Brian Hayes — the Quitter

Move over Sarah Palin.  There’s a new Quitter in town — Brian Hayes.

Brian Hayes is the only Republican member of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).  Hayes disagrees with the other two members of the NLRB — both Democrats — over an NLRB ruling on labor unions.

Most grownups are able to withstand the heartbreak of having their co-workers disagree with them.  But Brian Hayes is threatening to resign his position on the NLRB.  This would deny the Board a quorum, thereby bringing the National Labor Relations Board to a grinding halt.

The NLRB is supposed to have five members, but thanks to a giant shit pile in the middle of the road — i.e. Congressional Republicans obstructing and blocking Obama’s every nominee to every position — the NLRB has two longstanding unfilled vacancies.  So now if one member quits, the entire Board grinds to a halt.

Brian Hayes hasn’t quit his position yet, as of this writing.  Hopefully this won’t become a trend:  quit your job and bring an entire government board screeching to a halt.  If Hayes does quit, what will he put on his next job application under “reason for leaving your prior employer.”

A spokesperson for the Service Employees International Union said:

“We are shocked by the idea that a partisan difference would shut down the workings of a federal agency.”

Brian Hayes wrote a letter to his family, discussing the agonizing decision he’s facing.  A portion of the letter was leaked to the press:

“Mommy:  I can’t take this any more.  It’s too haaard.  It’s tough out here in the cold cruel world.  People are mean to me.  Can I come home?  I want to move back into my old room again, just like old times, and just be me again.  Pleeeease?  I‘m sorry about that time when you walked in on me while I was xxxx xxx xxx xxxxxxxxxx xxxx xxxxxxxx and I promise I won’t do it again.”