Most of the big banks have kept quiet after President Obama controversially recess-appointed Richard Cordray to his throne atop Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. We still don't know how much this new bureaucracy will annoy the banks, but one can assume they were just fine with the previous arrangement, in which congressional procedural gimmicks were used to block it from ever taking formation. But then yesterday, something wonderful happened: Citigroup's lobbyist chimed in with a passive-aggressive blog post about the whole issue!

Citigroup's EVP Candi Wolff suddenly appears very concerned about the future of our democracy, now that a CFPB director has been put in place. Here are some of her top questions as outlined in this news release, ones that must keep her up at night stressed about her nation's dignity:

What precedent has been set? Each Administration has to weigh questions of political expedience against matters of Constitutional principle. It goes without saying that every decision made within one Administration can impact not just the next, but future Administrations as well. Has this action opened the door for future presidents to make highly controversial appointments without regard to Congressional advice and consent? Will the American people view this action with acceptance, ambivalence, or take it to be a Constitutional challenge?

Is bipartisanship dead in the water? If things weren't tense before, the political stakes have been upped. Republicans in Congress may now see even less reason to seek compromise between the GOP and President Obama. Add to that a hostile election-year environment and even the most non controversial piece of legislation may not make it in 2012.

Think of the Constitutional precedents, and the ability for government to function now! Great questions, from the Citigroup lobbyist. Were they this concerned about the Constitution and precedents being set and congressional dysfunction after they got their many many many many many billions of dollars for free from the federal government in 2008-2009, though? Most likely not.

[via BusinessWeek]