With the increasingly obvious republican tactics, I wanted to post some thoughts on the subject.
Conservative Republicans in Congress and on FOX News are attempting to block or delay an ever-growing number of critical nominees for what amount to ideological witch hunts and self-interested back-room horse trading. President Obama is currently attempting to deal with the complex legal and logistical questions surrounding wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, closing Guantanamo Bay, and caring for our nation’s returning veterans, the people Obama has chosen to manage (along with him) these important issues are being made to wait while republicans stall for time, hoping to wrangle what ever they can from the ashes of their exile.
Senators. Richard Shelby (R-AL) and Jeff Sessions (R-AL) announced that "they are blocking President Barack Obama’s nomination of Ashton Carter as Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics." The senators want assurances that Carter will not "change the criteria" the Pentagon considers for a refueling tanker contract that could benefit defense contractors in their state.
Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) asked the Senate Veterans Affairs committee to delay voting on the nomination of Tammy Duckworth, an injured Iraq war helicopter pilot, to be an assistant secretary at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Senator Burr’s Press Secretary said that Burr is waiting for the answers to questions he’s put to the White House and Mrs. Duckworth, but wouldn't say what those questions were.
Dawn Johnsen’s nomination as head of the OLC ( Office of Legal Council ) has been delayed in part because Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) has ideological differences with her. As the publication "Legal Times" recently explained, "citing Johnsen’s criticisms of Bush national security policies, [Cornyn] accused her of lacking ‘the seriousness and necessary resolve’ to fight terrorism," while "other Republicans have targeted her work as legal director for N.A.R.A.L. Pro-Choice America from 1988 to 1993." Basically holding up the nomination over ideological differences about Pro-Choice Vs. Pro-Life. Holding up Johnsen’s nomination because she worked for a pro-choice organization is bad enough, but it becomes truly hypocritical when you consider the GOP argument that it was OK for Democrats to vote to confirm a South Carolina nominee who worked for his wife’s anti-abortion organization.
Things for an appointment at the Department of State aren't going much faster... Recently, FOX News Right wing commentators are working to block the appointment of Harold Koh to the State Deptment’s top legal adviser, smearing him as a "threat to democracy" for his being an international law expert. As the Century Foundation notes, "The fervent opponents of Harold Koh turn out to be enthusiastic defenders of John Yoo." John C. Yoo, a former Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the United States under President Bush, is under investigation by member nations of the U.N. for war crimes as well as facing a spanish government inquiry on Torture with 5 other Bush-Era Officials.
In addition to this bevy of blockage, Chris Hill’s nomination as ambassador to Iraq is still being delayed by Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS). This despite the fact that Secretary of State Robert Gates recently issued a statement on a diplomatic appointment saying, it is "vital that we get an ambassador in Baghdad as soon as possible." These delays are just the latest in a long string of delays. The nominations of Attorney General Eric Holder, Labor Secretary Hilda Solis, and Presidential Science Adviser John Holdren were also held up for largely partisan reasons.
There are a few breaks from the ranks that give hope for the future, recently on C-SPAN’s Washington Journal, conservative columnist David Brooks ridiculed those on the right who have said they want Obama to fail. Brooks, who has recently become a constant critic of the Republican Party, isn’t the only conservative to hit back at the stall tactics and obvios partisanship of the right. Recently, on CNN Rep. Zach Wamp (R-TN) fired off against the GOP's back room fuhrer, Rush Limbaugh, saying the " Boss" was an entertainer and continued - "We really need serious-minded policy people to help chart this ship of state out of these rocky waters right now." Such gleanings of possible cooperation are increasingly scarce.
For the most part it has become increasingly clear that the GOP has no interest in bipartisanship with the new administration. More and more we see that the republican strategy seems to be to become the obstructionist party. The beginnings of this rather childish policy started to become clear in February when three term Republican Senator Judd Gregg withdrew his nomination as President Barack Obama's commerce secretary citing "irresolvable conflicts". This was followed by R.N.C. chairman Michael Steele stating he was open to "punishing" the three Republican senators who voted for the recently passed stimulus bill. The message has gotten out to moderate republicans and R.I.N.O.'s ( Republican In Name Only ) cross the Aile at risk of losing the support of the G.O.P. and a large percentage of it's major financial contributers. Not to mention being raked over the coals by Rush Limbaugh and Bill O'Rielly. In these economically and globally difficult times, the far right has chosen to play partisan politics while Rome burns. It seems they are so ideologically obsessed with policies that the last 8 years have proven to be failure, that they would rather thwart the policies of the President and Congress chosen by the people of the United States,who made their choice loud and clear last November.