No, really. What in the fuck is this?
Sen. Tom Coburn is blocking legislation that would provide $20 million a year in federal funding for the National September 11 Memorial & Museum at ground zero, demanding that co-sponsors of the bill come up with cuts to pay for the spending, his office confirmed to POLITICO.
“Our debt is our greatest national security threat, and Dr. Coburn makes no apologies for forcing Congress to make choices and avoid unnecessary borrowing,” said John Hart, a spokesman for the Oklahoma Republican. “If providing federal funding for this effort is a critical national priority, the sponsors should pay for this effort by reducing spending on lower-priority programs.
“It is also important to question why we need a $20 million earmark for a 9/11 memorial when private and patriotic Americans across the country are generously supporting this noble cause,” Hart added.
Dear Tom Coburn,
If douchebags like Tom Coburn had been in power at the time, it's entirely possible monuments such as the Vietnam Veterans Memorial never would have happened because he would have demanded we offset the spending with cuts elsewhere. That we should leave it up to private business to operate a memorial marking a national tragedy. Ya' know, profitably.