Curmudgeon's Corner

Bipartisanship In Action

Posted by Al Campbell on Feb. 11, 2010

Political, Quality of Life, U.S.

The nature of ‘bipartisanship’ is for there to be a real relationship between the two major political parties rather than simply ‘lip service’ to the concept.

A Senate cloture vote on ending the debate over the President’s appointment of lawyer Craig Becker to head the Labor Relations Board failed when only 52 members voted to end the debate when 60 votes were required.  This effectively killed the nomination since the cloture motion was defeated.  In most such instances, the nomination would be pulled or the nominee would withdraw his or her name from consideration.

Becker is an avowed supporter of organized labor and had promised that he would make unions more powerful and employers less powerful if he were confirmed for this position. 

In a true (?) bipartisanship fashion, President Obama is now strongly suggesting he will appoint Mr. Becker to that position during the coming Congressional break in spite of the vote that was taken.  Presidents do this to bypass the will of the Senate but this is quite a blatant pay-off to big labor that spent something in the range of $400 Million to get Obama elected.

Doing this while he is trying to goad the Republicans into a “health care reform summit” displays the rough and tumble Chicago-style politics that brought Obama to the White House.  It certainly will do nothing to stimulate a desire on the Republicans’ part for bipartisanship.

It does, however, satisfy part of Obama’s obligation to big labor…but only part of that obligation.  Labor leaders appear poised to get what they made their members pay for, whether or not those members wanted it.