Budget Talks Imperiled by ‘Gang of Six’ Defection

Source: The New York Times

WASHINGTON — The already weak prospects for a bipartisan debt-reduction deal this year dimmed further on Tuesday when a Republican member of the Senate’s so-called “Gang of Six,” Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, withdrew after months of private negotiations amid differences over changes to Medicare.

“He is disappointed the group has not been able to bridge the gap between what needs to happen and what senators will support,” a Coburn spokesman, John Hart, said in a statement. “He has decided to take a break from the talks.”

While the statement characterized the group’s talks as being at “an impasse,” it left little doubt that Mr. Coburn did not expect to return. “He still hopes the Senate will, on a bipartisan basis, pass a long-term deficit-reduction package this year,” Mr. Hart said. “He looks forward to working with anyone who is interested in putting forward a plan that is specific, balanced and comprehensive.”

The talks are separate from negotiations begun recently between the White House and Congressional leaders on reducing the debt. But the progress of the Gang of Six was seen as a harbinger of whether the two parties could come together and compromise on spending and taxes.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/18/us/18coburn.html

Maybe he's just anxious to remove himself from the spotlight, since the Ensign mess gives such good promise of eventually pulling him down.

"Maybe he's just anxious to remove himself from the spotlight, since the Ensign mess gives such good promise of eventually pulling him down."

politicians playing strip poker. The ones that win keep their clothes on. The losers get to run up and down the halls of Congress stitch stark naked.

I think Sen. Coburn has more on his mind than Medicare. The shit's hitting the fan regarding his involvement in the Ensign coverup scandal.

One IQ point per member. In fact, Coburn's departure might kick it up a digit or two! All SIX of these fruitcake's ought to be DEEP SIXED as far as their supposed whiz-dumbs are concerned. :dunce::dunce::dunce::dunce::dunce::dunce:

guess he is real serious about fixing the budget problems.
what a drama queen?

And Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) who pretended to be serious about a compromise bill when the goal from the start was to stall so opposition could be built. Same with Coburn here. He couldn't be trusted from the start, just like Gressley. The lesson here is to be very careful about who you invite into your group to begin with.

it has to have republicans and be friendly to Republican goals.

And if you are going to leave out infiltrators and sabatours determined to see the president and democrats fail, you will not be able to invite republicans to the group.

So what is a incipient gang in formational stages to do?

Despite all the talk about defecit, the true goal of the right wing is to cripple country in order the help their chances in the 2012 election.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/gang-of-six-on-verge-of-collapse-as-republican-sen-coburn-withdraws/2011/05/17/AFA4f75G_story.html