Our Views: Nominees need vote
In an election year — right in the Capitol — President Barack Obama took dead aim at one of America’s institutions that is in far worse shape in the polls than he is: Congress itself.
Some of the president’s State of the Union proposals aren’t going anywhere, although Congress — mindful of an approval rating for itself of just 9 percent in one national poll — is likely to pass some kind of insider-trading restriction on its members.
It won’t be as comprehensive as the president’s call for a ban on “any elected official from owning stock in industries they impact.” For one thing, Obama’s suggestion is simply too broad. Congress’ policies can even have an impact on Treasury bills, not just stock in individual companies or mutual funds betting heavily on an industry group.
However, one idea probably won’t get anywhere but should: A quick vote in the Senate on key presidential nominees.
Obama served in the Senate, and he would know what he’s asking is a blow to the power of the body, and the political power of individual senators. But the ever-longer delays of confirmation by the Senate, aided by the Senate rules that make individual senators mini-despots of appointments in their own states, are a national scandal.
That is particularly true in judicial nominations. Every lawyer in federal practice in Louisiana can tell you the names of highly qualified individuals of both parties who were nominated for the federal courts but never got to a vote, sometimes not even the courtesy of a hearing.
Instead, the parties and sometimes individual senators have used their procedural powers to delay nominations until nominees withdraw, or until the next election — when, it is hoped by the delayers, that jobs can be filled with folks of their own party.
With an ugly and increasingly partisan split in the Congress, the Senate minority is now using the threat of a filibuster and other procedural tools to deny the president nominees to operate agencies or federal boards.
Obama called for a confirmation vote, requiring a simple majority, for nominees within three months. That’s probably too fast, given just the increasingly bureaucratic nature of the Senate and the paperwork needed.
Still, it’s a good idea from Obama. It’s shameful that the Senate isn’t interested.