Neither Josh Barro nor Brad DeLong has bothered to nominate an IRS commissioner

Josh Barro ‏@jbarro1h

IRS has been w/o a commissioner for 6 mos and Obama hasn't nominated a replacement. Does he hate making appointments?

IRS has been w/o a commissioner for 6 mos and Barro hasn't nominated a replacement. Does he hate making appointments?

Note that in English "nominate" is not the same as appoint. It may mean appoint or it may mean propose to the entity which has the power to appoint. In the case of Obama and a possible IRS commissioner it means propose. In the case of Barro and a possible IRS commissioner it means propose.

Obama would need to propose to the Senate and have the support (for cloture) of 60 Senators. Barro would have to propose to Obama and the Senate and have the support of Obama plus 60 Senators.

We have a difference of degree but not of kind.

There is an important difference though. If Obama nominates and there is a skeleton in a closet, Obama and the nominee suffer (for nothing). Obama's nominee would have to make time semi-commitments with the proviso that they will not be respected if the Senate approves the nomination. Obama's nominee would have to sacrifice almost all of his or her privacy.

In noted contrast, if Barro made a suggestion as to who should be IRS commissioner rather than just complaining that Obama hasn't done so, there would not be such costs. Obama has good excuses. Barro does not.

In revenge, I hereby propose that Josh Barro be appointed IRS commissioner by Obama and the Senate.

also

1. J. Bradford DeLong ‏@delong1h

   .@markfinworc @jbarro If they find very important parts of their job--i.e., appointments--to frustrating to do properly, get out of the way

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2. J. Bradford DeLong ‏@delong1h

   .@markfinworc @jbarro It's the White House's job to do their job, not to not do the parts of their job that are frustrating...

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