President Joe Biden’s political appointments are proving unpopular within the Senate, leaving him at a personnel standstill.
Six months on from his nomination of Julie Su to take charge of the Department of Labor, senators from both parties remain opposed to her appointment.
Without their support, Su cannot officially take her post, leaving the Biden administration in a sticky situation.
Opposition has continued into the August recess, and now Biden faces the possibility of fighting a presidential election without a confirmed Labor secretary.
Three Democrats and a Republican
Senator Tommy Tuberville (R.-Alabama) has been a source of frustration for the President so far this year.
A Trump loyalist, Tuberville has held up military promotions requiring Senate approval over the administration’s stance on abortion.
Hundreds of senior military positions have been left unfilled as a result of his protests, leaving the Marine Corps without a leader for the first time in a century, while the Army and Navy are yet to see a confirmed top officer.
“Without these leaders in place, these holes severely limit the department’s ability to ensure the right person is in place at the right time, and to ensure a strategic readiness and operational success,” a Pentagon spokesperson said in June.
Biden is also facing opposition within his own party, notably from three moderate Democrats: Sens. Joe Manchin, Jon Tester, and Kyrsten Sinema.
Only Manchin, a vocal Biden critic who is reportedly toying with the idea of a presidential campaign in 2024, has publicly expressed his opposition to Su’s appointment.
“I believe the person leading the U.S. Department of Labor should have the experience to collaboratively lead both labor and industry to forge compromises acceptable to both parties,” he said on July 13.
“While her credentials and qualifications are impressive, I have genuine concerns that Julie Su’s more progressive background prevents her from doing this and for that reason I cannot support her nomination to serve as Secretary of Labor.”
What Will Joe Biden Do?
The Biden administration is standing its ground over Su, who recently worked with UPS and Teamsters to avoid a strike over workers’ contracts.
Failure to successfully appoint officials to the administration could leave it at a standstill, leading to a period of governmental stagnation where nothing is passed.
With just over a year before the presidential election, both sides could use the opposition to such appointments in their political arguments.
For the Democrats, Republican opposition can be used to highlight an unwillingness to cooperate, thus tarnishing the reputation of a united GOP.
On the contrary, three Democrat senators refusing to support the president could be a gold mine; if even Democrats cannot support Biden, why should the voters?
Shay Bottomley is a British journalist based in Canada. He has written for the Western Standard, Maidenhead Advertiser, Slough Express, Windsor Express, Berkshire Live and Southend Echo, and has covered notable events including the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
From 19FortyFive
