Over at The Wonk Room. Pat Garofalo notes that Chief Justice John Roberts' line of questioning in a case involving the National Labor Relations Board shows that he wonders why President Obama hasn't made a recess appointment. Obama's nominee, Craig Becker couldn't get the 60 votes required to break a Republican filibuster.
A recess appointment is even more important now, since the Supreme Court could decide to throw out rulings made by the board when it only has two members, as it has in the time the spot has gone unfilled.
If this is indeed the route Obama has to go, then he should. It's unacceptable for the board that mediates labor disputes to be hobbled for so long and for Republicans to hold up the nominations over their disapproval of an unrelated piece of legislation. As Michael Whitney put it, 'each time the right picks a fight with Becker, [TSA Nominee Errol] Southers, or the Employee Free Choice Act, both corporations and the right directly benefit from one fewer chance for workers to exercise their rights.'
When Obama passed up the chance to make recess appointments over the President's Day holiday, everyone hoped he would make the appointment over the Easter recess. Now it looks like that will happen. Finally.
-- Monica Potts
