Senate Blocks Obama From More Recess Appointments
- Posted on September 30, 2010 at 7:28am by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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In a flurry of activity on Capitol Hill yesterday, Democrats and GOP pols struck a deal that will prevent the President from bypassing the normal democratic process and appointing unapproved nominees while Senators are in recess, The Hill reports.
In order to prevent any recess appointments over the two months, Democrats agreed to schedule pro-forma sessions of the Senate (on Mondays and Fridays) every week over the next six weeks. Current law only allows the president to make a recess appointment if the Senate is adjourned for more than three consecutive days.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) had threatened to send Obama’s most controversial nominees back to the president if Democrats did not agree to schedule the pro-forma sessions, a GOP aide told The Hill. That would have meant extreme headaches for Senate Democrats and President Obama, who would have had to start from scratch on the procedural process.
But with a deal in place, McConnell will not send any nominees back and Democrats will hold pro-forma Senate sessions.
President Obama has already used the end-around on multiple occasions, most notably to appoint the controversial head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Donald Berwick. Berwick was not vetted by the Senate despite his comments, among others, the he loves the British national health care system.
As of Wednesday, Obama had 115 executive and judicial-branch nominees pending in the Senate, according to The Hill.
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Comments (80)
Country
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 10:36amSo when is congress going to grow a real backbone and start getting raid of some of the radical czars.
Report Post »Energy and Environment Czar – Carol Browner, Regulatory Czar – Cass Sunstein. Science Czar – John Holdron and Terrorism Czar – John Brennan to name a few.
capecod172
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 10:28amWhy wasn’t this maneuver used on the other controversial appointments during the last recess. The President is acting like a dictator and bypassing the other arms of government that are used as check and balances. Please, please vote on Nov. 2 and help to get the government back on the CONSTITUTIONAL path and out of our lives. We deserve better and it will be our fault if we don’t get it.
Report Post »charles1540
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 10:18amAdd your comments
Report Post »charles1540
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 10:17amThis recess appointment policy in undermining the Constitution and I do not care whether it is used by Republican or Democrat it is making Congress irrelevant. So wake up and put an end to this before the separation of powers become meaningless.
Report Post »norcalart
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 10:11amIf the republicans don’t rule as conservatives, I hope the teaparty puts up a challenge candidate in the primary for all rinos.
Report Post »pavnvet
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 9:43amAlthough this and other executive prerogatives have been exercised by Obams’s predecessors, Obama seems hell bent on “Super-Sizing” his powers.
Instead of the most powerful person in the free world, he is the most dangerous person to the free world.
Report Post »weopine.com
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 9:28amThank God – It’s about time this action was taken. Now if we could only invalidate legislation passed during lame duck sesssions – or better yet, swear in replacements immediately and dump the bums who have been voted out – It’s not like they have to travel for weeks via horse and carriage to get to DC anymore!
Report Post »Big Toe
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 9:23amEven his own people are leary of Obamas practices. How long can this man go on doing what he likes and when he likes? You wait and see the progress he makes w/his self appointed congress. You know the congress he uses when our congress is off. I can’t wait till everyone finally sees that Obama set up the whole oil spill in the gulf. He actually said that he didn’t mind if you set the ”Lockerbie bomber free,Ahh, just don’t let him in America. He wanted to stop all american drilling in the gulf. Once Libya agreed to let BP drill off their coast,Conviently the oil well in the gulf exploded. What a better (clandestine) way toshut all drilling in the gulf. Go home American workers, Obama wants to ”level the playing field”.
Report Post »RableRouser
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 9:00amWhen any president, ANYWHERE goes around a congress (or parlament).The next step is to dissolve that lawmaking body.Then they are a DICTATOR.Does anyone still study history?
Report Post »It’s only happened a few THOUSAND times in world history.
sWampy
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 8:55amWow, even his own party doesn’t trust him. You have to be scary when you scare liberals.
Report Post »Grandpa
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 8:48amI’m so happy to see the Senate trying to become relevant again. This needs to be standard operating procedure from now on.
Report Post »wingedwolf
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 11:23amThe Roman Senate? LOL
Report Post »LittleLordFauntleroy
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 8:47amDid someone order the Lame Duck?
Report Post »NHABE64
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 8:41amThank God. Obama better also ready and steel himself for for rebuttals against his socialist agenda. I see Obama seems to overuse some words alot, “folks” and “let me be clear”. Well, Let Me Be Clear Barry, you and your folks ain’t seen nothing yet. You have really awoken America and we are not going to let you get away with your grandiose plan to destroy. No way. Here’s a Navy term “stand by for heavy rolls” buddy.
Report Post »Alvin691
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 8:38amNow THIS is something bi-partisan I can get behind.
Report Post »thecommish58
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 8:24am2 months off? No wonder the country is in such sad shape – someone needs to put forth a bill that corrects the amount of time that the legislature is out of session and get it closer to how a typical successful business operates – 4 weeks should be the maximum + national holidays
Report Post »1 week in WInter
1 week in Spring
1 week in Summer
1 week in Fall
As a group these dolts are operating a failing business and we give them 2 months off…for what?
Alvin691
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 8:40amCommish, I disagree. When congress meets it costs us money.
Report Post »trueblueday
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 8:40amPelosi needs to elevate her legs, her ankles are swelling from running around too much with Reid.
Report Post »da_roosta
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 9:28amI think it would be better if they took six months off and cut their pay in half. Now I know we have a good size country and all with many complex and new emerging issues, BUT, we really don’t need a bunch of rogue politicians writing HUNDREDS of new laws every year. What we have is enough. More laws = less liberty (PERIOD).
Report Post »Miguel Saavadera
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 9:32amDisagree: Congress is by law supposed to meet one day a year. The more they are in session the more damage they seem to do. “”That government is best which governs least,” John Adams
Better idea:
This would help water down to almost non-existence the K-Street lobby crowd and give a better voice to the ‘Common man;‘ Congress to meet 179 days via video conferencing ’in’ their states/districts, and one day (as required by the Constitution ‘in’ Washington D.C.) Any more days ‘Called extra legislative sessions’ shall be voted upon by Congress, with a 2/3 majority needed to pass and stand.
Re-write Article II, Section 2, §3 to disallow ‘recess appointments’ without a 2/3 concurrence with Congress when they are ‘not in session.’ Each person who is head and/or deputy head of departments ‘shall’ be vetted by Congress, and receive ‘Consent of the Governed.”
Report Post »pavnvet
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 9:39amI also disagree. The founding fathers never intended for us to have a full time legislature. Nor did they envision that some people would make a life long career of being a politician. We need term limits on these morons.
The old joke is that there are only two things that are certain: death and taxes. The only thing is that death doesn’t get worse every time Congress meets.
Report Post »CoFX
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 11:19amTalking about these bozos not actually working? Go look up thier 2010 congression schedule. I believe the Senate had somewhere in the neighborhood of 140 legislative days scheduled this past year. Subtracting the weekends, and giving them what would be your average real job vacation of two weeks a year, they still got an extra 100 working days off this year! If they packed all thier legislative days together starting January 1, they would be done for the year sometime around the first week of July! 2 months off? Try 5!
Report Post »1776Federalist
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 11:23amThey should meet for one month, then have to staff their offices, visit their constituents, and write their own bills for the next two months. Repeat the cycle four time a year. That would save us lots of money and it would get them away from the lobbyists that live in DC. If it was required that they write their own bills, we wouldn’t see any more 2,000+ page behemoths anymore.
Report Post »saneromeo
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 12:27pmI dunno man, with the government the way it is I think they should only be allowed to work for an hour a month or so…It would deffinately cut down on the damage they’re doing…
Report Post »Chet Hempstead
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 4:44pmBoth conservatives and liberals have rightly complained about Congress voting on bills that they haven’t read. If we don’t give them any time off, I don’t see how even the few who are conscientious enough to want to read the bills would be able to.
Report Post »Ann1e
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 8:10amOur President makes the Congress and Senate irrelevant.
Report Post »hempstead1944
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 7:57amClosing the barn door after the horses are gone? Seems so……
Report Post »wingedwolf
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 11:21amGovernmental? LOL
Report Post »lobster
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 7:55amThis whole vetting is bogus anyway. They seldom turn down an appointment. Look at Cass Sunstein. Too much of our government “stinks on ice”.
Report Post »Ahcma
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 9:30amCass was not an appointment, he is a Czar which does not require Congress’s approval. The Prez can have all the Czars he wants because he doesn’t have to go thru Congress. Kind of like the recess appointments.
Report Post »chrisvin
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 12:13pmFor clarity’s sake, Sunstein WAS appointed as Administrator of the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs and DID get Senate approval via an “up or down” vote.
Follow this link to see who helped break the filibuster:
http://washingtonindependent.com/58355/cloture-passes-on-cass-sunstein-63-35
Report Post »jrichardson
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 7:54amHe did not have the support or the power before. The Dems wanted something from him and they are losing their power. I say right on McConnel.
Report Post »RobR
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 7:46amOh no, what‘s a junior banana republic ’ wanna be ‘ dictator like Obama to do.
Whew, I see Barackio has the ‘ sickle & hammer ‘ emergency signal lighting the night sky over the White House.
It won‘t be long till the ’ self annointed ‘ ones mentors, Hugo Chavez and David Ortega come to their commerades rescue.
I’ve got news for you Barackio………your not in Kansas anymore.
Report Post »loveoursoldiers
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 8:24amspeaking of dictators.. don’t you find it interesting that Farrakhan and Wright met secretly with Iranian pres.nutcase in NYC?
Report Post »just how does one get a meeting with such a person.. let alone evil dictator/enemy of USA? perhaps the POTUS could arrange that? and for what purpose were they meeting?
I think there is something going on in the background.. sanctioned and led by BHO..which will be set in motion when the American people finally realize what is happening to them… he is up to something to maintain his dictatorship.. I know it.
and then we find out that someone connected to the Taliban/Al Qaeda got a grand tour of the FBI building and was given a lot of info about how they roll?
are you freaking kidding me?
I sense something coming because their plot ( Islamic takeover of USA) is in jeopardy so they are getting desperate
oh, yeah
and I doubt that even his closest advisors know who he really is because if they did then would surely out him or leave ( wait.. they are all leaving)! They are fooled by his lies too ( doesn’t excuse them though).
oh yeah
and I still believe that AF One flyover of NY was a victory lap for someone because they have NEVER disclosed who was on that flight.!
trueblueday
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 8:33amBO doesn’t have to answer to us. He‘s got lots of angry progressives out there who think he hasn’t gone far enough. They weren‘t happy in 2008 and they’re not happy now. Hard to believe, but he’s not left of center enough for them. My guess is he’s not sleeping very well, and this will add to his worries. Wonder if POTUS will attend Saturday’s rally?
Report Post »trueblueday
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 8:38amWhat can you possibly mean? He’s just “mending fences” between radical groups/ties.
Besides, as POTUS said, We can “absorb” another attack… (WHAT?!&%!)
Report Post »carrera
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 10:49amloveoursoldiers- here’s some interesting facts, our President’s Cairo speech was made on the Eve of the battle of Islam over Christiandom. The ObamaCare legislation was passed on March 23rd, the same day Hitler signed the “enabling act” and who can forget our President’s surprise announcement, November 17th, that he was going to stop the U.S. missile defense program to Poland, on their 70th Anniversary of the Nazi invasion. Symbolic or coincidence?
Report Post »loveoursoldiers
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 11:28amCarrera.. nothing he does is coincidence. Those are very interesting things to add to his evil resume.For some reason I see through him every time… for ex. the night of the election the whole family came out in black and red. I knew right then that he uses symbols.. as Muslims are known for.. he uses them all the time because he thinks only other Muslims will pick up on it. And then if others DO pick up on it he has his goonies call them out for thinking such a thing. I will give him credit for such an ability to deceive.. very very crafty and evil ( for lack of a better word)
Report Post »carrera
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 11:53amloveoursoldiers- Don’t give to much credit for the ability to deceive, it’s clearly defined by Taqiyya.
Report Post »chattycathy
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 7:45amSenator McConnell: WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG? I suspect that most of us did not know that you even had the ability to take this action but, since you did, why didn’t you invoke this process earlier? Are ya‘ll going to stand around as a Socialist government is installed in fear of ’insulting’ the President? Americans are not irritated with the actions of Republicans; they’re furious about the INACTION of Republicans!
When are the Repubs going to stop voting for the confirmation of non-Constitutional Progressives to the Supreme Court? The first job of each Senator should be to protect the Constitution – regardless of what action that must be taken to do that!
Report Post »trueblueday
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 8:27amYea – What took them so long – and who knew it was even possible?! I didn‘t know they could put a damper on Obo’s indecent appointment process. Are the repubs asleep!? HELLLOO out there! With 115 nominees pending in the Senate – Can you imagine the additional damage that can be done to this country?! Anyway, thanks, Mitch from temporarily saving us from additional marxist progressive crazyland members. They’ll find another back door somewhere.
Report Post »GENZERO
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 8:57amExactly…and the second that any of our representatives or supreme…yes SUPREME as in the last hope for the constitution being upheld COURT JUSTICES does not uphold the constitution…then should be thrown out of office, and off the court. Yes send them packing, they work for the people, yes “WE THE PEOPLE”, not for any special interest group! WTP had better get this together or WTP are all going to look back in a few years and say WTF!!! happened to our freedom!
Report Post »wingedwolf
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 11:18amThey had to feel the winds of change blowing up their respective butts is what took them so long. I believe they have finally seen that America means business when we say we are cleaning house. LOL
Report Post »bernobrien
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 12:48pmYea got that right Cathy
Report Post »carlpn77
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 1:01pmI’d like to know, why, almost 2 years into this admin. all vacant posts haven’t been filled?? I mean i understand we are growing gov’t. esp. with the healthcare debacle. But, it is my understanding that many impt. posts (pre-health care) are not yet filled that should have been within months of obiteme taking office?? Does this fool actually believe he will win a second term? Have they not learned anything from jimmy carter? And it’s my belief that his installation as a dictator, which i believe is their ultimate goal, will never happen! Progressive’s go back underground into the hole from which you came!
Report Post »marmelade
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 4:34pmIs it only constitutional if a conservative gets appointed? Are you for real? By the way, Bush made many recess appointments during his term, you just didn’t pay attention because he was one of yours!
Report Post »missy8s
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 7:45amIf an appointee has ‘access’ to the public purse or the ability to ‘impose’ regulations or ‘delegate’ regulatory powers to others they should always appear before the senate.
Period.
Report Post »5000YRLEAPER
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 10:43pmMore like, those with that kind of power should be elected by the voice of the people.
Report Post »Just like many have voiced, Obama is bypassing our congressional process, side-stepping the rule of law, and establishing a dictatorship one nudge and Czar at a time.
Our laws are to be the regulating force in a America, not an appointed Czar.
JJ Coolay
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 7:40amThis practice ought to be outlawed. The president holds off on appointments until congress adjourns to bypass approval. How bogus is that??
Report Post »robroy1974
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 9:45amIt’s a shame really that it seems the only thing we can trust the President to do is be untrustworthy,sneaky, and underhanded.
It’s like when you and your spouse leave for vacation and trust your son or daughter to behave while you are gone. You come home to find the lock smashed on the liquor cabinet and your crystal football has a chip in it. After a couple times of this happening it dawns on you that the only thing to count on is that they will indeed misbehave while you aren’t looking.
To top it off they figure that you’ll fall for it time and time again.
Shame.
Report Post »troyvar
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 12:11pmThink reconciliation, and the Health Care Bill. Crooked politicians! It might not be illegal but surly it’s unethical.
Report Post »JJ Coolay
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 1:16pmYes, but it SHOULD be illegal.
Report Post »Awakenow
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 7:39amWhen will they address all of the radicals already in the White House.
Report Post »SteveSD
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 9:45amThey wont. We will.
Report Post »dressseller
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 10:04am@STEVESD: Right on Right on Right on. (Said in my best Rush voice)
Report Post »WishWeWereFree
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 7:39amDoesn‘t Mitch understand that political expediency isn’t going to cut it any more? ALL nominees should be vetted! We are going to have alot more problems with the republicans in the senate than in the house, they just don’t get it.
Report Post »CoFX
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 11:35amThe Admin has no need for Congress. Through Exectuive Orders and the appointment of Czars with regulatory powers that cannot be challenged by Congress, the POTUS can run the country single-handedly. We no longer have three branches of government – we are being pushed into a dictatorship with one man making every decision.
Report Post »woodyb
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 11:41amCOFX — To paraphrase –
Report Post »WE HAVE MET THE ENEMY, AND HE RESIDES IN THE WHITEHOUSE!!!!!!!!!!
butler180
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 1:44pmDittos Dresselller
Report Post »joebuilder3
Posted on September 30, 2010 at 6:27pmit sounds like this tactic has always been avaliable to the repubs even without the dems, but they cut a deal instead. and they want an attaboy???? it should have been used on the very first appointment, and all there after. we are going to pay a high price for giving our trust to our elected officials. its like the all of washington is trying to buy more time in order to beat down the American spirit into submission. we must elect like minded people and then control THEM with tern limits and constant accountability. i for one will never submitt to TYRANNY.
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