. Though anti-term limiters say it takes a long time for representatives to learn the ropes, Coburn showed how quickly a smart, honest man can catch on, even beating some of his opponents into the ropes.
When he bowed out, anti-term limiters were probably as relieved as I was impressed. But now he’s back, running for the U.S. Senate. Term limits needn’t keep a good man out of politics forever. And he’s already stirring up a ruckus. It is obvious, Bob Novak remarks, that “Tom Coburn is not running to be the most popular senator.” Indeed, some Republicans hate the doctor. Why? Coburn argues that “moral corruption” is “now attempting to undermine our republic.” And that corruption, Coburn suggests, is bi-partisan. Which is why true, small-r republicans of all parties watch his race with interest.
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.
