Nobody writes half a story as well as the Huffington Post. In its latest Republican bash-a-rama, HuffPo criticizes conservatives for raging at Obama’s recession appointments despite the fact that they loved recession appointments when Bush did them.
Of course, HuffPo admits that “There is a key difference, however, between 2005 and 2010: the amount of Senate obstruction.” Well, that could be it, we suppose, but it also might have something to do with the type of people Obama has nominated.
Craig Becker, for example. If you missed the highlights of Mr. Becker’s stellar career, try watching this video again. This guy may well be the most liberal radical appointment Obama has made in a long line of most liberal radical appointments.
Of course, not everyone thinks this appointment is just plain crazy. Harry Reid said, “Nominees under President Obama have fared worse than others in recent memory. Regrettably, Senate Republicans have dedicated themselves to a failed strategy to cripple President Obama’s economic initiatives by stalling key Administration nominees at every turn. With the recess appointments of these highly-qualified individuals, President Obama has shown that he is serious about getting the right team in place to create jobs and protect the American workforce, and I support his decision.”
Harry, much like the Huffington Post, is a master of half-truths. To say “Regrettably, Senate Republicans…” when speaking of the blocking of Becker’s appointment leaves out a key fact that the Foundry, a conservative website, makes clear. “The fact that Obama must resort to a recess appointment for Becker is itself a sign of weakness. When Becker was nominated in 2009, Democrats held 60 seats, a filibuster-proof majority. Yet Becker’s confirmation mustered only 52 votes for cloture in February, leaving him in limbo. Sens. Blanche Lincoln (D–AR) and Ben Nelson (D–NE) both voted against Becker.”
That, of course, makes the decision to deny Becker’s appointment a lot more bi-partisan than the recent ObamaCare fiasco.
Source: Heritage.org, HuffingtonPost.com
