By Katrina vanden Heuvel, Published: March 19 | Updated: Tuesday, March 20, 6:00 AM

He is the most powerful federal employee you’ve never heard of. Edward DeMarco has slowed the economic recovery with the stroke of a pen. His actions are costing taxpayers tens of billions of dollars, forcing millions of homeowners to lose their homes, and contributing to the falling housing prices that are a brake on the recovery.

Not bad for an obscure “acting director” who should have departed his position long ago.

Edward DeMarco heads the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). He’s a temp, in office only because — no surprise — Senate Republicans, led by Richard Shelby (Ala.), refused even to allow a vote on the man President Obama nominated for the post.

And DeMarco is philosophically opposed to the common-sense solutions needed to deal with the housing crisis.

Read more here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-man-blocking-americas-recovery/2012/03/19/gIQAYoLKOS_story.html?wpisrc=emailtoafriend

See what happens, folks, we CONgress decides to do nothing?