Tom Coburn: Humanitarian

[patric]

Last spring, the United States pledged nearly $1.2 billion in emergency aid to Haiti following its tragic earthquake that left hundreds of thousands of people dead and many more homeless.

Yet the Associated Press (AP) reports today that 'not a cent of the $1.15 billion the U.S. promised for rebuilding has arrived' to Haitians who badly the need the aid. This summer, both the House and the Senate passed a bill that would make $917 million available for Haiti reconstruction aid. Yet Congress must also pass an authorization bill that directs exactly how the money will be spent, and thus far, the U.S. Senate has failed to do.

The AP conducted its own investigation of why the Senate has failed to pass the authorization bill, and it discovered that a single senator 'pulled it for further study.' After calling dozens of senators' offices, the AP discovered that the senator holding up the bill is Tom Coburn (R-OK).

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-september-30-2010/tom-coburn--international-a--hole-of-mystery

[YoungTulsan]

Maybe he disapproved of inefficient streetlights in the rebuilding plans that needlessly waste electricity to profit the local energy concern?

Joking aside, that does seem pretty absurd if the reality is exactly as the news story portrays it.

[swake]

He's the biggest, and fakest, donkey in the Senate this site of Jim Inhofe.

[TeeDub]

I still have trouble understanding why it is the government's job to take care of people.

[Ed W]

I still have trouble understanding why it is the government's job to take care of people.

I can only speak for myself, of course, but I don't have any cargo ships, helicopters, trucks, or large numbers of medical professionals here in the house.  As far as I know, none of the area churches have them either.   

[Red Arrow]

I can only speak for myself, of course, but I don't have any cargo ships, helicopters, trucks, or large numbers of medical professionals here in the house.  As far as I know, none of the area churches have them either.   

Looking at some of the church properties around the area, they certainly have enough money to have cargo ships, helicopters......
It all depends on what's important.

[azbadpuppy]

Looking at some of the church properties around the area, they certainly have enough money to have cargo ships, helicopters......
It all depends on what's important.

Exactly! You hit it on the head.

That is why the government should be responsible for humanitarian aid. I shudder to think what the world would look like if administering 'help' was the responsibility of self-serving religious groups or greedy corporate America. 

[Red Arrow]

Now, if only we could convince some places in desperate need that our military ships etc are bringing aid and not invading that would help. I would also like to have the likeness of the US flag permanently attached to as many aid articles as reasonably possible.  Maybe, just maybe, it would show some of the citizens of misdirected governments that the US can drop something besides bombs.

[guido911]

Exactly! You hit it on the head.

That is why the government should be responsible for humanitarian aid. I shudder to think what the world would look like if administering 'help' was the responsibility of self-serving religious groups or greedy corporate America. 

That self-serving Mother Teresa is a prime example. eh axbad? BTW, have you ever been overseas to a Christian/Catholic mission and seen the work they do for the poor. I have. I have seen the results of what hard working volunteers and U.S. dollars given to charity, rather than to the efficiently and "responsible" run government programs, can do.

[azbadpuppy]

That self-serving Mother Teresa is a prime example. eh axbad? BTW, have you ever been overseas to a Christian/Catholic mission and seen the work they do for the poor. I have. I have seen the results of what hard working volunteers and U.S. dollars given to charity, rather than to the efficiently and "responsible" run government programs, can do.

Mother Theresa IS a prime example of how all of us should view helping the less fortunate. Unfortunately, she was also a rarity, and is certainly not an example of most religious groups I was referring to, as she believed in "the spiritual goodness of poverty." Try selling that one next Sunday morning in any church in Tulsa....

Private organizations and donations are obviously important factors in humanitarian efforts. But that is neither here nor there when it comes to the role of the government. One should not be a substitute for the other, as many would like to believe. What is so bad about the government taking care of those less fortunate, through no fault of their own?  I have never understood this way of thinking. It seems horribly selfish and self-serving.

Personally I would much rather see my tax dollars spent building people and communities up, rather than tearing them down.

[guido911]

Mother Theresa IS a prime example of how all of us should view helping the less fortunate. Unfortunately, she was also a rarity, and is certainly not an example of most religious groups I was referring to, as she believed in "the spiritual goodness of poverty." Try selling that one next Sunday morning in any church in Tulsa....

Private organizations and donations are obviously important factors in humanitarian efforts. But that is neither here nor there when it comes to the role of the government. One should not be a substitute for the other, as many would like to believe. What is so bad about the government taking care of those less fortunate, through no fault of their own?  I have never understood this way of thinking. It seems horribly selfish and self-serving.

Personally I would much rather see my tax dollars spent building people and communities up, rather than tearing them down.

So the answer is "NO", you have never been to an overseas mission and saw the hard work done by charitable organizations. Nice to know you apparently do your charitable giving through tax dollars.

[azbadpuppy]

So the answer is "NO", you have never been to an overseas mission and saw the hard work done by charitable organizations. Nice to know you apparently do your charitable giving through tax dollars.

Jesus loves you Guido.

[guido911]

Jesus loves you Guido.

Clever retort. But thanks for proving my point why anti-religion gravy trainers are so hostile to the work done by true charitable givers as opposed to mere taxpayers...

[Red Arrow]

I think many "true charitable givers" would give less if they didn't get the tax deduction.

Churches, Red Cross, etc do a lot of good work. The US Military still has the capability of faster response.  Whether or not that happens is usually politics.

[Gaspar]

The bill in question has a clause that creates a new appointed title:  The office of Senior Haiti Coordinator.  This title comes with a Million Dollars a year funding.  That's why Senator Coburn has pulled the bill.  We already have an Ambassador to Haiti, Kenneth Merten who this responsibility falls under.  Coburn is against the creation of multiple government offices with duplicate responsibilities and massive taxpayer funding.

I'm sure when the bill was written, Clyburn, Cantor, Rangle, and Camp had a fine lobbyist friend in mind for the position.