Bush Appoints Wal-Mart Lawyer to Head Labor's Wage and Hour Division

[Rose Siding]

Bush Appointment Draws Quick Fire
President Bush’s recess appointment today of lawyer Paul DeCamp,to be administrator of the Wage and Hour Division at the Department of Labor drew quick fire from some Democrats, particularly those seeking to make Wal-Mart a campaign issue. Bush nominated him for the post, but the Senate hasn’t acted on the confirmation. At the law firm of Gibson Dunn, DeCamp has represented employers and defended Wal-Mart in a big employment-discrimination case.

George Miller of California, senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, promptly fired off a statement: “As a lawyer, Paul DeCamp has never represented American workers in a single case. He has worked on behalf of Wal-Mart - a company with an abhorrent record of labor relations - and other companies against the interests of American workers and consumers in numerous cases. Yet he is the man that President Bush has chosen as one of the nation’s top enforcers of workplace rights….This recess appointment is one more reminder that the President does not care about making sure that workers are treated fairly on the job or enforcing laws that he doesn’t happen to like.”

The Labor Department unit enforces overtime, workplace discrimination and child-labor laws.

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2006/08/31/bush-appointment-draws-quick-fire/

[ncrainbowgrrl]

1. I thought I'd seen it all...

And then he pulls another one out of the hat of horrors. :puke:

[NoSheep]

45. It's as if he is purposely trying to make my head EXPLODE!

[kristendom]

48. Hat of Horrors

Yeah, hit of errors!
http://www.kristen540.blogspot.com

[Critters2]

2. So that settle it

This IS a bad dream, and I'll wake up to a sane world where Al Gore is president.

[spindrifter]

3. This is totally sick right before Labor Day.

[redqueen]

57. It conveys their appreciation for labor very well, I think.

:grr:

[AndyA]

4. Why not someone affiliated with Wal-Mart?

No one knows how to abuse take advantage of employees better than Wal-Mart, and this guy has no doubt helped defend their actions.

If Bush appointed someone DECENT to ANY POSITION, you'd have to wonder what happened...

Yer doin' a heck of a job, Brownie. Yer doin' a heck of a job, Rummy. Yer doin' a heck of a job, Campy. :puke:

[intheflow]

54. My first thought, as well. n/t

[LisaM]

5. Fox News lawyer for Chief Justice, Fox News anchor Press Secretary....

Now this.

It's shameless. But we need to make a point to refer to these people by these qualifying titles. DON'T refer to John Roberts without calling him "former Fox News lawyer", or Tony Snow without calling him "former Fox anchor". These connections need to be exposed.

Hell, if Michael Skakel, who's not even related to the Kennedys, is always going to be called "Kennedy cousin", this is the least we can do.

[MnFats]

6. thinking of something....can't quite get it...fox, henhouse....

it's just not coming to me....i'm dizzy from what I just read..

[NC_Nurse]

7. HAHAHA!

Our president is completely unabashedly contemptuous of the common man!

AND YET MANY STILL DEFEND HIM, THEY VOTED FOR HIM TWICE!!!!!

I find this so seriously twisted that it makes me laugh - it's become like watching an absurd play or a cartoon or something.


:wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :rofl:

[William769]

25. Reminds me of the movie "Groundhog day".

[tandot]

8. Putting another fox in the hen house. Why am I not surprised?

This is utterly disgusting. Another slap in the face of hardworking people.

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

9. Almost every day BushCo does something...

...that generates a news story that at first glance looks like it surely must be from The Onion, but nooooooo, second glance shows it to be Groundhog Day all over again---how does The Onion stay in business? What's left to satirize? BushCo is the most insanely exaggerated satirical comedy without any writer embellishment whatsoever.

[mcscajun]

12. Good question. I think the staff over at The Onion should all

get performance bonuses this year, or combat pay, or something! They surely have the toughest job in journalism this decade: trying to keep a curve or two ahead of the twisted main highway of BushWorld.

[quiltguique]

10. Another way to look at this . . .

This is quite possibly THE critical piece of arrogant bullshit coming out of the Admin that might very well truly swing the country to Blue state victories in November. It is the working class who has suffered the most during the past several years due to a range of issues and while many may shop Wal-Mart, the same many are aware of Wal-Mart labor problems. Rove, et al, are completely out of touch with the broad spectrum of ordinary people who are struggling from paycheck to paycheck, who have little or no health insurance, who are supplying the volunteers into the military because it is viewed as a way to step up and out of poverty, etc. This can and will be turned to our advantage.

[w4rma]

17. If big media will widely report this. (nt)

[Dr.Phool]

27. Yeah, and pigs will fly over a frozen hell.

The media is as complicit in this shit as Karl Rove.

They might mention it right after the missing blond nobody knew, and the dead little girl nobody knew. Or the next missing female intern who wasn't killed by her boss.

That is unless nobody (read no Democrat) got a blowjob. Or if Tom Cruise had his baby's first turd bronzed or not.

[Raydawg1234]

22. welcome to DU

:toast:

[nashville_brook]

55. welcome! and i hope you're right.

[mcscajun]

11. I'm sorry, but...I Don't Fucking BELIEVE This!

I shouldn't have a problem, this is just the most recent in a long pattern of wrong appointments by this Chucklenutted, coke-brained, pretzel-munching moron, BUT!!!!!

This is so unreal...so unbelievably twisted, so fucking asinine. Bush's #1 rule seems to be "I must be as perverse and contrary to logic, consideration, and common sense as possible. In all cases, I must put the fox in charge of the henhouse. If I offend most of the common people, I must be doing the right thing."

I have to go bang my head against a brick wall for an hour or so; I'm sure it will feel better than it does right now.

:banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:
:banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:
:banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

[BadgerKid]

13. Hi$ contribution$ include

donations to the National Republican Senatorial Cmte, Republican National Cmte, and George Allen (who's that?).

http://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.asp?NumOfThou=0&txtName=decamp%2C+paul&txtState=%28all+states%29&txtZip=&txtEmploy=&txtCand=&txt2006=Y&txt2004=Y&txt2002=Y&Order=N

[mcscajun]

15. Who's George Allen? That would be "macaca" George, the 'publican

Senator from VA.

[Dr.Phool]

28. Condi Rice says "macaca" is a affectionate term.

Says Massah Allen calls her that all the time.

[Lars39]

14. K&R

:banghead:
Looks like Friday night news dump is starting early again, too.

[bleever]

16. Like hiring John Mark Karr as your babysitter.

K&R.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

18. I was going to suggest Michael Jackson...

But, yeah, pretty much the same thing.

[Initech]

30. Or like hiring Ken Lay as your minister of finance...

Oh, wait...

[Julius Civitatus]

43. Actually, Bush almost nominated Ken Lay as Sec. of Energy

I kid you not. This almost takes place at the beginning of his mandate in 2001. He ended up nominating another crony for the position: Spencer Abraham.

[elehhhhna]

19. Has he announced Leona Helmsley's appointment to the

Employee Advocate Commission yet? LOL

[The Backlash Cometh]

20. Fucking, don't waste our time.

[Jack Rabbit]

21. Hey, Fox -- here are the keys to the henhouse.

Have at it.

[Mr_Spock]

37. Again!

This president from Hell can't leave soon enough.

[William769]

23. ALICE!

Where's that fucking hole!

[jaysunb]

24. BRAZEN !

An, in your face disgrace.. :evilfrown:

[Erika]

26. W's world of corporate fascism

Big business is praised. Workers are denigrated.

The death of the American dream. Bushbots, in their ignorance, applaud and vote GOP.

[LaPera]

29. George Miller--Truly, the last of a dying breed of FDR democrats...

I love this man of character, show me one Dem or Repuke who can even come close....He's almost all but alone, most Dem's are just along for the ride and bullshitting and offering semantics for their cushy smooth lifestyle....

Miller who has Scruples, (which none in Congress have, or even know the meaning of the word) is far too light a word to describe the dedicated George Miller.

Bush's friends & donors cry is to break the unions, destroy workers benefits, forget about safety regulations, fuck the environment, no overtime pay or pensions, while reducing the pay of workers all for the greed corporates who already pay nothing in taxes and want and need MORE...

If we just had more Dem's like George Miller!

[comtec]

41. HE's MY REP!!!!!

I'm so proud of him too!!!!
He's in my district, east bay area, Pleasant hill, Concord, Walnut Creek!!!
He came to DVC during that horrible anti-immigrant law in 95! He is really amazing. His record is great, and I wish we could send him to the senate, but I suppose he's best suited to working in the House.

I just wish Finstein was half as good a rep as Miller is. I don't think anyone even bothers to run against him anymore. He represents us so well it's a lost cause. What are they gonna say, "He's um.. Liberal...and um... does what his constituents want him to?"

[Cobalt-60]

31. Its to be expected

We didn't submit to Chimpy's magnetic personality and eloquent delivery on Iraq, so he's flinging poo to remind us who's Fuhrer.
I mean really, did anyone really expect a decent nominee?
Knowing that they're all scum makes the upcoming purge all the easier to execute.

[ClintonTyree]

32. Imperial hubris........

the man doesn't even CARE if this is the worst possible appointment he could make for this position. :wtf:

He KNOWS how this news will be greeted in the Senate but HE DOES NOT CARE! :grr:

Not ONCE has this numb-skull tried to find the BEST person for any job, he always chooses the person who is the antithesis of the qualities the position dictates. There hasn't been ONE appointment he's made that makes sense....at least as far as the average American citizen is concerned. It's ALWAYS the person who is the most politically connected, the biggest Republican donor and the person who will actively work AGAINST the best interests of the American people.

I hate that man, I hate that man, I hate that man! :grr: Never have the American people had to put up with such an ideological idiot in the office of the Presidency. Not ONCE has Bush tried a bipartisan solution to any problem. It's always his way or the highway. Well guess what, asshole? IT'S THE FUCKING HIGHWAY FOR YOU AS SOON AS A DEMOCRATIC HOUSE AND SENATE GET ELECTED IN NOVEMBER! :mad:

[whistle]

33. Once again George W Bush shoves his thumb in the eyes of the

...working men and women of America. Bush's vision is filled with arrogance and contempt for the little people.

[TankLV]

34. He really does enjoy screwing the country, doesn't he!

Evey day brings a new low/abomination.

I've come to expect as much...

We'd better win and win BIG this November and start the endless investigations post haste...

[Vinca]

35. If you hadn't provided a link, I would've thought this was a "gotcha."

Of all the lawyers licensed to practice in the United States of America, Bush opts for the Walmart lawyer. Why am I not surprised?

[Mr_Spock]

36. What a fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking ass hole!!!

IS there no end to this insanity?

[kristendom]

38. Torture

This is an incestuous appointment.
http://www.kristen540.blogspot.com

[riona]

39. SSDD

Find the guy who dislikes the group he is appointed to represent - remember Bolton?

[TechBear_Seattle]

40. I am strongly reminded...

Of the highly unpopular Governor of Arizona, Evan Mecham (R), who was elected in 1986 by a plurality vote in a three-way race (Arizona does not require a majority.) Among the many (MANY) missteps he made was appointing a Mormon Bishop to head the state's Liquor Control Board.

After he had been in office 180 days (the minimum required by the state constitution), a recall drive was started against him. On November 2, 1987, more signatures were turned in on the recall petition than Mecham had received votes. A special election was called for May 17, 1988, but the election ended up getting canceled when the State Legislature impeached him and nearly barred him from ever holding state office again (that vote fell just short of the two-thirds required.)

Would that the US House and Senate had that much backbone.

[marmar]

42. It just gets better and better, doesn't it?

The George W. Bush Cash-and-Carry Government store.

[blondeatlast]

44. Why doesn't the Administration just get it the hell over with?

Why not just line up the union members, the anti-Iraq war contingent, the women, the non-wack-job-Christians, beleivers of all other faiths, non-beleivers of all stripes, oh, hell--

ANYONE WHO ISN'T WITHIN THEIR 3 DEGREES OF SEPARATION FROM THE EAST COAST BILLIONAIRE, CORPORATIST ELITE--

and just shoot us now before I have to pay next month's mortgage, electric, etc.?!

[Cobalt-60]

61. The day they start

they're Gone, down to the last spoiled little rich boy.
Count on it.

[NoSheep]

46. Why does he hate America so much???? LOL!

:rofl:

[NoSheep]

47. I can't stop laughing! I'm hysterical, I tell you.

:rofl: :rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

[Perry Mason]

49. This sends exactly the type of message it is intended to

This appointment by The Evil One sends the exact message to working class people that it is intended to send, namely, "Give up, all hope is lost, you have no say in this, it is not YOUR country, it is OURS, keep flippin' them burgers and keep yer yap shut or it's the whipping post for you."

This particular foot on the neck of the worker class is no great surprise to me, this administration is made up of people who, for whatever reason, are obviously TRYING to go to hell. What surprises me is every time I see a "W '04" sticker on some old banged up rust bucket car...must be a self-asteem issue.

[Jacobin]

50. He puts a stick in the eye of his supporters almost every day

And they beg for more.

American voters are utterly deluded....or at least 35% of them are now.

[MannyGoldstein]

51. Impeachment Coming Soon - But Not From The Dems

Bush will soon be impeached. The effort will not be led by the spineless Democrats; but rather by the spined (but evil) Republicans. If they lose Congress in November, they'll blame it on Bush BS like this move.

Once the Republicans start talking impeachment, the spineless Dems will flop in the direction of the breeze - and so it will be done.

[ProSense]

52. This explains the media's blitz defense of Wal-Mart.

But DeCamp conceded that, on his watch at the department, large numbers of temporary and immigrant workers were victimized by wage theft and other illegal practices -- in particular during the Gulf Coast cleanup after Hurricane Katrina.

"Why should we think you're going to do a better job as wage and hour administrator?" asked Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.), waving reports documenting recent wage scandals.

DeCamp also drew criticism for having represented Wal-Mart Stores Inc. in a class-action lawsuit by 1.6 million low-wage female workers over alleged sex discrimination.

"Have you ever defended a worker in a lawsuit against an employer?" asked Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.).

"I have not," DeCamp replied.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/01/AR2006080101323.html

This is the only MSM article that comes up in a search for DeCamp. The media spent the entire month of August defending Wal-Mart. The disingenuous BS from the right is expected, the BS from the left is despicable. They would sell workers short with BS claims about Wal-Mart's commitment to diversity.


Bush Makes Backdoor Appointment to Wage and Hour Office

[AnnieBW]

53. You Can't Make this stuff up

You just can't make this stuff up. It's part of their immigration policy - bring in all of the illegal Messcans and have 'em work at Wal-Mart!

[degreesofgray]

56. In related news...

the administration has appointed the Big Bad Wolf to run the Humane Society.

[StrictlyRockers]

58. Damn! Next they will have Cheney and the oil co's craft our energy policy

oh wait....

fug

nm

[Peggy Day]

59. Ironic he does it on Labor Day weekend nt

[TaleWgnDg]

60. After Justice Antonin Scalia's kid (who's a lawyer) was appointed

as the head Department of Labor honcho, I gave up. Truly. Can you imagine that? The last of the people's executive agencies being headed up by an extreme rightwing anti-labor lawyer? The U.S. Labor Department headed by an anti-labor attorney. Nothing, and I mean nothing surprises me coming from the George Walker Bush Administration!

This newest anti-labor move is merely more of the same old same from George Walker Bush, period.



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