It took over a year but Obama has finally decided to make recess appointments. Bipartisanship is great but it requires an opposition party slightly more flexible than being the Party of No, a point he nicely makes in his press release.
Significantly he's made two crucial appointments to the NLRB, including Craig Becker. He's also made two appointments to the Treasury that have been languishing for a while.
Here's to hoping he appoints every remaining nominee during this break, just to send the message that intransigence will be met with force.
Here are the 15 recess appointments.
Jeffrey Goldstein: Nominee for Under Secretary for Domestic Finance, Department of the Treasury
Michael F. Mundaca: Nominee for Assistant Secretary for Tax Policy, Department of the Treasury
Eric L. Hirschhorn: Nominee for Under Secretary of Commerce for Export Administration and head of the Bureau of Industry and Security, Department of Commerce
Michael Punke: Nominee for Deputy Trade Representative - Geneva, Office of the United States Trade Representative
Francisco "Frank" J. Sánchez: Nominee for Under Secretary for International Trade, Department of Commerce
Islam A. Siddiqui: Nominee for Chief Agricultural Negotiator, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative
Alan D. Bersin: Nominee for Commissioner, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland Security
Jill Long Thompson: Nominee for Member, Farm Credit Administration Board
Rafael Borras: Nominee for Under Secretary for Management , Department of Homeland Security
Craig Becker: Nominee for Board Member, National Labor Relations Board
Mark Pearce: Nominee for Board Member, National Labor Relations Board
Jacqueline A. Berrien, Nominee for Chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Chai R. Feldblum: Nominee for Commissioner, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Victoria A. Lipnic: Nominee for Commissioner, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
P. David Lopez: Nominee for General Counsel, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
White house press release:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/...