Absolute Obstruction

GOP Sen. Richard Shelby has finally achieved the epitome' of the Party of No:  he has placed an unprecedented blanket hold on all outstanding Obama administration nominations in order to force the the President to do what the GOP wants.

In response to a question from the Press-Register, Reid spokeswoman Regan Lachapelle confirmed that Shelby has placed a "blanket hold" on most pending nominations.

By placing a hold, a single senator can stop the Senate from voting on a particular nomination, often as a way of gaining leverage on an unrelated issue. It is not clear when Shelby placed the hold or how many nominees are affected. While individual holds are not unusual, Gary Jacobson, a congressional expert at the University of California at San Diego, said he knew of no previous use of a blanket hold.

Shelby spokesman Jonathan Graffeo did not immediately respond to phone and e-mail messages seeking confirmation of the senator's action or his reason for doing so.

Holds can be overcome, but it takes 60 votes in the 100-member Senate. While tradition-bound senators are typically reluctant to take that step, they did so Thursday in voting to confirm nominees to the Labor Department and the General Services Administration.

And with 41 votes to the Dems' 59 as Scott Brown has been sworn in this evening, the Republicans can now block all Obama appointments indefinitely until they get 100% of what they want.

We have finally reached the the Tyranny of the Minority.  There are now two choices:
(More after the jump...)


Obama will have to either give in to all the GOP demands in which case they will simply make more demands, or simply make recess appointments.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid warned Republicans Thursday that if they use the arrival of Scott Brown as an opportunity to filibuster every Democratic nominee, then his party may have to bypass the legislature and rely on appointments made during recess.

"I hope that we can get more cooperation here. I have been someone, Madam President, who has tried hard not to do -- have the president do recess appointments," Reid said from the Senate well Thursday afternoon. "But what alternative do we have? What alternative do we have?"

You can give in.  The GOP is already attacking the Dems on this with their quotes on Bush's recess appointments.  Bush did it anyway.  Make this happen, then smash the GOP on this.

Especially Scott Brown.

The Republican party has abdicated any responsibility for governing America.  Period.  They are not rational actors.  Go around them, and show confidence when you do.  Remind America what the alternative is to the Democrats:  Republican nihilism.

[UPDATE 10:39 PM] TPM has a list of demands that Shelby wants for ransom:

- A $40 billion contract to build air-to-air refueling tankers. From the report: "Northrop/EADS team would build the planes in Mobile, Ala., but has threatened to pull out of the competition unless the Air Force makes changes to a draft request for proposals."

- An improvised explosive device testing lab for the FBI. From CongressDaily: "[Shelby] is frustrated that the Obama administration won't build" the center, which Shelby earmarked $45 million for in 2008. The center is due to be based "at the Army's Redstone Arsenal."

Though a Shelby spokesperson would not confirm that these programs were behind the blanket hold, the Senator expressed his frustration about the progress on both through a spokesperson earlier in the day, the magazine reports.

So.  Obama.  Going to give in?  Because when you do, what will the other 40 GOP senators (Not to mention some Dems) put on their ransom notes?