I'm Dick Shelby and I hate America

'Pine, you ask, how can you say Sen. Dick Shelby (R-AL) hates America. He's a Republican. That means he puts country first. Well...that's where you would be wrong. Shelby doesn't care about America. No, this is true. This month, Shelby put a blanket hold on about 70 of President Obama's appointments. Shelby had the chutzpah to claim the holds were related to his "unaddressed national security concerns." Apparently, "national security concerns" for Dick Shelby equals federal contracts that come to Alabama.

Quick...anyone think Sen. McCain will be asked about this tomorrow on MTP and that if asked Mr. Straight Talk will condemn his fellow Republican Senator? Anyone? Bueller?

The held-up appointments included the top intelligence officers at the State Department and at DHS. Shelby has been shamed into releasing most of the holds, except for 3 Air Force positions. It is sheer happenstance that the three holds still in place target United States Air Force appointments and one of Shelby's biggest "national security concerns" is the $40 billion dollar federal contract Northrop/EADS wants to bring through Mobile, AL to build air-to-air tankers. And we are sure that the USAF's refusal to allow changes to a draft request for proposals, changes that Northrop/EADS says they need or they will pull out of the bidding have absolutely nothing to do with Shelby's holds. No, we are sure that a freedom loving, god-fearing true American like Dick Shelby is only holding these nominees up because he has legitimate concerns that these nominees are not adequately qualified to fill these important, high-ranking positions and thus their appointment would jeopardize the safety of every single American citizen.

BASH: I spoke with Geoff Morrell over at the Pentagon and just asked him what the impact is of not having these three people in place -- one of whom, as you know, is the number two at the Air Force. He said, "Without these people, we're not firing on all cylinders." And he also said, "It does adversely affect the organization."

Are you worried about that? This is a time of war --

SHELBY: The Pentagon is a big place. I don't think one or two will affect anything except on the margins.

BASH: Do you think that the nominees you have holds on are qualified?

SHELBY: Oh, I don't have any idea.

Ruh-roh. So let us get this straight: A Republican Senator has held up appointments that are keeping three high positions vacant, vacancies that the USAF claims are hindering the military's effectiveness, at a time when we have troops on the ground in two foreign countries and we're waging a global war on terror and the Senator readily admits it has absolutely nothing to do with qualifications? Could you imagine that absolute shit fit the right would be having if this was happening with a Democratic Senator say in 2003? This is supposed to be the party that "loves" America, is the military's great champion and is the only thing standing between us and the brink of destruction at the hands of hordes of crazed muslims. Oh, we forgot, that's just the narrative. They really don't care about that stuff. Opps...our bad.