It seems that Harry Reid will finally man up and attempt put an end to the Republican Party's shameless politicization of both terrorism and the confirmation process. For the last four months, Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) has put a hold on the nomination of President Obama's choice to head the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). His objection? That the nominee, Errol Southers, refuses to rule out allowing TSA workers to unionize. It would seem that Jim DeMint would rather have the US suffer another terrorist attack (like the attempted one last week over Detroit) than allow TSA workers to get better benefits, pay, or working conditions. Reid will attempt to force a vote when the Senate re-convenes in the new year.
Even after last week's attempted attack, DeMint has refused to release the hold and has thoroughly discredited himself and his party on the issue of homeland safety by making the 100% baseless charge that by allowing TSA to unionize that union "bosses" would be able "to veto or delay future security improvements at our airports." Naturally, when dealing with someone so off of their rocker as Jim DeMint, one must realize that he knows virtually nothing on the subject.
The TSA is far from perfect, but allowing an agency this essential to our safety to remain without someone as its head is unconscionable. Yes, Mr. Southers is not the man who Jim DeMint would choose were he the president. But since he is not president, and the nomination has already passed two Senate committees with bi-partisan support, it is time for DeMint to put politics aside and allow this man to be confirmed. It is essential for our national security. I thought conservatives were supposed to care about that.
Mr. Demint's opponent in his election next year in South Carolina, Chad McGowan, summed up the situation perfectly, "This is not the time to have nobody in charge of America's air security. Terrorists don't care if we're Republicans or Democrats -- they only care that we're Americans. Senator DeMint needs to understand that."
The Republican leadership in the Senate needs to force DeMint off of his radical position and allow this nomination to come to a vote. This is too important an issue to play politics with.
Even after last week's attempted attack, DeMint has refused to release the hold and has thoroughly discredited himself and his party on the issue of homeland safety by making the 100% baseless charge that by allowing TSA to unionize that union "bosses" would be able "to veto or delay future security improvements at our airports." Naturally, when dealing with someone so off of their rocker as Jim DeMint, one must realize that he knows virtually nothing on the subject.
The TSA is far from perfect, but allowing an agency this essential to our safety to remain without someone as its head is unconscionable. Yes, Mr. Southers is not the man who Jim DeMint would choose were he the president. But since he is not president, and the nomination has already passed two Senate committees with bi-partisan support, it is time for DeMint to put politics aside and allow this man to be confirmed. It is essential for our national security. I thought conservatives were supposed to care about that.
Mr. Demint's opponent in his election next year in South Carolina, Chad McGowan, summed up the situation perfectly, "This is not the time to have nobody in charge of America's air security. Terrorists don't care if we're Republicans or Democrats -- they only care that we're Americans. Senator DeMint needs to understand that."
The Republican leadership in the Senate needs to force DeMint off of his radical position and allow this nomination to come to a vote. This is too important an issue to play politics with.
5 comments:
I admit that I am not familiar with the topic as I have been out of touch with latest new lately, however, I cannot think of anything recently that Senator DeMint has been on the wrong side of the issue. I'll reserve specific comments until I learn more though.
Despite President Obama being in office nearly a year, DeMint is now questioning why the Democrats are "rushing" the confirmation of the head of TSA. Rushing?! DeMint has put a personal hold on this for over 4 months! This is blatantly putting politics ahead of national security and it should be condemned by conservatives as well as everyone else. There is no other side to this issue.
I wish JFK never allowed governmental unions to exist in the first place. Generally I believe in unions, but as part of the public sector they have an unfair advantage. Doing the fair thing by allowing a union to exist sounds so right, but has such a disastrous effect over the long-term if funded by the taxpayer. Fair turns into a privilege that most private businesses can't keep up with. Think hard how large the role of the government has become and who really is destroying our standard of living, our future.
A few TSA jobs that go union or non-union is not going to make a big difference, it is the overall bleak path as a nation that we continue to go down. Fight for the little guy as an excuse while the unions profit the most over a consistent and ever expanding workforce.
I don't see it, ever, government and accountability being used in the same sentence and then you add unions into the mix. God help us all, even for those that are so wet behind the ears. They are so righteous and clueless at the same time.
Throwing in "Generally I believe in unions" does not negate your blatantly anti-union talking points. Nice try.
Thank you for posting my previous anonymous point of view. I have no qualms with unions in the private sector. I have no problem with any person that can get a union job if presented one. I do have a problem with long-term growth of governmental spending.
This is a complicated issue and short blog responses will not do this topic justice.
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