The Mask Slips

So we now know that Republican Senator Richard Shelby has been holding up confirmation of dozens of nominees for important positions in the federal government, including some positions related to homeland security and counter-terrorism. Shelby intends to forestall votes on the nominees until he gets approval for lucrative pork projects in his state. Thus in a single stroke Shelby has wiped away the Republican Party's phony claim to being the party of fiscal responsibility and the party of national security.