by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright March 21, 2015
All Rights Reserved.

                Frustrated over the lack of Senate action on his Cabinet replacement for Attorney General Eric Holder, President Barack Obama got more raspberries from the Republican- controlled Senate, delaying a vote on 55-year-old U.S. Attorney Loretta Lynch.  Lynch has served since 2010 as U.S. Attorney in New York’s Eastern District, covering Queens, Brooklyn and Long Island.  Obama hoped for a speedy vote after nominating Lynch Nov. 8, 2014 only four days after Democrats lost control of the U.S. Senate.  Obama’s inability to get Congressional action stems back to March 23, 2010, when he signed the Affordable Care Act into law over 100% Republican objections.  Barack’s fateful decision torpedoed his campaign promise to serve as a post-partisan president, now at the mercy of the GOP to get anything done.  Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) likes giving  Obama a hard time.

             Obama complained that McConnell was dragging his feet bring Lynch’s nomination to a full Senate vote.  “This time Republican leaders in Congress won’t even let her nomination come up for a vote,” said Obama in his Saturday radio address.  “In fact,” Obama added, “we have been languishing on the Senate floor for longer than the seven previous attorneys general combined,” attesting to Obama’s abysmal relations with House and Senate Republicans.  Democrats like to point fingers at Republican obstructive actions but accept no responsibility for Washington’s toxic political atmosphere.  When Barack vetoed the Keystone XL pipeline for the second time Feb. 24, he sealed his fate in the GOP-dominated Congress.  With civil rights disasters piling up under Holder’s watch with Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo. and Eric Garner in Queens, NY, Washington needs a new AG.

             Obama wants Congress to stop playing politics with his nomination but continues to antagonize the GOP in foreign and domestic policy.  McConnell put Lynch on hold until after Congress votes on Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act.  When Obama took executive action Nov. 17 to stop possible deportation of children of illegal aliens, the GOP Congress groaned.  Unable to get immigration reform, Obama got it done by executive order what he couldn’t do by legislative action in Congress.  Former N.Y. City Mayor Rudi Giuliani, who got himself in hot water calling Obama’s “love of country” into question Feb. 19, called on Senate Republicans to vote on Lynch.  “It’s become Republicans torture Democrats.  Democrats torture Republicans.  Who started it, God knows,” said Giuliani, taking the high road after making despicable comments about Obama’s patriotism.

             Whatever happens with Lynch’s nomination, the Justice Department continues to deal with what looks like racial incidents around the country.  Ferguson reminds the country that there are still racist pockets that must be dealt with objectively.  Watching black citizens in lethal altercations with white police departments say more about incompetent police strategies and tactics than racism, though it’s obvious black citizens are targeted more by white police departments.  Obama’s done a commendable job installing qualified black candidates in important government jobs but has done poorly working in the daily grind with Congress.  If Barack gets too little slack with the GOP, it’s because he’s dished out the same with Obamacare, executive orders and vetoing the Keystone XL pipeline.  If he really wanted the Lynch vote, he would have thrown the GOP a bone on Keystone XL.

             As Lynch’s languishes in the Senate, Obama doesn’t ask himself what he could have done differently to create better report on Capitol Hill.  Accusing the GOP of “playing politics” doesn’t take concrete steps to make concessions.  Obama’s decision to veto the Keystone XL again told the GOP he plans to play hardball until he leaves office.  Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), Obama’s vanquished 2008 opponent, urged Republicans to oppose holding Lynch’s vote.  “We should not even bring it up until this human trafficking bill is disposed of,” McCain told conservative talk show host Hugh Hewitt.  McCain wants to take no prisoners when it comes to Obama’s foreign and domestic policy.  McCain holds Obama responsible for the proliferation of ISIS, pulling the plug on Iraq prematurely.  He considers Obama’s response disgraceful in Ukraine, where Russian President Vladimir Putin gets his way.

             Obama’s problems with Congress stem from his unilateral decision to pass Obamacare March 23, 2010.  Instead of working patiently with Republicans on Capitol Hill, Obama chose partisanship over a healthy bipartisan consensus.  When you consider the costs to his administration from Obamacare, it doesn’t outweigh the benefits, especially to his legacy.  Obama’s divisive comments about Israel make Hillary’s work all the more challenging when she chooses to toss her hat in the ring next month.  Since losing the Midterm Election Nov. 4, Obama hasn’t come to grips with how he’s lost his political capital.  When he decided to veto the Keystone XL pipeline Feb. 24, he missed a golden opportunity to mend fences with Republicans.  Whether or not it’s Lynch’s nomination or some other Democratic agenda, Obama faces an uphill battle trying to get anything done.

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