GOPer: ‘I Love Gridlock’ Because it Means ‘We’re Not Passing Things’

This post was originally published on Think Progress.

Yesterday, CNN released a survey showing that “Americans overwhelmingly believe that the government is broken.” In all, 86 percent of respondents said the government is broken, an increase of eight percentage points since 2006. In a town hall meeting on Friday, Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) said that the broken nature of Congress was a good thing, declaring, “I love gridlock”:

Coburn then segued into his relationship with the Democratic leader of the U.S. Senate.

“I get along well with Harry Reid,” Coburn said, saying they have a great relationship.

However, Coburn said the media never reports that because “that doesn’t sell newspapers.”

He went on to say that he is for gridlock in Congress.

“I love gridlock,” Coburn said. “I think we’re better off when we’re gridlocked because we’re not passing things.”

Coburn — the Senate’s “Dr. No” — believes that “charges of obstructionism are a mark of honor he will wear as proudly,” according to a New York Times profile from last October.