Craig Becker Blocked: GOP Filibusters Obama Labor Board Nominee

WASHINGTON — Senate Democrats on Tuesday failed to push through President Barack Obama's choice of a union lawyer to serve on the National Labor Relations Board after two of their own joined Republicans to block the nomination.

By a 52-33 vote, Democrats fell far short of the 60 needed to overcome a GOP filibuster of the nomination of Craig Becker.

The vote is a setback for organized labor, which was counting on a strong pro-union voice on the agency that oversees union elections and referees labor-management disputes.

It's also a blow to the NLRB, which has postponed hundreds of cases for more than two years while political wrangling has stalled nominations to fill three vacancies on the five-member board.

Republicans have held up Becker's confirmation for months, saying they fear he would circumvent Congress to make labor laws more union-friendly.

But the task for Democratic leaders turned more difficult when two Democrats – Sen. Ben Nelson, of Nebraska, and Sen. Blanche Lincoln, of Arkansas – joined Republicans in opposing Becker. Both have come under intense pressure from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other business groups to oppose the nominee.

"Mr. Becker's previous statements strongly indicate that he would take an aggressive personal agenda to the NLRB, and that he would pursue a personal agenda there, rather than that of the administration," Nelson said in a statement.

Democrats had tried to push Becker through before Republican Scott Brown of Massachusetts came into office and took away Democrats' 60 vote supermajority. Brown voted against Becker.

Becker, a lawyer for the AFL-CIO and the Service Employees International Union, has spoken favorably on "card check" legislation that would take away the right of employers to demand secret ballot union representation elections. Some of his legal writings suggest that its goals could be accomplished by the NLRB without Congress having to pass the legislation.

Comments

[pafhumbucker]

08:45 AM on 02/11/2010

glad they nuked him - just another liberal lackey pushing a liberal pro-union agenda- just look at his leanings - this is not what the majority of Americans are looking for.....

[dbailey]

05:21 PM on 02/10/2010

when are they going to ACTUALLY fillibuster?!! We just keep hearing that they are so MAKE THEM DO IT?!!!! How can we keep saying the are abusing the fillibuster when we back dowm every time they just say they're going to do it. If it hasn't acutally been done then it hasn't acutally been abused.

[babyboomerorig]

11:08 AM on 02/10/2010

Not only do all the nominees present the qualifications for their nominated positions, but should be passed through the Senate with no more debating issues.

If the Republicans want to filibuster someone, they need to do it properly, not just issue a statement that this is what they're doing. It would knock the filibusters down to important things, not political posturing and shutting down the government.

They want their power back so badly that they're doing anything they think will work to make it happen.

This isn't the way.

[HankRearden]

11:44 AM on 02/10/2010

It is just not YOUR way.

[soitgoes12]

11:04 AM on 02/10/2010

Although there has been some corruption in the larger Unions (surprise someone would use any shot at gaining power to their advantage)... but the idea of a union is simply to allow the individual to ban together with others and fight for their rights against those with more power/money (the elites of our country). Unfortunately, just like the word "Socialism" or "intellectual" have been demonized, the conservative propaganda have convinced people that would be helped by Unions that they are some evil entity.

[pafhumbucker]

08:49 AM on 02/11/2010

well, the UAW certainly helped to take down Chrysler & GM . $70 / hr to screw on bolts.........

[Phxflyer]

10:53 AM on 02/10/2010

Since when were 60 votes required on every Senate vote? Time for Democrats to institute the same rules the republicans used under Bush.

[POR4319]

11:07 AM on 02/10/2010

Well they did actually. It is amazing just how quickly people forget the lengths Dems went to to block Bush's legislation and nominees.

[tompoe]

12:01 PM on 02/10/2010

If what you say is true, why not remind readers. You can start with Bush administration's use of reconciliation for tax cuts for the wealthy, and work down.

[BambooHarvester]

10:50 AM on 02/10/2010

Khalid Shaikh McConnell
~

[RichieB]

11:02 AM on 02/10/2010

Very appropriate .

[MajorNews]

10:45 AM on 02/10/2010

Lets face it, Republicans are the real enemy of the American people, after whom but real enemy of American people would be against universal health care, something that all developed nations have.

[POR4319]

11:24 AM on 02/10/2010

I guess large the large majorities of the American people who oppose Obamacare are the enemy of the State?? Stupid hyperbole.

[thinkRegress]

12:09 PM on 02/10/2010

That's just it! The progressive commissar says "Round em up!"

[TXProgressive]

10:45 AM on 02/10/2010

Boy, why on earth would you want a pro-labor guy in the NLRB? (insert sarcasm here) Qualified people in positions they're qualified to fill. What a novel idea.

I guess republicans are much happier when unqualified cronies are placed. ie see Brownie - horses, hurricanes, they both start with H, right?

[Doug Compagner]

10:30 AM on 02/10/2010

Becker is a far left union loon...he is a bad choice for America

[Phxflyer]

10:50 AM on 02/10/2010

Nice talking point. Now, do you have anything substantiall to say?

[lohu]

08:47 PM on 02/10/2010

The guy is an SEIU serf and we don't need any more of andy stern in government.

[nomadrdw]

11:32 AM on 02/10/2010

no, he is a bad choice for big business and the people that profit unfairly from them. after all, the same people owned the coal mines in the south before unions and look where that went. without someone to protect the workers in this country we will end with no jobs here at all, only surf labor.

[SimianNation]

10:30 AM on 02/10/2010

All for the express benefit of their own political careers.

[nomadrdw]

11:34 AM on 02/10/2010

of course it is. they will do every thing they can to be sure this admin fail and is unable to accomplish any single thing of real value to America. that way they can point out the failure without having to take the blame because people are too stupid to see what they are doing.

[SimianNation]

12:27 PM on 02/10/2010

Yuppers!

[kkrimmer]

10:17 AM on 02/10/2010

GOP = Greedy Old Priks

$700 Billion for War OK
$700 Billion for Banks OK
$700 Billion for Weathiest OK
$700 Billion for Pentagon Every Year OK
$700 Billion for hard working average Americans NOT OK

[KarateKid]

09:58 AM on 02/10/2010

Why didn't the gutless Democrats make the Republicans ACTUALLY do a filibuster?

Blanche Lincoln is in survival mode, but the joke's gonna be on her. The people she's pandering to are the very people who will go to great lengths to defeat her in November.

[lvdragonlady]

10:29 AM on 02/10/2010

Do you even know what a filbuster is??? From you post I think not and that make you part of the problem not part of the solution.

[larce1948]

10:36 AM on 02/10/2010

I'm sorry you didn't learn any history during home schooling.

[KarateKid]

11:19 AM on 02/10/2010

Read this and educate yourself. _Ignorance is NOT bliss.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filibuster

[babyboomerorig]

10:58 AM on 02/10/2010

Absolutely right. Bring in the cots, make them have a quorem and read every line of every bill they filibuster....or give 24 hrs. of proof on why a nominee should not be granted a post.

[POR4319]

11:04 AM on 02/10/2010

Ahh, you realize the clerk reads the bill right..not the Senators?? Think you might want to be more familiar with the rules and procedures of the Senate before making silly remarks.

[RichieB]

09:52 AM on 02/10/2010

Hey Senator McConnell, the snapping turtles just called and they want their beaks back.

[green95gt]

09:53 AM on 02/10/2010

haha...i know seriously.

[paixa3]

09:42 AM on 02/10/2010

I truly hope that your president fills EVERY available position with the brightest, honest and forward thinking people

Best to him and you.

[TXProgressive]

10:51 AM on 02/10/2010

In fact, there's an interesting article in TNR about this - Obama placing quality, qualified candidates in positions. It's worth your time if your interested.

http://www.tnr.com/article/politics/the-quiet-revolution

[jeremyfive]

09:33 AM on 02/10/2010

If the Republican Party--directly responsible for the 911 attack on our soil--ever comes back into administrative power, I hope that Democrats will have a keen memory of the outrageous way the concept of "NO" has been employed by them.

Turnabout is fairplay--payback is hell.

[Simphonia]

11:52 AM on 02/11/2010

You're right; turnabout is fairplay. Just don't forget your history:

“During the 108th Congress, the Republicans held a 51-49 majority in the Senate, and every Republican supported cloture on every one of the disputed judicial nominees. But they were joined by four or fewer Democratic senators on each cloture votes, so the ten nominations died.

"In the November 2004 election, Republicans increased their Senate majority to 55 seats, and President Bush has re-nominated seven of the 10 blocked nominees (the others did not desire re-nomination). But the new Democratic leader, Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nv.) said that the Democrats will again block them by filibuster.” http://www.nrlc.org/judicial/SenateShowdown.htmll)

Sadly enough, it looks like the Senate Democrats are to blame for revving up the filibuster in recent political history, so as far as I’m concerned, it’s their own fault for failing to pass confirm Obama's nominations.