Coburn happy he can't bring gun to Senate

PRYOR, Okla., Aug. 18 (UPI) -- U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., told constituents economic stagnation will persist and suggested Medicare is unconstitutional.

Speaking Tuesday to large crowds in Claremore, Langley, Pryor and Muskogee, Coburn also predicted the tenuous debt-ceiling agreement reached by Congress this month won't last long, the Tulsa World reported Thursday.

"We have less than 16 months to fix this," Coburn told a Chamber of Commerce group in Langley. "I can promise you that come July you're going to see some tough, tough stuff in this country."

Encountering opposition from a crowd at Integris Mayes County Medical Center in Pryor to his proposed cuts to Medicare and veterans benefits, Coburn suggested Medicare is unconstitutional.

"Show me where in the Constitution the federal government is responsible for your healthcare?" Coburn quipped, adding, "You can't tell me the system is better now than it was before Medicare."

Coburn lambasted Congress as "cowards" and a "class of career elitists," warning, "It's just a good thing I can't pack a gun on the Senate floor."

While shooting down claims President Barack Obama hates America, Coburn nonetheless said Obama's "intent is not to destroy; his intent is to create dependency because it worked so well for him."

"As an African-American male" Obama received "tremendous advantage from a lot of these programs," Coburn said.