Games

In a political system with free expression, and the reasonable opportunity to realize one's political aspirations, internal conflict is inevitable, and to a degree, healthy and desirable. Ideological debate is both the price and the benefit of a freely expressing society. So be it. Gob Bless American freedom of expression.

Achieving political goals sometimes creates the temptation to indulge in various creative political strategies, or trickery. No one seems above this, including President Obama, and the United States Senate.

Recently the president was determined to appoint a certain gentleman to a financial regulatory office. The republicans in the Senate opposed the appointment, not because of the candidate's qualifications, but because they simply don't like financial regulation. Stalemate.

Congress leaves town for vacation, president makes "recess appointment". Presidents have been doing this for a long time.

Only this time congress didn't entirely leave town. Cleverly a couple of members stayed around over the holidays, holding "pro forma", or token senatorial sessions, to block the dreaded appointment. A brilliant strategy, by anyone's standards.

Only this time the President (Obama) made the appointment anyway, right in front of the token senate. This is evidently the first time a president has done this, and the handful of senators in town were outraged. Par for the course for American politics.