"The GOP’s politics of dysfunction"

[applegrove]

The GOP’s politics of dysfunction

By Washington Post Editorial Board,

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-gops-politics-of-dysfunction/2013/05/12/8a583f56-b9b2-11e2-b94c-b684dda07add_story.html?tid=socials

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Still, Republicans unhappy about the administration’s policies to limit greenhouse-gas emissions and other pollutants — “job-killing regulations,” in GOP parlance — demanded she submit answers to more than 1,000 questions, then deemed her answers inadequate. The deluge may be a record for a Cabinet appointee; more than 650 were submitted just by Sen. David Vitter (R-La.).

The Republican playbook is only slightly different in the case of Thomas Perez, chief of the Justice Department’s civil rights division, who is the nominee to become labor secretary. Democrats highly regard Mr. Perez, a former secretary of labor in Maryland, for his aggressive action on voting rights, police abuse and fair lending cases. Republicans dislike him for the same record. Again, there is no question that he is qualified for the job. But Mr. Perez, who if confirmed would be the only Hispanic in the Cabinet, has been the target of baseless personal attacks, with Sen. John Cornyn of Texas questioning Mr. Perez’s “temperament” and “competence.” It is Washington at its worst, and that’s saying something.

At a Senate hearing last week, Republicans affected indignation — and strained credulity — by insisting that Mr. Perez had failed to stick up for a federal contracting program designed mainly to benefit minority and low-income workers. It was novel to hear GOP lawmakers posing as champions of the disadvantaged, but their protests were nothing but a pretext.

Americans elected Barack Obama president, and reelected him. He’s entitled to his Cabinet. It’s possible that Republicans will muster the 41 votes needed in the Senate to block both nominations — despite their strong qualifications and high ethical standards. If they do, Americans will be under no illusions that the GOP has led Washington to new lows of dysfunction.

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[applegrove]

1. In Canada the neocon federal government refuses to meet with provincial premiers. Why? To slow

any agreements and such, stopping new laws (spending and regulations) from happening.