Right now we're looking to the White House for leadership, but more than that, aggression. So I want to pose a simple question: If Obama can't ram through a TSA nominee after an attempted terrorist attack on an airplane, does he have any hope with something as complex as health care reform?
I'll link to the Huffpo hosting, just cause:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...
So there we have it -- Errol Southers is out because he's pro-union. For the record, we didn't have 40 or 41 Republicans standing in the way of his nomination, we had ONE. I understand that Obama is the sort of guy who picks his battles, but you can't cede the easy wins, and this was one of them. Especially not when it comes to national security, where the nation prizes decisiveness over all else.
We should also be bothered that the reason Southers was dropped is because he's pro union. I'm not saying Obama isn't, but people are already questioning the extent to which he's willing to take on the financial establishment. Southers being dropped draws his commitment into question.
I know the Kos community is trying to avoid negative diaries. So I'll make a positive suggestion. We need to start encouraging Dems, especially those who read and post here, to stop playing nice insofar as senate and congressional procedure are concerned. Taking the high road in getting a bill passed or a nomination approved is not really the high road. As much as a disagree with modern Republican principles, they understand this. Work around the system to accomplish what you need to. If a congressman is obstructing a bill or nomination, work around him, even if it means bending the rules. The public does not care about, nor understand, the minutia of congressional procedure.
So, spin it up front, and let the results speak for themselves.