Posted on 11/30/2009 11:34:44 AM PST by pissant
Sen. Jim DeMint has locked a "hold" on President Obama's pick to head the Transportation Security Administration over concerns the nominee would undermine safety by allowing airport security screeners to unionize, the latest in a series of appointments stymied by Republican objections that are increasingly frustrating the Senate's Democratic majority.
The South Carolina Republican single-handedly put the brakes on the nomination with a "hold" - an informal practice by which a senator can keep a nomination or legislation from going to the Senate floor. It is virtually the only weapon left in the minority's arsenal to affect the chamber's business now that Republicans don't have enough votes in their caucus to mount a filibuster on their own.
Mr. DeMint blocked the vote on Erroll Southers, a top cop at Los Angeles International Airport, because he says the nominee is ducking questions about whether he would consider reversing current policy by opening the door to unionizing the security screeners.
Critics say the change would jeopardize national security by imposing union work rules that could hamstring the government's ability to quickly adapt to evolving terrorist threats.
"It's very simple. Giving union bosses control over security at our nation's airports is dangerous and will harm our ability to respond to serious threats," Mr. DeMint said. "If President Obama's nominee will not commit to putting homeland security above the whims of union bosses, it should give everyone serious concern."
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
Hunter/DeMint 2012
Too bad DeMint is one of very few GOPers who are looking out for the interests of this country.
DeMint is great.
40,000 more SEIU members.
Just what we don’t need.
Good for DeMint, Southers is tap dancing around this union issue and he’s a bid union supporter. If I remember right the union thing was a big issue when HS was established and the RATS lost out on the issue.
But both parties are the same and there are only RINOS in the Beltway GOP?
That’s what the DNC operatives keep telling us.
DeMint is DaMan.
Probably not. More accurately, a few top level union bosses taking in 40,000 dues’ paying members’ money and directing it towards democrat politicians, whether all those 40,000 people want it going there or not.
Nail on the head. 40,000 new enrolees is quite substantial. There simply should not be any Gov’t unions. Kinda defeats public service.
He’s a man of principle and hasn’t forgotten why he was sent to Washington. A rarity. He even believes in term limits.
I called and told his staffer I was grateful for this action and that I wish he were my senator. It's not the first time I've made a similar call - good guy.
(DC Office - 202-224-6121)
I called and told his staffer I was grateful for this action and that I wish he were my senator. It's not the first time I've made a similar call - good guy.
(DC Office - 202-224-6121)
DeMint is De Man!
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