In farewell remarks, Tom Coburn leaves his U.S. Senate colleagues with much to think about

By The Oklahoman Editorial Board | December 11, 2014

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Tom Coburn gave his farewell remarks to his U.S. Senate colleagues Thursday. As you might expect, Coburn, R-Muskogee, gave those in the Senate chamber plenty to think about.

Coburn, who is leaving office with two years remaining on his second six-year term, became emotional at times during his 30-minute speech, as when he mentioned at the outset “the great privilege that has been granted to me by the people of Oklahoma.”

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Another time came when he mentioned his father, whom he said wouldn’t recognize this country if he were alive today. In particular, “The loss of freedom that we have imposed by the arrogance of an all-too-powerful central government, ignoring the wisdom and writings of our Founders, who said above all you must protect the liberty of the individual and recognize that liberty is given as a God-given right.”

The Founders, Coburn said, “knew what happens when you dominate from a central government. It doesn’t mean the intentions are bad. The motivations are great … but the perspective of what we do and what the long-term consequences of how we do it, really do matter.

“We see ourselves today with a president we need to be supporting and praying for, with an economy that’s not doing what it could be doing, and we need to be asking the question, why? Is there a fundamental reason? And there is. We’re too involved in the decision making …”

Coburn, 66, a physician who has been called “Dr. No” because of his willingness to fight against bills that others, including some in his party, support, referenced the Founders again in apologizing to members he may have offended through the years. None of those actions were intended, he said, “because I actually see things different.”

“You see, I believe our Founders were absolutely brilliant, far smarter than us,” he said, his voice cracking. “I believe the enumerated powers meant something. They were meant to protect us against what history says always happens to a republic. They’ve all died. They’ve all died.

“So the question is, what will happen with us? Can we cheat history? Can we do something better than was done in the past? And I honestly believe we can, but I don’t believe we can if we continue to ignore the wisdom of our founding document.”