Consistency matters. While people are, of course, allowed to change their minds, consistency in one’s broad, general approach to important topics is, well — important.

Which is why the Bolton appointment is infuriating me this morning. If advise and consent is so all-fired important to Senate Republicans that they considered doing great damage to the institution of the Senate to ensure that they had the chance to vote on judges, then they should be outraged by Bush’s recess appointment of Bolton, since the appointment effectively sidesteps their advise and consent role. And yet, I’m seeing almost no criticism from the right (it’s early yet, but I really don’t expect to see much from the Republicans on this issue — I long to be proven wrong).

The right of the President to make recess appointments is important — it keeps the government moving should a vacancy suddenly be created at an inopportune time. However, this vacancy is not a surprise, nor is Bush making the appointment simply because Congress is not in session. This appointment is a bald end-run around the system’s checks and balances.

Of course, the Senate will get to advise and perhaps consent, but not ’till January. Were a Senator, I would angry about this move, regardless of my political affiliations. But that’s probably one reason (among many, many others) that I’m not a Senator — I expect some broad philosophical consistency from people. I expect people to make sense.