Dr. Coburn on President Obama’s plan

U.S. Senator Tom Coburn, M.D. (R-OK) released the following statement after President Obama’s joint session where he revealed his plan for creating jobs and stimulating our economy.

“President Obama was wise to challenge Congress to not spend the next 14 months campaigning instead of leading and legislating.  The American people can’t afford for us to put off tough choices any longer.  

“The best way to create certainty in this economy is for Congress and the president to do big things – not small things – to fix entitlement programs, reform our tax code and eliminate wasteful and duplicative spending that is a drag on our economy.  Trillions of dollars are sitting on the sidelines while Congress, particularly the Senate, dawdles.

“However, singling out and ridiculing tax breaks for oil companies while touting tax credits for renewable energy doesn’t move us any closer to the kind of fundamental tax reform we need to stimulate real economic growth and job creation.

“Still, we can start with small steps. Congress and the president could work together tomorrow to cut at least $100 billion – and probably much more – in duplicative spending the Government Accountability Office identified earlier this year.  The GAO report was enthusiastically embraced on both sides of the aisle yet Congress has done absolutely nothing to act on those recommendations.  We don’t need a super committee to tell us we would be better off with one job training program that worked instead 47 that don’t work.”