Obama Says Blocking Cordray Nomination ‘Makes Absolutely No Sense’
President Obama said today it “makes absolutely no sense” that the Senate failed to confirm Richard Cordray to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and he accused Republicans of blocking key appointments to win political points.
“We are not giving up on this. We are going to keep on going at it. We are not going to allow politics as usual on Capitol Hill to stand in the way of American consumers being protected by unscrupulous financial operators,” the president told reporters in the briefing room of the White House.
Republicans opposed Cordray’s nomination not because of his qualifications but because they are trying to force structural changes to the agency. “I know that some of them have made an argument, well, we just want to sort of make some modifications in the law. Well, they’re free to introduce a bill and get that passed,” Obama said. “But part of what’s happened over on Capitol Hill — not just on this issue but on every issue — is they will hold up nominations.”
“Well-qualified judges do not get a vote. Assistant secretaries to the Treasury get held up for no reason,” Obama said. “They are trying to see if they can use that to reverse some sort of law that’s already been passed. That’s what part of what gets the American people so frustrated. The do not think this is on the level.”
Obama did not rule out the possibility of a recess appointment. “I will not take any options off the table when it comes to getting Richard Cordray in as director of the Consumer Finance Protection Board,” Obama said. “My hope and expectation is that the Republicans who’ve blocked this nomination come to their senses.”
On the broader payroll tax cut fight, the president warned again that lawmakers should not go home for the holidays until the payroll tax cut is extended, and that he will also postpone his Hawaii vacation if need be. “Get it done. And if not, you know, maybe we’ll have a … white Christmas here in Washington,” he said.
“This is not about me. They shouldn’t extend the payroll tax cut for me. They shouldn’t extend unemployment insurance for me. This is for 160 million people who in 23 days are going to see their taxes go up if Congress doesn’t act,” the president said as he stood before the White House clocks counting down to the moment when the payroll tax cut expires.
The president also spoke out against a move by House Republicans to tie action on the Keystone pipeline to the payroll tax cut. While Obama has said he would “reject” such a measure, Republicans claim the pipeline would create tens of thousands of jobs. ”Here’s what I know: However many jobs might be generated by a Keystone pipeline, they’re going to be a lot fewer than the jobs that are created by extending the payroll tax cut and extending unemployment insurance,” the president said.

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I agree totally. We must protect the consumer.
Posted by: John Corzine | December 8, 2011, 2:26 pm 2:26 pm
Obama will do whatever it takes to put him in place……legal or illegal. Obama is a Chicago gangster.
Posted by: Rick McDaniel | December 8, 2011, 2:26 pm 2:26 pm
–”Here’s what I know: However many jobs might be generated by a Keystone pipeline, they’re going to be a lot fewer than the jobs that are created by extending the payroll tax cut and extending unemployment insurance,” the president said.–
So having more people working, even say a few thousand is bad? Glad we got we got that cleared up.
Posted by: Shale | December 8, 2011, 2:34 pm 2:34 pm
Just wait until everyone goes home for the holidays and make a recess appointment from Hawaii. You’ll still get to point fingers.
Posted by: newcountryman | December 8, 2011, 2:38 pm 2:38 pm
I used to support President Barack Hussein Obama, I really did, but with all due respect, really, Barack Hussein is using us as an excuse to takeover our money! “Consumer protection”? Mr. President, the American people have all the “consumer protection” we need; it’s called Freedom! You don’t like your bank? Then leave! You don’t like the terms on their credit card application? Then don’t apply for one! You don’t like the terms this bank’s offering you on this mortgage? Then don’t take one out! You think pay-day loans are too expensive? Then don’t make one! “Consumer protection”? More like government takeover. Just get out of the way, Washington; I want to get in whatever agreement I want with whatever financial institution I want, okay? Don’t pretend you know better than me! It is time we had a President who isn’t going to use whatever excuse that comes down the pipeline to take over our money. It is time for Perry 12, PUMA!
Posted by: Obamacrat for Perry | December 8, 2011, 2:40 pm 2:40 pm
It does not take a genius to realize that the shenanigans of the Obama Administration (e.g., Fast and Furious, Obamacare, SEIU, EPA power grab, Unaccountable Czars) has Republicans suspicious of Presidential appointments running Agencies which do not have any checks and balances. If the President wants this new Consumer Protection Agency to move forward all that he needs to do is add transparency protections requested.
Posted by: Common _ Sense | December 8, 2011, 2:54 pm 2:54 pm
“‘I know that some of them have made an argument, well, we just want to sort of make some modifications in the law. Well, they’re free to introduce a bill and get that passed,’ Obama said.” Right – with Harry “Democrats won’t vote for it” Reid in place, I very much doubt that’s really an option and strongly suspect that the President knows it all too well.
Posted by: MyTake | December 8, 2011, 3:12 pm 3:12 pm
And the Democrats NEVER blocked any of Bush’s nominees. Hippocrits all.
Posted by: s | December 8, 2011, 3:22 pm 3:22 pm
Obama is a Chicago gangster. Posted by: Rick McDaniel | December 8, 2011, 2:26 pm.
Prove it. Come on Rick, prove what you said. Prove that President Obama is a “Chicago gangster”. Or admit that you lied. I’ll wait……..
Posted by: Searambler | December 8, 2011, 3:23 pm 3:23 pm
“Prove it. Come on Rick, prove what you said. Prove that President Obama is a “Chicago gangster”. Or admit that you lied. I’ll wait……..”
Maybe we can ask Mr. Rezko.
Posted by: John Corzine | December 8, 2011, 3:39 pm 3:39 pm
Rick doesn’t have to do either, Searambler. And, knock it off with the attempted psychological baiting. You don’t have the brains to carry it off, and that stuff is all pretty old and tiresome by now anyway.
Posted by: Angie | December 8, 2011, 3:40 pm 3:40 pm
I think the Chicago Gangster was a stretch. He was a grass roots activist and community leader.
Posted by: Dude e head | December 8, 2011, 3:42 pm 3:42 pm
“I think the Chicago Gangster was a stretch. He was a grass roots activist and community leader.”
He saw the hardships our industry was having and really helped us out.
Posted by: George Kaiser | December 8, 2011, 3:50 pm 3:50 pm
The name calling and negative sarcasm is no substitute for reason and logic. Instead of intelligent arguments against The President, Hannity & Co. has his legions trained to spew labels and talking points that don’t neccesarily make sense. S. and Rick are today’s examples.
Posted by: Mikeyboy | December 8, 2011, 3:58 pm 3:58 pm
Looks like Cordray got Borkitized.
Oh well.
Posted by: Noz | December 8, 2011, 4:15 pm 4:15 pm
Angie | December 8, 2011, 3:40 pm post ———– LOL! Silly me, asking a Republican to prove a dumb statement he made is true. I guess y’all just take garbage like that as the gospel truth. Probably due to all that practice you get listening to Rush, Beck, and FOX. Because they lie all the time, too……….
Posted by: Searambler | December 8, 2011, 5:01 pm 5:01 pm
You can’t handle the truth (gosh, wasn’t it YOU who brought up LYING?), Sea. By the way, I am NOT a Republican and I NEVER listen to Fox. But then, I don’t listen to MSNBC, ABC, or read news published by the MSM, either, so there you go again, making all those assumptions based on your armchair psychiatry degree (you must have yours in BS, eh?). Yep, you’re right. You are pretty silly, after all.
Posted by: Angie | December 8, 2011, 6:57 pm 6:57 pm
searambler wrote:”Because they lie all the time, too……….”
.
And the proof of this that you ALWAYS demand from everyone else…. is….??????
Posted by: Michelle Shu Jas | December 8, 2011, 9:50 pm 9:50 pm
The name calling and negative sarcasm is no substitute for reason and logic. Instead of intelligent arguments against The President, Hannity & Co. has his legions trained to spew labels and talking points that don’t neccesarily make sense. S. and Rick are today’s examples.
POSTED BY: MIKEYBOY | DECEMBER 8, 2011, 3:58 PM 3:58 PM
*****
Posted by: Yep | December 8, 2011, 10:06 pm 10:06 pm
Even with Consumer Financial Protection Bureau it will still be Caveat Emptor (Buyer Beware), they won’t stop anything, they are not going to inspect everything, and all business will do is invent some other complicated investment tool and the government as always will be flat footed, trying to fix the last problem instead of the next. Investing is not a safe way to use your money, it has never been safe, if it were safe it would not be an investment, it would be a savings account. Investing is gambling and don’t invest if you cannot afford to lose it. Your 401k are not guaranteed, your savings account is, choose accordingly and stop expect to get rich quick playing the market, unless you are a professional trader. You would walk on to a Pro Football field and expect to keep up with the pros, why would you expect to do the same thing with the markets.
Posted by: snewsom2997 | December 9, 2011, 12:41 pm 12:41 pm
We have the SEC and all of the other alphabet orgs – and the FRANK/DODD law to protect investors. What effing good did they do for the investors of MF Global. So, do we need another alphabet CZAR? Would it do any effing good? So what makes anyone believe a new CZAR will do any good? And how much will this new CZAR and org cost the tax payer? And when it fails, do we create another? Where does this madness of over protesting and spedning what we don’t have end?? Default/collapse of the US dollar/ the US?
Posted by: deanbob | December 9, 2011, 12:56 pm 12:56 pm
deanbob wrote:”So what makes anyone believe a new CZAR will do any good?”
.
If we are going to get a new czar, make it a READING czar and teach these Cabinet members like HOLDER how to read an F&F memo, an Arizona immigration law, anything, so they can actually participate in a Congressional hearing without having to resort to “don’t know”, “never read it”, “never saw it”, “can’t remember”, or any of their usual “dog ate my homework” excuses.
Posted by: Michelle Shu Jas | December 9, 2011, 2:41 pm 2:41 pm
There is also one more technique to increase traffic for your blog that is link exchange, so you also try it Link exchange is nothing else but it is only placing the other person’s blog link on your page at proper place and other person will also do same for you.
Posted by: Candra Sisneros | February 23, 2012, 11:50 am 11:50 am