President Obama Wins Showdown With GOP Over Appointments
UPDATE: Ah, this is still the same Obama we're used to. Apparently the appointments that went through aren't the most important ones - he's still letting them block NLRB appointees Craig Becker and Mark Pearce.
Who knew? Apparently the president does indeed have a spine:
The Senate confirmed a huge group of administration nominees on Thursday, following a tense exchange between President Barack Obama and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).
At a White House meeting with bipartisan congressional leaders on Tuesday, Obama warned that he would make recess appointments if the logjam over nominees wasn’t broken before the Senate left for the Presidents’ Day break.
“Mitch, this is unprecedented,” the president said, gesturing forcefully on the Cabinet Room table, according to aides. “If you don’t move any, I’m going to do some appointments.”
The 27 confirmations mean no recess appointments will be needed during this break, top administration officials said. Recess appointments, which a president can make when Congress is not in session, are temporary and generally last to the end of the year.
In a statement Thursday night, Obama said: "At the beginning of the week, a staggering 63 nominees had been stalled in the Senate because one or more senators placed a hold on their nomination. ... And so on Tuesday, I told Senator McConnell that if Republican senators did not release these holds, I would exercise my authority to fill critically-needed positions in the federal government temporarily through the use of recess appointments. ... Since that meeting, I am gratified that Republican senators have responded by releasing many of these holds and allowing 29 nominees to receive a vote in the Senate. While this is a good first step, there are still dozens of nominees on hold who deserve a similar vote, and I will be looking for action from the Senate when it returns from recess. If they do not act, I reserve the right to use my recess appointment authority in the future."
I wonder what the Chinless Wonder is saying today?
If anything?
I dunno but in our language it means he is finally ball busting. Now that will keep getting positive play with the working people in this country. We want him to fight on Health care and on the Banks. Show some more guts Mr President.
Southern Yankee
And whatever you do, don't hit me with your balls."
Yes, the parade of body parts from the meme-ographers of Democratic emasculation continue. But let's not attack Ann Coulter. That would offend people who truly are involved in part removal.
"I mean Romney is the most conservative on illegal immigration and I don't think Ronald Reagan could get elected in California today."
Ann "Clipped" Coulter
Hate to break it to you all, but the Republicans will consider this a win. Obama should just recess appoint the remainder of the nominees being held up in the process.
Just because they threw him this scrap, doesn't mean that they're going to stop slowing down the process.
Halt the process. When Obama bitches about it, give him a few. When he gets the few, he concedes the rest...watch for a Friday announcement that the remainder will be held up again. Then, just before the next recess...throw him another bone.
Not a win.
In a closed society where everybody's guilty, the only crime is getting caught. In a world of thieves, the only final sin is stupidity. - Hunter S. Thompson
Now, show the same leadership on healthcare!
Please.
Pretty Please!
NOBODY 2012
What the hell was McConnell thinking? He clearly walked right into a trap.
plus Boehner gets fainty after a tanning setup and needs a ride home.
"I mean Romney is the most conservative on illegal immigration and I don't think Ronald Reagan could get elected in California today."
Ann "Clipped" Coulter
Thank you. You may be beginning to understand the ways of the Republican. They're bullies - you have to get tough to get their respect.
He got 27. Who got left off?
"I mean Romney is the most conservative on illegal immigration and I don't think Ronald Reagan could get elected in California today."
Ann "Clipped" Coulter
So Obama's position seems to be: I'm willing to give up on my base and totally disregard what they elected me to do, so I can have enough Republican ideas in here to at least call it bipartisan even though I already know - as does everyone else - that not a single Republican will vote for it.
Republicans have a win win there. Even in the minority they're the guys OUR Democratic President is trying to satisfy. Not his base.
That's for sure.
He should have just made the appointments without any notice or fanfare until after he had done them. That would have instilled some trepidation in the Republikans, at least. Maybe some actual fear or even respect.
good, 29 have been released, but why not all 63? bout time obama began showing some spine. make the gop fear him
that has to confirm them. How many do you think the Senate confirmation committee are going to get to in one day? They aren't going to do a blanket confirmation.
we're only getting part of the story. There were actually 90 appointments that needed to be made. This 29 are only the easy ones. The rest are still pending. Obama hasn't won anything.
Since the start of the recession in December 2007, the labor force has declined by a total of 810,000 workers. This includes an increase of 1.2 million from December 2007 to May 2009 and a decrease of 1.9 million from June 2009 to December 2009. Adult men made up two-thirds of the decline in the adult labor force from June to December of last year.
At the end of 2008, America had 2.800.000 unemployed. Add 700.000 from January. Add 600.000 from February. Add 650.000 from March. Now, tell me my fellow Republicans haters, WTF Obama policies have to do with this mess that your man Bush caused? Obama was sworn in on 20 January 2010. It takes close to six months for his policies to go into effect and trickle down into the system. Therefore, it is not until July of 2010 when Obama’s finally policies beginning to take place. And they are working. Prove? We still function as a nation. Jobs? That won't happen. Remember Bush corporate friends outsourcing to China in laying off American workers in the last eight years. I bet you conveniently won't remember that. Now, explain to me. How do you dare to compare six months of Obama’s policies against 8 years of pillaging, ransacking, stealing, Black Water, Halliburton, Iraq, 9 billion dollars disappeared in Iraq, from the pallets, 299.000 weapons stolen in Iraq, billions wasted in Afghanistan.
Do you have an answer? NO. The only thing you have is HATE, HATE, HATE, and HATE. The truth is, you can't stand that actually a black man went and visit the Republican caucus in Baltimore last week, and kicked all their asses. Black and intelligent. I bet you miss Bush stupidity. You can't stand a black man is trying and might save America from the this chaos. That's what's causing and feeding your hate. Then, burn, baby, burn. Consume yourself...and die.
Too much of an injury for you Republicans to bear. You are also insulted that you are in powered and cannot put your filthy hands on the US Treasury. You broke the nation fiscal program in eight years. You mean, you're still not satisfied?
What I meant is: Obama was sworn in on the 20 of January. It's not like his policies will be enacted on the 21, the next day. It took months of wrangling and arguing in order to come up with his policies and visions. June or July, which it is when we finally saw what policies will be implemented. Give another six months for those policies to start working, that means that from December 2009 on , we'll be able feel the economic in America. Republicans understand all this. But the problem is, these people has to no intention to participate in rebuilding the American economy. They lost power. They are bitter pissed. They were defeated by a black man who, faced one by one all candidates and contenders, defeated them all, and was elected by the people it ample margin. Obama was not appointed by Papi's Supreme Court friends; Obama did not need to disenfranchise anybody like in happen in Florida. There was no brother Governor to "cooperate" with election results. Obama was no ex-President's son to pump up his charisma. OBAMA is the personification of perseverance, leadership, and acute intelligence.
The Republican can't their lay hands in the National Treasury, they are powerless. And that’s why they are so pissed. And what about America's future and the American people? They just couldn't give a shit about it. Ask Black Water and all those accomplices of the destruction of our country.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vF5IswNqeGM
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
so I may have missed some earlier posts of yours but it is a pleasure to have you back sir. I hope all is well with you.
Hasa Diga Eebowai
You can bet the farm there won't be any more holds removed until a few days before the next congressional recess. Threats are all they understand.
29 may be all they could remove in short order. I wouldn't be surprised to see many of the other holds quietly disappear now that they know the jig is up on this. There will still be holds, but maybe only for the cases in which they think they can make some political headway.
and has apparently agreed to NOT do any recess appointments during this recess, so this means the jig is up for the Republikans? I disagree. If he had done the recess appointments of all 63, that would have dumped everything into the laps of the GOP. Force these weasels to move. He needs to play in-your-face politics, and not some esoteric chess game version.
Madrak gives Obama some credit? I'm going to go out and clean the pig droppings off my roof.
I told those d&^n things not to fly blind or they'd take us straight into the trees. Worried about their god*&^n lipstick while being led to the slaughter.
"I mean Romney is the most conservative on illegal immigration and I don't think Ronald Reagan could get elected in California today."
Ann "Clipped" Coulter
She gives him too much credit.
Why did he declare this recess as being appointment free?
I just don't understand it. As Ezra Klein says, why should he
treat an ordinary procedure as some sort of extraordinary action?
is his insistance, in spite of almost overwhelming resistance from the Repuglic*nts, to actually try to include them in the process. The easy way would be to say "fuck this shit," and ignore them, but he ran on the idea of change and he is really sticking to his word. He's walking the walk.
As a reluctant devil's advocate I'll say this. Ignoring them and pushing ahead with what he can will only give them another weapon; proof that he's not listening to what they want. I think he's trying to let everyone know for sure that all the setbacks, all the difficulty in clawing our way out of the recession is entirely on rethug heads.
Of course, he either has to come out and explain this at some point, after which he can safely ignore them, (say, after a slaughter of an election,) or he's just letting the country twist in the wind for political gain. Much as they would do.
well said. i agree he knows their strategy and trap(s). the gop have/will obstruct every move obama makes......except of course continuation of war(s)/military spending. why? overall it's to get back in power 2010-2012. the reducing/solving the issues/challenges following the bush legacy....worse recession in many decades, ongoing expensive war(s), unemployment, budget deficit that doubled during bush yrs.......would potentially get obama elected/positive legacy that would in my opinion set back the (r)'s for close to a generation. regarding health care and i've said this many times the obama administration needs to tell people what will happen if NOthing is done regarding reform. he made this clear more people are going into the government health care system because they can't afford the private sector system. we pay either way and it's not sustainable. this is party&politics before "we the people" regarding the (r)/obstructionists/party of no. they claim they want bipartisanship to the president but refuse when asked to participate. he's trying to reveal this to the people but many have their eyes/ears closed because of simpleton linguisitic propaganda. if this continues there will continue to be more losers than winners something the (r) i believe looks at as oppotunity.
I hope that our President realizes now (finaly) that this is the only way to have bipartisanship with Republicans.
They only respect power and force.
He lost a year trying to talk to Republicans as if they were Democrats. Don't waste your time appealing to their sense of duty or try discussing thoughtful, complex ideas. Just tell them how its going to be, lather on the threats, fear and intimidation.
They need that clear authority figure (Bush, God, Beck, whoever) to give them clear marching orders and hell, terrorism, utter destruction if they don't comply.
(To paraphrase the only book title)
Democrates are from evolved social/scientific reality, Republicans are from black & white, bible/Thomas Hobbes "State of Nature" land.
You have to talk their language.
any association with the Republikans.
Really. I think even Carter would have done this sooner.
he got a spine! now I want him to deal with integrity and honesty as he puts single payer healthcare back on the books... not that I'll get this, but it's what I want to see...
and get those effin' CEOs who are giving themselves big bonuses for failing in their business to pay more tax than their whoppin' big bonuses cover... I'd really like to see that.
no, I don't want to buy swampland in Florida! I want that president to keep his word... the word he gave before he was elected in a landslide by people who believed him when he said he was all about change...
This lame-ass wimp, after a year of being told to go fuck himself by the GOP minority concerning (among many things) approving his appointments, agrees to not appoint anyone during this recess for..........McConnell agreeing to a vote on 29 OUT OF 150 BLOCKED APPOINTMENTS. Fucking brilliant.
So 121 vacancies are STILL UNFILLED and, thanks to the bar for Obama having fallen sooooo low, this is considered a victory!
Un-fucking-believable!
No wonder his administration has failed so miserably. The GOP must be sore from laughing at them. Incredible, just incredible.
He said at 10:53 minutes into this film, "RE: The Republican agenda for energy, which I agree with; I'm willing to move off the preferences of my party in order to meet them half way."
In other words, making friends with the enemy of our nation is more important to Mr. Obama than achieving the hopes and dreams of the people who put him into office.
WHAT do you think of THAT? Talk about a person who doesn't get it?
OMG!
You can't bargain with these cretins. He should've said, unless they remove their holds, he'll recess appoint every last one of his nominees.
The truth comes out, Barry is still spineless and always will be.
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