Who Hijacked Our Country

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Obama’s Recess “Dilemma”

Should President Obama use this brief end-of-the-year recess period to squeeze in as many recess appointments as humanly possible?  Does the Pope shit in the woods?

This article — Obama’s Recess Dilemma — warns of the political risks involved if Obama takes advantage of this recess period.

Risks?  Oh my God, now that I think about it, Congressional Republicans might not be nice to him any more.  Bitch McConnell and Jim DeMented might come right out and say that their top priority is to make Obama a one-term president.  The U.S. Chamber of Commerce might say mean things about him and start raising money for his opponents.  The Koch Brothers might call him a “hardcore socialist.”

We certainly wouldn’t want this sort of thing to happen now, would we?

The Republicans have done everything they possibly could to derail Obama’s every move.  When there’s a roadblock — or in this case a huge mountain of shit in the middle of the road — you have to go around.  Take a detour.  Make those recess appointments!

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has been basically unable to function since the agency was created — much to the joy of Wall Street lobbyists and their Republican prostitutes.  First, Republicans blocked Elizabeth Warren, who basically designed this agency, from heading it.  And they’ve also blocked Richard Cordray — Obama’s second choice — from heading the agency.  The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau was designed to PREVENT another repeat of the 2008 Wall Street meltdown, and there’s been nobody in charge of this agency since its creation.  This is entirely because of Republicans’ continued obstruction.  For God’s sake, use this recess period to appoint Richard Cordray.

The National Labor Relations Board is just about to lose its ability to function; again because of Republicans blocking every appointment.  The Board has five positions, but only three of these positions are filled.  And that third position, which was filled via recess appointment last year, is about to expire.  With only two people and three vacant positions, the Board will not have quorum.  Republicans think this is great; people who work for a living might think otherwise.  Again:  Recess Appointment.

I have no idea how many dozens, scores of high-ranking federal positions remain unfilled after years of Republicans blocking, holding and filibustering every appointment Obama tries to make.

That phrase again:  recess appointment.  Do it!

Labels: , , , , ,

18 Comments:

Blogger Jerry Critter said...

Yes, just fucking DO IT!

December 28, 2011 at 6:22 PM  
Blogger Randal Graves said...

I hated recess dilemmas, like when the plows hadn't pushed all the snow next to the fence, which always made a nice cushion on an overthrow.

December 29, 2011 at 3:17 AM  
Blogger MRMacrum said...

Given Obama Man's tendency to avoid risk at all costs, I don't hold out much hope he will do anything that will add ammunition for the right to use against him.

That said, maybe once he is in his second and final term, he will re-locate his balls and take it to them.

The time is now for the leadership of the Left to be confrontational. But they won't. Damn pussies.

December 29, 2011 at 6:09 AM  
Blogger Lisa said...

It's not the Republicans who don't like his policies.
He got alot of legislation passed with alot of public opposition. You think anything else he rams through is going to boost his popularity?

December 29, 2011 at 8:15 AM  
Blogger Tom Harper said...

Jerry: Fuckin' right!

Randal: I haven't had a recess dilemma since grade school.

MRM: I too hope that after his re-election, his balls and spine will be found.

December 29, 2011 at 12:41 PM  
Anonymous Jolly Roger said...

It's not the Republicans who don't like his policies.
He got alot of legislation passed with alot of public opposition. You think anything else he rams through is going to boost his popularity?


Dumb broad, when people hear about the specifics of a lot of that legislation (without the MSM/Fox "News" filter you cousin-products prefer,) they like it. A LOT of it.

Now would you get your dumb ass back in the kitchen and knit me some socks? It's damn cold around here.

December 29, 2011 at 2:39 PM  
Blogger Lisa said...

This comment has been removed by the author.

December 29, 2011 at 4:09 PM  
Blogger Lisa said...

when people hear about the specifics of a lot of that legislation (without the MSM/Fox "News" filter you cousin-products prefer,) they like it. A LOT of it.

That's because they hear it from the left wing media like MSNBC and the rest of the MSM.
They make it sound good.Just like they made Obama sound good with i fake Hollywood sets behind him as he read Shakespeare from the tele-prompter with the hopeless and the hapless chanting
"Obama,Obama,Obama" or singing some stupid song at school with a retarded teacher in front conducting them like she is having a seizure.

December 29, 2011 at 4:13 PM  
Blogger jadedj said...

Jolly Roger...you are wasting your breathe...as we all who follow this blog have come to learn. The iphone Siri has better ideas than this fool known as Lisa.

December 29, 2011 at 5:35 PM  
Blogger Snave said...

Michelle Bachmann refuses to use a teleprompter during her speeches, because if she did she would be too much like the president, who she considers inferior... but she has no problem reading her speeches from an iPad. Pot, meet kettle.

It is also a pretty sad comment when someone believes that an animated teacher who can inspire students is necessarily "retarded" because they give so much of themselves for the students.

Jadedj nailed it in the previous comment.

As for recess appointments, I believe the president should make as many of them as he can. How else will the people he prefers get where he wants them to be? The simple answer: they can't, because the GOP will see to it that they can't. So I'm happy with him making end runs around them at this point.

December 29, 2011 at 5:50 PM  
Blogger Jerry Critter said...

I didn't hear the republicans bitching when Bush did recess appointments.

December 29, 2011 at 6:17 PM  
Blogger Lisa said...

animated teacher who can inspire students

Inspire or influence?

December 29, 2011 at 7:07 PM  
Blogger Lisa said...

by the way don't forget to boycott Girl Scout Cookies

December 29, 2011 at 7:07 PM  
Blogger Snave said...

Why boycott Girl Scout cookies, Lisa? Because the Thin Mints and Do-si-dos use ingredients that are harmful to orangutan habitat? No, I suppose you are boycotting them because the Girl Scouts have ties to Planned Parenthood? No, probably not, because you probably aren't aware that they do! LOL

So, teachers don't inspire students, they just "influence" them... tsk, tsk, tsk. Well, I'll tell you, I'm a teacher who works with "retarded" kids as well as ones who are in regular ed, and I NEVER try to influence my students politically. That would be as bad as parents making their kids go to church before the kids are old enough to make up their minds about religion, right? But I don't suppose you'd have a problem with that. 8-)

December 29, 2011 at 9:15 PM  
Blogger Snave said...

Jerry, you are right. We never heard the Republicans bitching about Bush's recess appointments, all we heard was the cheering. 8-)

December 29, 2011 at 9:16 PM  
Anonymous S.W. Anderson said...

It can be a hard call. If Obama recess-appoints someone he really, really wants in a particular post, like Cordray, the president and appointee must settle for it only lasting a year. IOW, to the end of the next session. That can be rough, especially with a new agency.

It can also be a disservice to the appointee. The person is being asked to interrupt his/her career elsewhere, but possibly for too short a time to really get stuff done and establish a good record of accomplishment.

Interesting piece on recess appointments here.

December 30, 2011 at 6:25 PM  
Blogger Tom Harper said...

SW: Thanks for the link. It definitely shows the issue to be more complex and uncertain that I'd thought. I was more befuddled after I read the article than I was before I read it :)

December 31, 2011 at 2:12 PM  
Blogger Lisa said...

The current practice is that a recess within a session of Congress must be at least three days to enable the president to make recess appointments. However, it’s not clear whether that practice, from a Clinton-era DOJ statement, is binding or not, nor whether there is in fact any Constitutionally mandated minimum length of recess.

So much certainty huh?

January 2, 2012 at 10:13 AM  

Post a Comment

<< Home