[mckenzie7]

The pay restrictions for all seven companies will require any executive seeking more than $25,000 in special benefits -- things such as country club memberships, private planes and company cars -- to get permission for those perks from the government.

Are CZARS decision makers or just advisors?

Aren't decision makers supposed to be approved by Congress?

[kittykat77]

Some so-called czars are advisors and some so-called czars are decisionmakers.

Last June, Feinberg was appointed by the US Treasury Department as as Special Master on Compensation, specifically focusing on those companies that accepted TARP and bailout money. This is not an unprecedent position; there have been other Special Masters on Compensation in the past (see, for example, the 9/11 families).

Congress was advised by Treas Sec Geithner during hearings on Capital Hill about Feinberg's appointment and duties and his power to enact decisions.

None of this is unprecedented. Go back and reread the coverage of the price and wage freezes during the Nixon and Ford administrations. Lots of so-called czars were busy working back then, too.