No More Mr. Nice Obama - He is through being held hostage by intransigent Republicans

[There Is No Spoon]

The president's through being held hostage by intransigent Republicans.

There’s a common and compelling logic to President Obama’s recess appointments today of Richard Cordray to head the Consumer Financial Protection Board and of three appointees to the National Labor Relations Board. In the case of both boards, the appointments were necessary if the boards were to function at al—the very reason that Senate Republicans had made clear their determination to appoint nobody at all to the two boards.

In December, Republicans filibustered Cordray’s nomination, stating clearly that they had nothing in particular against Cordray but were opposed to the existence of the board itself, which had come into being as part of the Dodd-Frank Financial Reform Act passed by Congress in 2010. Lacking the votes to repeal the act, Republicans chose instead to kill the board by refusing to confirm a director, without which the board could not fully, or even substantially, function.
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As I’ve written before, the Republicans’ policy is one of agency-cide—the killing of a federal agency they don’t like by refusing to confirm the appointments required to make it run. It’s a back-door way to repeal federal law establishing such agencies, a course the GOP has taken precisely because it lacks the votes to dis-establish them. By making his recess appointments today, Obama hasn’t, as Republicans allege, arrogated congressional power to himself. Rather, he’s restored the right of majorities that enact legislation not to have that legislation negated by congressional minorities. He’s also sending one more signal that the days of his accommodating Republican rejectionists are over.

http://prospect.org/article/no-more-mr-nice-obama

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Be interesting to see if the Republicans fight this - they already look like asses for opposing the payroll tax reduction - how anti-worker do they want to appear?

Why would any hard-working American support the Republicans?

[pappy]

keeping his powder dry and waiting to "see the whites of their eyes".

Now that they are out touting the usual right wing pap that appeals to the extreme zealot wing of the already extreme GOP and are being driven to the edge of a cliff he seems to be pushing the buttons that will make those zealots scream even louder and force the GOP clean over that edge.

Oh, and besides that political spin, he's actually getting things done that will improve things for the 99%. I hope it is noticed.

[janedrake]

(01-05-2012 08:59 AM)pappy Wrote:  keeping his powder dry and waiting to "see the whites of their eyes".

Exactly!

Steve Benen featured this superb statement from the OFA spokesman:

When Mitt Romney blasted the president for “Chicago-style politics at its worst,” it offered Obama for America Press Secretary Ben LaBolt the opportunity to say exactly what he wanted to say: “By opposing the appointment of Richard Cordray to run the first-ever consumer watchdog bureau, Mitt Romney today stood with predatory lenders and Republicans in Congress over the middle class. He doubled down on his promise to eliminate the Wall Street watchdog and allow Wall Street to write its own rules again, leaving consumers vulnerable to hidden fees, financial traps and excessive risk taking that will hit their pocketbooks. Governor Romney has made clear he has not learned the lessons of the economic crisis, instead, he’s giving the most irresponsible financial actors a bright green light to pursue profit at any cost to communities across America.”

[jaxx]

I'm loving this. The pubs line up and whine about unprecedented appointments....while they openly refuse to do their jobs. It's like they are too hyped up to see they are getting their asses whupped.

[sandnsea]

I hope it spawns little offices all over the country. It's what I've said poor folks really need. Not credit counseling - but a credit defender to get help when creditors aren't abiding by the rules. They're currently offering help for mortgages and are gearing up to offer real help for student loans and credit cards and debt collection agencies. My God. If this really works, between this and health care that is paid for, it will turn the lives of millions of Americans completely upside down - in a good way. I thought this was going to be another regulatory agency that has little contact with everyday people's problems. Not So. Woohoo!! Thank You Elizabeth Warren.

[janedrake]

From the WH Blog - I can't enough of it when they "name & shame" Republicans:

"Yesterday, the President traveled to Cleveland, Ohio to announce the appointment of Richard Cordray as America’s consumer watchdog. Mr. Corday has one job: look out for the best interest of American consumers. He’ll lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and work tirelessly to protect millions of families across the nation from the abuses of bad actors in the financial industry.

The President nominated Mr. Cordray six months ago, but Republicans in the Senate blocked his confirmation. They wouldn’t even let the Senate proceed with an up or down vote. They didn’t have a problem with Mr. Cordray, they just don’t think we need a consumer watchdog protecting families. The President disagrees. That’s why he took action and appointed Mr. Cordray. Millions of Americans can’t afford to wait for Congress to act. He’s the right man for the job."

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The WH then features a selection of editorial headlines from around the country hailing Obama's decision to appoint Cordray - link to the post is below:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/01/0...-consumers

[jaxx]

My sister has a friend who was a lawyer for free legal advice for the poor and middle class. With the cuts in state agencies that office has been cut to one lawyer. ONE for all the people who need help. It was backlogged before and there is no way one person can take care of the many people.

I hope this will help out in those areas too, many are financial problems that people face.