Tom - get more rope.

[Ichiban]

Can you say extortion?

http://bigthink.com/ideas/18604

On Thursday, Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) placed a "blanket hold" on all of President Obama's nominees, effectively preventing the Senate from voting on any of them. In a statement, Shelby's office accused the administration of "coddling terrorists" and said he was blocking Obama's appointments due to "unaddressed national security concerns." In particular, Shelby feels that the Air Force's process for deciding who would get a $40 billion contract to replace its fleet of refueling tankers was unfair to Northrop Grumman, which has plants in Alabama, and that the administration has been slow to build a $45 million FBI explosives lab earmarked for Huntsville. The statement added that "If this administration were as worried about hunting down terrorists as it is about the confirmation of low-level political nominations, America would be a safer place."

But if both of Sen. Shelby's concerns are technically related to national security, they hardly amount to "coddling terrorists." Indeed, it looks like Shelby's primary concern is not that our national security is threatened but that Alabama isn't getting its share of the national security money. In particular, Shelby has suggested that President Obama has slighted Northrop Grumman in favor of Boeing, which is based in Chicago. Whether or not that's true—and it's certainly appropriate for a senator to represent the interests of his state—it hardly seems appropriate to block votes on 70 nominees, including intelligence officials at the Departments of State and Homeland Security. Shelby, of course, managed to bring home more earmark money last year than any other senator beside Robert Byrd and has received more than $100,000 in political contributions from Northrop Grumman over the years. As Josh Marshall says, this isn't so much a principled stand as it is a simple stick up.

[ellis4538]

He did the right thing for the wrong reason!

IMHO

Richard

[fightingquaker13]

He did the right thing for the wrong reason!

IMHO

Richard

Sorry, but no, and thank you for playing. Its the wrong thing,  for the wrong reason. No different than Robert Byrd, Mitch McCononell, or Ben Nelson. Three words. Get a rope. This bastard is interefering with crucial government functions for one reason. Getting federal  (eg our ) money back home to buy votes to keep him in power. Once again, get a rope, I don't care how you vote, Do not pass Go, do not collect $200, just do the Spandau ballet.
FQ13  who thinks if you hang ten, you get 100 to pay attention.

[r_w]

Republican Tom Daschle   

no thank you.

[tombogan03884]

Based on BO's other appointments this is most likely a VERY good thing.
It is not as if these political hacks are going to DO anything, other than second guess the grunts in the trenches doing the actual work.
FQ is, as usual, wrong. The only thing he is interfering with is the patronage hand outs .

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