Senate delaying confirmation of some Obama Economic Team Staffers

[EraOfResponsibility]

For the entire article go here:

March 2 (Bloomberg) -- President Barack Obama’s economic advisers are increasingly concerned about the U.S. Senate’s delay in confirming the nominations of Austan Goolsbee and Cecilia Rouse to the White House Council of Economic Advisers.

Without Senate confirmation, the two economists are barred from advising the president as the administration tackles the worst financial crisis in 70 years and tries to advance the spending plan Obama submitted to Congress last week.

“It’s frustrating,” said Christina Romer, who heads the three-member CEA. “These are hard economic times and we desperately want to get them through the Senate and definitely on the job.”

“They are both superb economists,” she said. “I can’t imagine what the holdup is.”

Goolsbee and Rouse appeared before the Senate Banking Committee on Jan. 15 and were slated for a full Senate confirmation on Inauguration Day, Jan. 20, according to a senior administration official. Instead, they were approved by the panel Feb. 10.

They weren’t placed on the confirmation slate for the full chamber, leading some administration officials to conclude that Senate Republicans were retaliating against the Democrats because President George W. Bush’s nominations for the same slots languished in the Senate for months at the end of his second term.

[w4rma]

1. Repukes are holding them up? Then these economists may actually know what they are doing. (nt)

[rvablue]

2. One word:

SABOTAGE!

The repubs: no shame, no honor!

[EraOfResponsibility]

3. pretty much

[amandabeech]

4. With respect to Goolsbee, maybe a progressive Dem has put the hold on.

Goolsbee's right from the same mold as Geithner and Summers.

He's not going to add too much to the discussion except a bunch of yesses.

[Bleacher Creature]

5. Republicans endangering the country for personal reasons???? I'm shocked!!

Not

[Thrill]

6. Weakass Dems in the Senate. SAY SOMETHING. Call them out