80 Presidential nominations from last year have been held up on Congress by one man - for a political agenda.
From ABC News on 4 Feb 2010:
Quote:
What's Holding Up Security Nominees? Alabama Pork
We learned why Thursday when Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid asked again to have votes on the nominees and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell objected, he said, on behalf of Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Al.
The reason? Shelby is concerned his state might lose some (very) lucrative defense contracts.
In other words – pork. Shelby calls them “unaddressed national security concerns.” McConnell called it “an issue with which I'm not terribly familiar.” ...
It all has to do with Alabama-based defense contracts.
First and foremost is the large ($35 billion, so large does not do the contract justice) government contract to build a new generation of refueling tankers for the air force. ...
He’s also frustrated that an FBI explosives lab planned for Huntsville, Alabama, and appropriated for with $45 million in 2007, hasn’t been built yet
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Only days after ABC News made that a lead story, Sen Shelby relented to a block that has been ongoing since last year - even though he got no resolution. Sen Levin defined the problem:
Quote:
Sen. Carl Levin, who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee, gave a frustrated speech on the Senate floor.
“They've been sitting on our calendar since December 2, over two months, while these positions go unfilled and we're in the middle of two wars,” said Levin of five total defense department nominees Shelby has held up (civilian positions only, points out Shelby’s office).
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In this one case, government obstruction for political purposes was that overt and self serving.
In a followup article on just this one incident, ABC News (8 Feb 2010) notes:
Quote:
Alabama Sen. Richard Shelby Says He's No Longer Blocking All Obama Nominees
Last month, the president chided GOP House members for saying no for the sake of opposing his initiatives, then turning around and benefitting from them.
"A lot of you have gone to appear at ribbon cuttings for the same projects you voted against," he said.
But for now, the president is striking a more bipartisan-sounding tone.
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Did the groundhog see his shadow, or will the ice refreeze? A thaw is not yet apparent.