A Boston Tea Party …(Eighteen Holes Of Golf)

There is a question that goes like this: If you could choose three people to go golfing with, who would it be? I used to answer that question by saying Bobby Knight, Bill Parcells, and Charles Barkley. Each person would say exactly what was on his mind. If I had to choose three politicians it would be Tom Coburn, John McCain, and Ken Blackwell with apologies to Alan Simpson but I can only choose three. Again, each of these gentlemen would not mince words.

Everyone knows who five of these six men are. Ken Blackwell is the mystery. Mr. Blackwell is running for governor in Ohio. Mr. Blackwell is black and is a Republican. Why would I want to golf with him? Mr. Blackwell believes as I do that you cannot call yourself a conservative and grow the size of government at the same time. He believes, as any true conservative should, an increase in the size of government is nothing more than career politicians purchasing job security. Career politicians place their individual constituencies above those of the nation. Mr. Blackwell is running to the right of most Republicans in Ohio.

Like Blackwell, Senator Tom Coburn has very little time for those who decide to make political office their career. As George Will recently wrote, “Coburn tartly told a Senator there is not one mention in the oath (of office) of your state.'' Our career politicians have turned governance on its ear. The oath they live by is “take home as much as you can to earn re-election regardless of whether it serves the national interest or not”. Coburn does not swear to this oath but instead promises to only serve two terms as a Senator.

McCain has made a career as a politician so he would be challenged by the other three. He like the rest of this foursome is not concerned with whether he ruffles a few feathers in his own party. He like the others calls things as he sees them. It would be interesting to hear Coburn and Blackwell debate McCain on the validity of being a career politician over eighteen holes of golf. While they see making political office a career differently, McCain and Coburn are combining to end all earmarks by bringing each pork project up for an up or down vote and thereby shaming current members of Congress into fiscal responsibility.

During this fabulous round of golf I would hope to offer hints that a team of McCain and Coburn would make for a nice President and Vice President combination. There would be agreements on many issues and disagreement on others. The conversation would be lively and interesting. Eighteen holes of golf and solving the nations fiscal problems … is there anything better?