Posted on 08/28/2009 3:12:35 PM PDT by sushiman
I sent a detailed list of Obama's Czars to a lib friend and he wrote back saying Bush " had 26 Czars filled with 38 different people during his term " . True or false ? I need some ammo .
And every one of Bush’s ‘czars’ passed the FBI background check. Several of Obammy’s czars are felons. This affirmative action lair has surrounded himself with fellow criminals who cannot pass the FBI’s background check. Obammy can’t in present manifestation.
Your friend has you headed down a blind alley. The number of “czars” under previous Presidents is now irrelevant.
What matters today are the powers given to today’s (I despise the term, although it is accurate) czars.
Hit him with their extra constitutional powers, why the powers are not exercised through existing cabinet secretaries who are subject to congressional scrutiny.
This is true. I never thought much of Bush’s Czars but I can’t say I’m not worried about Obambi’s guys.
Also, look at what Bush’s ‘czars’ were hired for. MUCH MUCH different than obamas.
The number of czars is not the issue.
How many czars did President Bush have who announced they were a communist? How many czars did President Bush have who announced that America's free speech should be curtailed and patterned after that which exist in a South American dictatorship?
How about naming them "Commissars". That was the title given to the bureaucratic leaders of the Soviet Union in 1917.
These people should have no power
That issue is not what power they should have; the issue is what powers they do have. That is a complete unknown, as is whose budget pays them and how much are they paid.
False.
ya and i always thought that was a mistake....
According to liberal count President Bush 43 had the following ‘czars’:
* Cyber Security Czar
* Regulatory Czar
* AIDS Czar
* Bird Flu Czar
* Intelligence Czar
* Health IT Czar
* Katrina Czar
* Manufacturing Czar
* Drug Czar
* Domestic Policy Czar
* War Czar
* Copywright Czar
* Abstinence Czar
* Mine Safety Czar
* Latin American Czar
* WTO Health Czar
* Corruption Czar
* Privacy Czar
* Health Czar
19 total positions - Wikipedia claims 26 with 38 people filling those positions - this list was enough for our discussion here.
Lets take a further look...
The concern for most people is the lack of accountability associated with the ‘czars’. To that end anyone who must go through Senate Confirmation and is filling a position established by Congressional Statute is not a ‘czar’ - they hold a legislatively created and accountable position within the United States Government. Anyone outside of the Constitutional Process of Checks and Balances - that should be a concern. So here we go:
* Cyber Security Czar - formerly part of the NSC. Moved under Bush 43 to the Dept of Homeland Security - now part of their own office - legislatively enacted.
Is it a czar? Was but now isn’t.
* Regulatory Czar - appointed and confirmed position within the OMB.
Not a czar.
* AIDS Czar - appointed and confirmed position.
Not a czar.
* Bird Flu Czar - Assistant Secretary level position - confirmed by the Senate.
Not a czar.
* Intelligence Czar - National Intelligence Director - appointed and confirmed.
Not a czar.
* Health IT Czar - reports to the Secreatry of HHS - but is not independently confirmed.
Probably a czar.
* Katrina Czar - this position - the federal coordinating officer - comes right out of the NRP/NICS handbook. It falls under DHS guidelines, but in incidents of National Significance the FCO reports directly to the President. This was not specific to Katrina - it was handled per federal emergency management guidelines.
Not a czar.
* Manufacturing Czar - Asst Secretary - confirmed by Senate.
Not a czar.
* Drug Czar - appointed and confirmed.
Not a czar.
* Domestic Policy Czar - the media named Karl Rove as holding this position - take that for what it’s worth.
Maybe a czar.
* War Czar - Member of the NSC with a specific portfolio - appointed and confirmed.
Not a czar.
* Copywright Czar - interesting position - cabinet level - Bush said he didn’t want one - Congress passed the law anyway and he signed it. Appointed and confirmed.
Not a czar.
* Abstinence Czar - media named - Asst Secretary - appointed and confirmed.
Not a czar.
* Mine Safety Czar - director of Mine Safety and Health administration - appointed and confirmed.
Not a czar.
* Latin American Czar - Asst Sect of State (with portfolio) - appointed and confirmed.
Not a czar.
* WTO (should be WTC) Health Czar - the Director of NIOSH - the head occupational Safety Guy at the CDC - was tasked appropriately with looking into health matters at the WTC clean up sites. Appointed and confirmed.
Not a czar.
* Corruption Czar - I’ve found this listed by several lefties - but the funny thing is that the referenced link is a satire piece.
Red herring - not a czar.
* Privacy Czar - reports to the Sect of Homeland Security - does not report directly to the President. Not a Senate confirmation position.
Maybe a czar - but without WH access I say not.
* Health Czar - HHS Secretary - appointed and confirmed.
Not a czar.
Most of Obama’s “czars” fall into the same category. Where I am concerned is when someone is responsible for specific policy (with portfolio so to speak) and has direct access to the president without filling a statutory position. I expect the President to have a few political advisers - Karl Rove, Dick Morris, etc - what concerns me is any title that starts “special adviser to the president for...”
So - be careful when we discuss all of the Obama ‘czars’ - most of them are statutory positions that have existed for years - focus on his attempts to avoid congressional confirmation and circumvent congressional oversight.
Wrong question! How many Communists did Bush hire????????????
Thanks in part to you Freepers ( some of this I was aware of ) , this was my initial reply to lib buddy :
” Wiki is your friend , huh ? I’d tread carefully there if I were you .
Anyway , whatever the # Bush had , I believe they were vetted by Congress and subject to Senate confirmation .
Also :
How many were members of radical revolutionary groups or commies ?
How many published books on eugenics ?
How many expressed an interest in denying medical care to people based in age ?
How many were black nationalists ?
How many were felons ?
How many had the POWER Obama’s Czars do ? “
No reply as yet .
Its a dumb title that doesn’t always have a clear definition. Plenty of people in our nation’s history have essentially been what we would now call “czars” and plenty called “czars” don’t have the heft of people in the era before that stupid term came to the fore.
Regards,
GtG
You proved your claim about Obama, right? Give him the list and tell him to do the same with his claim about Bush.
I think it is the usual b.s. “everybody does it” even if they don’t. White House lawyers don’t count. It’s not staff - it is Czars in charge of areas of policy normally performed by Agency heads vetted by Congress (political appointees). Obama’s got Czars that could not get through the clearance of the FBI to even be considered!
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