Nov 19, 2015 from 2008 until he retired from the senate in january 2015, sen. Carrying on the tradition of retired senator tom coburn rok, senator jeff flake raz this week released the 2015 edition of the. John mccain raz took up the cause after coburn retired. What is the total amount of government waste identified by sen. The list senator jeff flake december 8, 2015 senatore jeff flake. Coburn, who retired from the senate in 2015 amid complications with cancer.
The report highlights 100 silly, unnecessary, and low priority projects funded by federal tax dollars or. Government documents general collection and was provided by unt libraries government documents department to unt digital library, a digital repository hosted by the unt libraries. Tom coburn, who was known for his staunch conservatism and crossparty friendship with former president barack obama. Tom coburn s annual report on ridiculous spending choices is probably one of the biggest victories of the report, because it means the state department canceled the project after the senators staffers asked about it. Coburn, who also delivered more than 4,000 babies while an obstetrician in muskogee, where he. Republican senator tom coburn, of oklahoma, tallies government spending on a megablimp, a pizza. This type of response is expected and this report is intended to add to the ongoing larger debate.
Coburn report reveals waste citizens against government waste. Known simply as the waste book, the report is a watchlist of eyeopening expenditures, which coburn blames on a let them eat caviar attitude in washington at a time when 23 million of our. Coburn states in the introduction to his wastebook that his mission is to reduce the burden of debt being left to be paid off by our children and grandchildren. House and most of two terms in the senate, campaigned on the promise not serve any more than three terms in each chamber. He said to cbs news nancy cordes in a recent interview, where was the adult in the room when this was going on. From funding stupid science projects to criminal fraud to. In his press release announcing the publication of his annual wastebook summarizing 100 examples of egregious, wasteful, and outrageous government spending, oklahoma senator tom coburn tried to make himself appear holier than thou by distancing himself from the rolling disaster in washington. Senator, oklahoma some of the projects listed within this report may indeed serve useful purposes or have merit and those associated with the projects may disagree that they are not national priorities. Released in october, wastebook 2012 highlights 100 projects costing taxpayers more. Oct 22, 2014 these expenses all feature in oklahoma sen. Tom coburn highlights ridiculous government spending in. Tom coburn highlights ridiculous government spending in final wastebook. Tom coburns legacy citizens against government waste. But what do the researchers behind these projects have to say.
Coburn report reveals waste citizens against government. Tom coburn, releasing a report detailing 100 ways the government dropped the ball instances of waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer dollars that took place in the federal government this year. His annual wastebook has regularly provided valuable information for taxpayers regarding the specific ways the federal government wastes money. The cover for the star wars themed report portrays flake as the luke skywalker to coburns obi wan. What senator coburn s list of fraud, abuse, and overspending doesnt tell us. Using article v to restore freedom and stop runaway government. Wastebook 2015 the unrelenting wasteful spending of washington. Lankford has followed in the footsteps of his predecessor, sen. Steve russell laid out 10 of the worst instances of government waste tuesday in his first waste watch publication, the washington examiner reports. Government documents general collection and was provided by unt libraries government documents department to unt digital library. Former oklahoma senator tom coburn dead at 72 peoples. Wastebook definition of wastebook by the free dictionary. The federal spending wastebook is outrageous in more.
He said to cbs news nancy cordes in a recent interview, where was. Wastebook 2014 the report washington doesnt want you to read reveals the 100 most outlandish government expenditures this year, costing taxpayers billions of dollars. The wastebook facebook page is a joint project of senator tom coburn and senator mark kirk to expose wasteful, duplicative and inefficient spending of. Dec 07, 2015 the latest in a series originally launched by retired senator tom coburn, each wastebook targets a range of federallyfunded projects, many of them sciencerelated, which the authors declare a waste of taxpayers money. Using article v to restore freedom and stop runaway government coburn, tom on. Tom coburn is going out with a bang with his final wastebook. Tom coburn s life is a testament to the power of personal integrity, and his integrity was as fixed as the north star because it was built on his faith in jesus. Tom coburn, an oklahoma family doctor who earned a reputation as a conservative political maverick as he railed against federal earmarks and subsidies for the rich, has died. Nov 12, 2012 during his 17 years as a senator and representative, senator tom coburn rokla.
During his 17 years as a senator and representative, senator tom coburn rokla. His last official action as a senator in january 2015 was to release a report presenting the findings of his decade of oversight of dhs. On march 28, the day after president trump signed the cares act into law, former u. Coburn, who retired from the senate in 2015 amid complications with cancer, died late friday. Tom coburn was always going to be a tough act to follow when it came to. He was known for unwavering opposition to abortion, samesex marriage, and federal government waste and expansion. Coburn trusted the genius of regular people and distrusted the dc elites. Flake is one of a number of legislators taking up the waste watching banner of mr. Senator coburn highlights ridiculous government spending in. Coburns father was an optician and founder of coburn optical industries, and a named donor to o. Oct 22, 2014 the office of senator tom coburn released its fifth annual wastebook. In the 2014 edition of the wastebook, coburn notes that getting rid of the practice of pork barrel spending is next to impossible. Tom coburn s annual wastebook, a ranking of 2014s top 100 worst examples of government waste, including outofthisworld spending on research. The longtime doctor lost that battle over the weekend, finally succumbing to the cancer hed managed to.
Jeff flake, who inherited the wastebook when coburn retired after the 2014 edition. Senator tom coburns government oversight legacy thehill. Roland foster, said he died from complications from prostate cancer, a disease that prompted his retirement from congress in 2015. Highlighted in the annual wastebook report on government spending, the 28foot joint, which also. Flake continues coburns tradition elizabeth harrington on december 8, 2015 sen. Rand paul rky releases the annual wastebook, and this year contains some real doozies. Coburn, an oklahoma republican who, during his 10 years in the senate, shamed the government into canceling. Flake continues coburns tradition washington free beacon. No for his conservative stand on fiscal matters, died saturday in oklahoma, his family announced.
Dec 21, 2010 what senator coburns list of fraud, abuse, and overspending doesnt tell us. Each year, a senate republican releases the wastebook, detailing wasteful government spending. Oct 20, 2015 published on oct 20, 2015 our nations finances are in shambles, and d. Elizabeth harrington is a senior writer for the washington free beacon. Oct 16, 2012 known simply as the waste book, the report is a watchlist of eyeopening expenditures, which coburn blames on a let them eat caviar attitude in washington at a time when 23 million of our. Tom coburn was always going to be a tough act to follow when it came to producing the colorful wastebook that he and his staff produced every year to document what they. Theres a reason politicians are always loath to cut government budgets. Between 2011 and 2014, the annual publication was called the wastebook. Wastebook 2015 the unrelenting wasteful spending of washington senator tom coburn of oklahoma has been one of the very few politicians in washington who have taken the time to identify and document the incredible amount of taxpayer wealth that the government wastes every year. The federal spending wastebook is outrageous in more ways. Tom coburn had a legacy of exposing the worst of the federal governments waste.
Six examples of government waste from this years budgethawk. Senator coburn highlights ridiculous government spending. If theres one thing everyone admired about senator tom coburn, its that he was a fighter. Fortunately, as senator tom coburn explains, there is a solution that doesnt involve going through congress. In it, the retiring oklahoma senator laces into the national institutes of health for complaining about lack of. Saturday january 28th, 2017 posted by craig eyermann at 10. Rabbit massages, tax breaks for the national football league nfl, shrimp on a treadmill, unemployment payments to millionaires and other subsidies for the. He fought for america, for what was right, and since he was 28 years old for his life. Tom coburn was always going to be a tough act to follow when it came to producing the colorful wastebook that he and. Known simply as the waste book, the report is a watchlist of eyeopening expenditures, which coburn blames on a let them eat caviar attitude in washington. Oklahoma senator tom coburn releases his annual wastebook. Senator coburn highlights ridiculous government spending in final wastebook. Though flakes report has a unique star warsthemed flair, the wastebook falls in line with nowretired sen. Lankford picks up coburn baton on government waste politico.
Senator tom coburn rok speaks to reporters on wastebook 20, his annual report on egregious federal spending. Tom coburn, an oklahoma family doctor who earned a reputation as a conservative political maverick as he railed against federal earmarks and subsidies for the. Giant joint, treadmill for fish highlight wastebook 2016. About austin yack follow austin yack on twitter january 10, 2017 6. James lankford is making a play for the wastecutting legacy of his predecessor tom coburn. From 2008 until he retired from the senate in january 2015, sen. Theyve all been made possible with taxpayer assistance, according to the latest survey of government waste put out by sen. Coburn lost yearslong battle with cancer former senator tom coburn, rok. With no one watching over the vast bureaucracy, the problem is not just what washington isnt doing, but what it is doing.
Wastebook 2015 the unrelenting wasteful spending of. Oct 27, 2014 wastebook 2015 the unrelenting wasteful spending of washington senator tom coburn of oklahoma has been one of the very few politicians in washington who have taken the time to identify and document the incredible amount of taxpayer wealth that the government wastes every year. Tom coburn, tracking government waste theres an app for that, the wall street journal, 107 2015 dr. Tom coburn highlights ridiculous government spending in final. Coburn was born in casper, wyoming, the son of anita joy nee allen and orin wesley coburn. So coburn s report illustrates the success of the big government to which he himself is an occasional contributor. Senator tom coburn created wastebook to do just that and put a real face on questionable spending. Mar 28, 2020 coburn, an obstetrician who served three terms in the u.
Examples of wasteful spending highlighted in wastebook 2014 include. James lankford is making a play for the waste cutting legacy of his predecessor tom coburn. Friday december 11th, 2015 posted by craig eyermann at 4. Oct 24, 2014 those are the charges leveled in oklahoma sen. Here are the most wasteful government projects in 2019. The only way to stop wasteful washington spending is by shining a light on it whenever and wherever it occurs, even if it is in your own state, says sen. Senators wastebook notes that getting rid of the practice of pork barrel spending is next to impossible. Gambling monkeys, massages for rabbits, and paid leave for federal workers who are underperforming or even engaging in criminal mischief these are some of the projects listed in senator tom coburn s rok wastebook 2014, the annual list of wasteful government projects put out by the senator. Congressman publishes 10 worst examples of government.
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