My Senator, Senator Menendez, is a coward.
There, I've said it.
I know this because I have worked in Congress. When a "spokesman" tells those inquiring about his leaked anonymous hold - via Email no less - that
"It is our office's policy not to speculate or comment on anonymous holds or rumors of anonymous holds, across the board."
You know that the spokesman is operating with the imprimatur of the Boss.
Harvard physicist John Holdren - an expert on Climate Change who has proposed bold solutions in re-starting a green economy - is exactly what this country desperately needs - with not a day to spare. But Senator Menendez is taking the coward's path to stop the vote - just so Menendez can push an unrelated issue that he should be talking about separately - moreover, it is a hold that he will not even admit to doing.
Coward.
Senator Menendez deserves to be inundated with calls not merely for his unprincipled willingness to hold up votes on an important Climate Change expert - while New Jersey chokes - but also because, in the casee of the most open and receptive President in U.S. History to requests for time to discuss issues - Menendez, a powerhouse in the Senate - does not have the cojones to make his case public.
Today's Wash Post has the story, but I live this story every day in New jersey where I, as with many urbanites - suffer with asthma.
But my egomaniacal Senator does not care about the urgent need to address climate-related health issues.
Or the urgent need to address climate-related energy issues.
Or the urgent need to get our economy back on track through advisement of one of the preeminent Climatologists who has groundbreaking ideas to offer. And the important contribution of another nominee, Jane Lubchenco, who is Obama's nominee to head the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
No - our petulant Senator wants his view on Cuba to be addressed.
Now.
Right Now.
Before we do anything about the climate.
According to
today's Post
Menendez is using the holds as leverage to get Senate leaders' attention for a matter related to Cuba
And he does not even want to admit this to the newspapers. He wants to do so through a smoke-filled back room - the eponymous, anonymous hold - preferring to use a cowardly hidden-bully approach to get his message about his view on Cuba [whatever that may be] to the powers-that-be.
And he won't let his 'spokesman' admit that Menendez is bullying the Senate - and our president - over this vial appointment, just to get his way.
I suspect he didn't get the 'right' answer when he addressed this with leadership.
Did he even ask the President? We'll never know, because the Senator's Spokesman is hiding his bullying tactics through 'nanananana, we won't say'
Instead my cowardly senator Menendez
has placed a "hold" that blocks votes on confirming Harvard University physicist John Holdren, who is in line to lead the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and Oregon State University marine biologist Jane Lubchenco, Obama's nominee to head the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Damn, that Asthma is acting up again.
Here's a request dkosers - let's all call my cowardly Senator and cough while telling him to
(1) Man up and admit what he's doing, and
(2) release the holds on John Holdren and Jane Lubchenco
Here's contact info to reach my Senator, Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey (D-coward):
DC Phone:202-224-4744
DC Fax: 202-228-2197
http://menendez.senate.gov/...