President Obama has circumvented the Senate and the American public by using a recess appointment to install Dr. Donald Berwick at the helm of the Center for Medicare and Services. It not only confirms the president's disregard for the legitimate legislative process, but also exposes the frightening big government extremism of the president’s health care agenda.
How could the president successfully install such an extreme advocate of rationing and government control of health care? By cheating the process. The Senate didn’t hold a single hearing. Berwick wasn’t filibustered, because Republicans didn’t even have a chance – he was never put on the calender.
Even Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, one of the key architects of Obamacare who steered the law through tough Senate negotiations, broke with the president over the way he sidestepped Congress to get Berwick in, saying: “I'm troubled that, rather than going through the standard nomination process, Dr. Berwick was recess appointed. Senate confirmation of presidential appointees is an essential process prescribed by the Constitution that serves as a check on Executive power and protects Montanans and all Americans by ensuring that crucial questions are asked of the nominee – and answered.”