New chairman for labor board

President Obama this week named Mark Pearce chairman of the National Labor Relations Board, a heavily politicized agency that oversees enforcement of laws affecting union drives, strikes, and labor-contract negotiations. Pearce, a Buffalo Democrat, will succeed Wilma Liebman, a fellow Democrat whose tenure has been criticized by Republicans, who accused her of favoring unions over business. Her exit pares the five-member board down to three members. Republicans have vowed to block the appointment of any Democrat when one of the remaining three retires in December. This will paralyze the agency because it cannot make decisions with two members.