Legal Commentary

The Radicalization Of The Village Dem

By Big Tent Democrat

Ezra Klein continues his march towards DFH-dom:

The administration scored a big victory last night, or at least it thinks it did. After President Obama finally threatened to make recess appointments if Senate Republicans didn't let some of its nominees through the confirmation process, the Republicans allowed the Senate to confirm 29 of them last night. As if to thank them, the White House promptly shot itself in the foot.

[. . .] At this point in his presidency, George W. Bush had made 10 recess appointments. Over the course of his presidency, he would make almost 200. Bill Clinton made about 150. In describing recess appointments as "a rare but not unprecedented step," Obama made it harder to actually make any, because he's defined the procedure -- which, unlike the hold, is a defined constitutional power of the president rather than a courtesy observed in the Senate -- as an extraordinary last-resort. [. . .] At what point does the administration accept that its success is dependent on finding ways to avoid being filibustered? Reconciliation can't be considered a nuclear option and recess appointments can't be saved for special cases. George W. Bush understood this and used reconciliation and recess appointments routinely in his first year. [. . .]

(Emphasis supplied.) All kidding aside, good for Ezra for finally getting it and arguing the case. I'm rooting for him again.

Speaking for me only

Full post as published by TalkLeft on February 12, 2010 (boomark / email).