From boycotts to delays, Republicans using tough tactics to disrupt Obama agenda

[WestVirginiaRebel]

Fox News:

Republicans are using tough new tactics to disrupt President Obama's second-term agenda and appointments, beginning to step up their fight six months after the party's presidential election defeat.

Minority Republicans in the Senate this week boycotted a committee vote on the president's nominee for EPA administrator, Gina McCarthy. Separately, they delayed another panel vote on the president's pick for Labor secretary, Thomas Perez, for a second time.

The moves were blasted by Democrats as continued obstruction by an obstinate party.

"This is a pattern," Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., said. "This is a pattern of blocking President Obama's confirmation votes on his key Cabinet positions."

But they come as Congress approaches yet another election year, with Republicans trying to get back on offense.

In addition to the nomination delays, Republican leaders fired off a letter this week to the president refusing to appoint anyone to an ObamaCare panel meant to hold down Medicare costs.

The Independent Payment Advisory Board, as it is called, has been criticized in the past as a "death panel" -- reflecting concerns that it would be used to deny care to seniors -- though supporters say it would not ration care.

The letter from House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell cited concerns about access to care. "Because the law will give IPAB's 15 unelected, unaccountable individuals the ability to deny seniors access to innovative care, we respectfully decline to recommend appointments," they wrote.

Further, Boehner announced that for the 40th time since it became law, the federal health care law will again be subject to a repeal vote, so the new 2013 class of conservatives can vote to eliminate it too.

"They've been asking for an opportunity to vote on it, and we're going to give it to them," Boehner said.

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Keeping the pressure on.