Letters to the editor: Sunday, December 10, 2006

Regarding “Coburn planning to block ag disaster aid bill” (news story, Dec. 4): U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn deserves a badge of courage for working to balance the legitimate needs of Oklahoma farmers and ranchers with the need to better control federal spending. He recognizes that agriculture in our state has been hit hard by drought conditions during the past two years and deserves to be helped. However, he also knows how special interests in Washington prey upon crisis situations and try to manipulate the legislative process to get their pet projects funded. For example, how does spending $3.7 million to study termites in Hawaii help offset losses suffered by wheat farmers and cattle ranchers in Oklahoma?

At some point, all Americans need to understand that today our nation’s unfunded obligations are approaching $60 trillion. According to the Heritage Foundation, this amount is equivalent to every household owing over $500,000. Fortunately, Coburn is leading the charge to restore some fiscal sanity and responsibility to the federal budget. He’s on the right track to eliminate unnecessary spending and to make government better — not bigger. If he keeps shedding light on the pork barrel politics of the past, farmers and ranchers as well as all taxpayers will benefit.

Dusty Martin
Edmond
Martin was a chief legislative assistant to former U.S. Sen. David Boren.