It seems you can always count on one thing with the Republicans: racism.  For the fifth time, Senate Republicans have essentially frozen the nomination of Dilawar Syed for the role of deputy administrator of the Small Business Administration from advancing out of committee on Wednesday.  Every single Republican on the Senate Small Business Committee was absent for the Wednesday vote on Syed, depriving the committee of the quorum needed to conduct business. Why, you may ask? If confirmed, Syed would have been the highest-ranking Muslim in government.  Read more