Let's talk about the "Czars"

[devildog]

Is no one else concerned about all of these "Czars" President Obama is creating? They do not have to be approved by Congress or testify before Congressional committees. I think this could be problematic for checks and balances, as they only report to the President and could use executive priviledge as a shield. Here's the list, I hope I'm not missing any:

CyberSpace Czar

Technology Czar

Drug Czar

Copyright Czar

Climate Czar

Urban Czar

Car Czar

Energy Czar

Health Care Czar

WMD Czar

Education Czar

Economic Czar

Housing Czar

Mortgage Czar

Faith based Czar

TARP Czar

Stimulus Accountability Czar

Non-proliferation Czar

Terrorism Czar

Regulatory Czar

Guantanamo Closure Czar


EDIT: I was missing about 10. There are 21 total.

[Ikasu]

Isn't it overkill?

[sojourner]

Isn't it overkill?

The political usefulness of a czar is that it allows the President to underscore the importance of an issue. The czar does not acquire any powers not already resident in the office of the Executive, but does have more than the usual influence accorded a federal bureaucrat by virtue of his presumed access to the President. Thus, appointing a czar is a political and management device, nothing else.
Source (http://blog.heritage.org/2009/06/11/president-needs-more-diversity-fewer-czars/)

He has appointed twenty czars at last count. That many defeats the purpose and makes them all less effective.

[Wyoming Dem]

Shills, spies, interlopers, Oba-mafioso...Just another way for this administration to circumvent the constitution and the rule of law (we have one...right???)

Obama has successfully disarmed the Media, is busy securing National Ownership of companies, has created his own "squad" of lieutenants answerable to nobody but him, has a "stacked" Congress with his top henchpeople in charge and is busy "getting his message" out 24 hours a damn day, everywhere, on every kind of media and is giving long, boring and disingenuous speech's that the Media never criticizes or fact checks. This is different than Germany pre-1933 and Italy pre 1939 how??? This is TEXTBOOK...read everything that happened up to those events and it is like a "play book." I am the least likely conspiracy theory person that ever lived...I have always condemned those who spouted these theories as the lunatic fringe. Well...I am ready for my straight jacket and a "time out" at the funny farm because it sure seems like a conspiracy to me. (Obama probably has Acorn people who "visit" the Funny Farm and register those within to vote after telling them how to vote...or makes The Funny Farm Doctors play all the tapes of all his previous speechs to all the catatonic patients.)

[devildog]

He has appointed twenty czars at last count. That many defeats the purpose and makes them all less effective.

I had to fix my post, as there was only 11 on my list. I got all all 21 on there now.

[sojourner]

I had to fix my post, as there was only 11 on my list. I got all all 21 on there now.

It won’t be long before he will need to appoint a czar czar. :)

[greenleaf]

What, there's no Information Dissemination Czar yet?

[Wyoming Dem]

What, there's no Information Dissemination Czar yet?
Oh Greenleaf, COME ON..it is of course, The Mainstream Media you silly!

[greenleaf]

Oh Greenleaf, COME ON..it is of course, The Mainstream Media you silly!

Oh yeah, you're right. It's just that one more Czar and Obama will tie the Russians. By my count, they had 22 Czars in 300+ years of the Romanov Dynasty.
I think Obama can beat their record, yes he can. :)

[Wyoming Dem]

Oh yeah, you're right. It's just that one more Czar and Obama will tie the Russians. By my count, they had 22 Czars in 300+ years of the Romanov Dynasty.
I think Obama can beat their record, yes he can. :)
And you better know that Mrs. O will be having some of those Fabergé eggs!

[hobbitt]

And you better know that Mrs. O will be having some of those Fabergé eggs!

She's already informed the White House chef that she prefers them scrambled, with chopped onions and tomatoes, and four drops of Louisiana Hot Sauce.

[Wyoming Dem]

She's already informed the White House chef that she prefers them scrambled, with chopped onions and tomatoes, and four drops of Louisiana Hot Sauce.
ooooooooo Snarky...I LOVE IT!

[Suzan]

Oh Greenleaf, COME ON..it is of course, The Mainstream Media you silly!

:rotfl: :rotfl:

[The_Basseteer]

Ya know, a lot of you whose profile indicates you're on the left, are beginning to sound like us paranoid conservatives.

[VotingHillary]

Shills, spies, interlopers, Oba-mafioso...Just another way for this administration to circumvent the constitution and the rule of law (we have one...right???)

Obama has successfully disarmed the Media, is busy securing National Ownership of companies, has created his own "squad" of lieutenants answerable to nobody but him, has a "stacked" Congress with his top henchpeople in charge and is busy "getting his message" out 24 hours a damn day, everywhere, on every kind of media and is giving long, boring and disingenuous speech's that the Media never criticizes or fact checks. This is different than Germany pre-1933 and Italy pre 1939 how??? This is TEXTBOOK...read everything that happened up to those events and it is like a "play book." I am the least likely conspiracy theory person that ever lived...I have always condemned those who spouted these theories as the lunatic fringe. Well...I am ready for my straight jacket and a "time out" at the funny farm because it sure seems like a conspiracy to me. (Obama probably has Acorn people who "visit" the Funny Farm and register those within to vote after telling them how to vote...or makes The Funny Farm Doctors play all the tapes of all his previous speechs to all the catatonic patients.)

George Orwell was off by 24 years and after reading the DOJ reasoning against ending DOMA and then the "let Russia have all the bombs they want"....I am scared shitless for this country.

The Roman empire only lasted 200 years as well. Is Obama our Nero?

[NativeSun]

George Orwell was off by 24 years and after reading the DOJ reasoning against ending DOMA and then the "let Russia have all the bombs they want"....I am scared shitless for this country.

The Roman empire only lasted 200 years as well. Is Obama our Nero?

No. I don't think he knows how to play an instrument. ;)

[hobbitt]

Ya know, a lot of you whose profile indicates you're on the left, are beginning to sound like us paranoid conservatives.

Well, we were rudely awakened by the Dean / Brazile/ Axelrod / Pelosi hijacking of what used to be our Democratic Party. Who blithely declared that voters in Florida and Michigan don't count, then "allocated" FL & MI votes to Obama and who "arranged" the rules to ensure that the Nominating Convention was a farce.

Among other things...

[sojourner]

Originally Posted by VotingHillary
George Orwell was off by 24 years and after reading the DOJ reasoning against ending DOMA and then the "let Russia have all the bombs they want"....I am scared shitless for this country.

The Roman empire only lasted 200 years as well. Is Obama our Nero?

No. I don't think he knows how to play an instrument. ;)

Does fiddling with the economy count? :)

[devildog]

We're about to have 22: Bailout Pay Czar (http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE5575OF20090610)

[Lealy]

I thought he had a women & children czar?

[Lealy]

As of this morning O has 32 czars and adding another for health insurance. This is insane the way it is going we won't have to throw congress out they will be irrelevant.

[Kbentleyis]

As of Friday, there is a Science Czar! Yup, one more Nazie to the hub.

It's not unusual for presidents to have advisors, czars so to speak, but BHO has definitely let his naitivity show. These zits, sorry, czars are not voted in, vetted, or answer to no one but BHO--and we also pay their salary!

[The_Basseteer]

I posted a thread about the science czar (http://www.cgpolitics.net/discussion/showthread.php?p=590757#post590757) yesterday..not sure what it was merged with.

[The_Basseteer]

I just had an idea about a little "Thought Exercise" we all can do. Instead of using the word 'czar' use the phrase 'Minister of_____'.
Minister of Science....Minister of Housing...Minister of Technology.

I didn't notice... was there a Minister of Truth in there somewhere?


Anyway....try it...get back to me.

[Lealy]

1. Ministry of Technology: Aneesh Chopra

2. Ministry of Drugs: Gil Kerlikowske

3. Ministry of Copyright: Not appointed yet. [15].

4. Ministry of Energy: Carol M. Browner [12].

5. Ministry of Cars: Ed Montgomery. [17].

6. Ministry of Terrorism/WMD: Gary Samore. [17].

7. Ministry of Health Care: Nancy-Ann DeParle. [7].

8. Ministry of Education: Not appointed yet. [16].

9. Ministry of Economics: Paul Volcker. [17].

10. Ministry of Mortgages : Not appointed yet. [1].

11. Ministry of Urban Affairs/Housing: Adolfo Carrion. [10].

12. Ministry of Guantanomo closure: Danny Fried. [17].

13. Ministry of Great lakes: Cameron Davis. [11].

14. Ministry of Stimulus accountability: Earl Devaney. [17].

15. Ministry of Cyberspace: Not appointed yet. [16].

16. Ministry of Border: Alan Bersin (Former US attorney). [6].

17. Ministry of Intelligence: Admiral Dennis Blair. [8].

18. Ministry of Regulatory: Cass Sunstein. [2].

19. Ministry of Pay: Kenneth Feinberg [3].

20. Ministry of Iran: Not appointed yet. [16].

21. Ministry of Tarp: Herb Allison. [17].

22. Ministry of Middle-East peace: George Mitchell. [17].

23. Ministry of Science: John Holdren. [17].

24. Ministry of Green jobs: Van Jones. [17].

25. Ministry of Afghanistan: Richard Holbrooke. [17].

26. Ministry of Sudan : J. Scott Gration. [17].

27. Ministry of Mideast policy: Dennis Ross. [17].

28. Ministry of Information: Vivek Kundra. [17].

29. Ministry of AIDS: Jeffrey Crowley. [17].

30. Ministry of Faith-based: Joshua Dubois. [17].

31. Ministry of Climate: Todd Stern. [17].

32. Ministry of Health Insurance: Unknown


Now to add Fill in or add

33. Ministry of right wing protesters: Jeannie Garofalo
34. Ministry of Media worship: Chris Mathews
35. Ministry of gun control:
36. Ministry of teleprompter:
37. Ministry of Gaff: Joe Biden
38. Ministry of Tax Hikes:
39. Ministry of Botox: Nancy Pelosi
40. Ministry of New American Values: Karl Marx

[Spang]

Obama is creating jobs with those positions. If it weren't for Obama, that'd be an unemployment list.

[Lealy]

Obama is creating jobs with those positions. If it weren't for Obama, that'd be an unemployment list.

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

With what they get paid he could have employed the entire state of Montana.

[PA_Voter]

Obama is creating jobs with those positions. If it weren't for Obama, that'd be an unemployment list.

How many non-burdening jobs has he created (i.e., non-government)? I for one do not want $1 of my salary going to the creation of federal/state jobs. And, I would have rather loaned myself the 10K I spent via this stimulus crap rather than letting the O team and his czars spend it for me. And no one wants to talk about how they are going to pay their share back, which is unbelievable to me!

I think we need to start tracking these czars to see where the contracts are going and to whom (i.e., follow the money). My bet is 80% of these add-ons are campaign (and re-election) payoffs.

[devildog]

I'm sure they could return to those silly little lobbying firms if they became unemployed.

[StacyinBoston]

Oh yeah, you're right. It's just that one more Czar and Obama will tie the Russians. By my count, they had 22 Czars in 300+ years of the Romanov Dynasty.
I think Obama can beat their record, yes he can. :)

You would think that Obama, who claims to be a student of history, would learn something from how it ended for the Romanovs. I mean, why on earth would anyone continueto use terminology to describe a position geared towards fixing something? [ie. car czar] The czar system ultimately failed- not exactly a great reference for the US government to use- it doesn't exactly inspire confidence, does it?

In fairness, Obama wasn't the first to use the term Czar, but he has multiplied them exponentially to the point where it's likely ineffective and little more than the butt of jokes.

[The_Basseteer]

In fairness, Obama wasn't the first to use the term Czar, but he has multiplied them exponentially to the point where it's likely ineffective and little more than the butt of jokes.

Up Next, The Joke czar...whose job is to assure athat all jokes are politically correct and make no fun of King Barack I... jokes about consevatives are all that will be allowed.

[Lynne]

I have started to research these czars. I have a diagram that shows the connections between czars, people, and organizations to see if there are any interesting patterns. Just started....only fun fact so far is that Czar Cass Sunstein had a romance with Susan Rice.

When I have more of it done, I will post it and will look forward to people's input.

[Laura Cereta]

Up Next, The Joke czar...whose job is to assure athat all jokes are politically correct...

:laughing: My Dad would find you hilarious, Basseteer-- he HATES political correctness and is always making fun of it.

[hillary4change]

Well, we were rudely awakened by the Dean / Brazile/ Axelrod / Pelosi hijacking of what used to be our Democratic Party. Who blithely declared that voters in Florida and Michigan don't count, then "allocated" FL & MI votes to Obama and who "arranged" the rules to ensure that the Nominating Convention was a farce.

Among other things...
I could not agree more!
Obama is creating jobs with those positions. If it weren't for Obama, that'd be an unemployment list.

This is an important point Spang! Besides he will count these in his "Jobs created" stats!**==:rotfl:

[Laura Cereta]

It seems that others are concerned about czars, too:


President Obama might have slipped Monday, when he introduced Gil Kerlikowske as his "drug czar" while speaking to an urban policy group in Washington.

Kerlikowske's real title is director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. The administration generally rejects the term "czar" as a media-generated buzzword.

But as the so-called "czars" keep piling up, it's raising serious questions
about how powerful these White House insiders are and seems to make the term "czar" all the more appropriate.

By some accounts, there are close to three dozen czars in the Obama administration, managing everything from closing the Guantanamo Bay detention facility to ending the genocide in Darfur.

With Steve Rattner leaving as head of the administration's auto task force, just days after General Motors emerged from bankruptcy, America will get a new auto czar -- former steelworkers union official Ron Bloom.

The White House routinely fends off claims that Obama has named too many czars.

"If there's a marketing czar, I've failed to get his or her memo," White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs joked.

But what is a czar? No matter what you call them, these officials generally are seen to have special influence on the specific topic to which they are assigned.

"A czar supposedly would have accountability for something. That is, they are charged with delivering something specific," said George Washington University professor James Bailey, adding that their authority often crosses Cabinet boundaries.

This is the case with climate czar Carol Browner, whose authority spans the Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Energy.

But such cross-Cabinet posts stand as a testament to government inefficiency, Fortune magazine editor Steve Forbes said.

"It underscores the inefficiency of government that you keep ... having people, hoping that maybe they will get something done that the massive government bureaucracy cannot," he said.

By some definitions, a czar reports directly to the president and does not require Senate confirmation.


Read more @
http://i649.photobucket.com/albums/uu212/2059911/fnlogo.jpg (http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/07/13/questions-raised-influence-obama-czars/)