Russ Feingold Takes On "Czars": A Plea For A More Civil Discourse? (They have too much power)

Time ^ | 10/06/09 | Michael Scherer

[Libloather]

Russ Feingold Takes On "Czars": A Plea For A More Civil Discourse?
Posted by Michael Scherer
Tuesday, October 6, 2009 at 10:35 am

At 1:30 p.m. today, in Room 226 of the Dirksen Building, Senator Russ Feingold, D-Wisc., will hold a hearing on the "History and Legality of Executive Branch Czars." Since Feingold is a liberal Democrat, this raises eyebrows. Why would Feingold embrace a topic--so often distorted and misunderstood--that has been the purview of Fox News and sundry other detractors of President Obama?

The answer may be as simple as: Feingold believes we are better than all that. To explain what I mean, allow me to excerpt from Michelle Cottle's compelling take down of the conservative scaremonger Betsy McCaughey in The New Republic.

In the piece, Cottle quotes Stuart Butler, the vice president of domestic policy at the conservative Heritage Foundation, saying this about McCaughey's misleading attack on Ezekiel "Zeke" Emanuel, a White House adviser whom I have also written about: "Personal attacks on good people like Zeke are outrageous. There are real policy issues that should be debated vigorously, but slandering a good person's name is beyond the pale."

[Libloather]

Russ Feingold: Czars have too much power
By MEREDITH SHINER | 10/6/09 4:26 PM EDT

Senator Russ Feingold has become one of the most outspoken Democratic critics of President Obama's appointment of policy czars, warning on Tuesday that these unconfirmed advisors are acquiring too much power.

Feingold, who chairs the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, chaired a hearing Tuesday on czars, arguing that more work needs to be done in examining the legality of executive branch advisors who escape Senate confirmation.

"I think the public wants to know why there are people called czars," Feingold said.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1009/27987.html#

[I'm ALL Right!]

TOTALLY, BLATANTLY slanted article. "Journalism" is dead. "Propaganda" is alive and well.

Thanks, TIME. You are the Pravda of today, slimebags.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Czar came from “Caesar” which was just another word for absolute ruler, king, tyrant, or dictator.

[muawiyah]

Feingold, fascist that he is, wants them called Obersturmbannführer

[classified]

Well the whole read was a bit wordy but finally got to the point at the end which is all the American people want to know.

[dmcnash]

Czar came from “Caesar”

Kinda like Zardoz from "Wizard of Oz"

[Senator_Blutarski]

Feingold, fascist that he is, wants them called Obersturmbannführer

I'd be interested to hear your explanation of why Feingold is a fascist. While I'm not a fan of Russ Feingold, I have a hard time understanding why someone would regard him as a fascist.

[muawiyah]

Please don't patronize me. Everybody in America knows about The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (BCRA, McCain–Feingold Act, Pub.L. 107-155, 116 Stat. 81, enacted March 27, 2002)

He was the co-chief sponsor ~ it's fascist in intent and practice.

You do enough of that stuff and it rubs off on your reputation.

[Vehmgericht]

Who would have expected that Feingold was a racist?

[Senator_Blutarski]

Please don't patronize me. Everybody in America knows about The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (BCRA, McCain–Feingold Act, Pub.L. 107-155, 116 Stat. 81, enacted March 27, 2002)

He was the co-chief sponsor ~ it's fascist in intent and practice.

McCain-Feingold is a poor piece of legislation, but I really don't see how it is fascism. Who's the dictator using force to impose his will on the people?

[muawiyah]

People who do not understand that McCain-Feingold is fascist in intent and practice need re-educated ~

[Lazamataz]

McCain-Feingold is a poor piece of legislation, but I really don't see how it is fascism. Who's the dictator using force to impose his will on the people?

The monolithic Federal Government. It is 'soft tyranny' ... instead of shovelling you into ovens, they fine, cite, and tax you.

[muawiyah]

It appears Senator_Blutarski is hung up on the question of the "dictator". He forgets you don't need a dictator to have fascism. Rather, if you have fascism you'll probably end up getting a dictator.

If you want to find out how blindly authoritarian and vicious McCain-Feingold can be VIOLATE THE LAW and refuse the demands of the Federal Election Commission to get right with their god by giving back the money, etc.

If you refuse you will face punishment way behind simple fines.

We are finding that McCain-Feingold set a pattern for other recent federal legislation. Consider Obamacare ~ if you don't pay you will go to jail. If you make a mistake in payment you will also go to jail.

You, the patient, will go to jail for mere administrative and book-keeping errors ~ will not Pass Go ~ will not Get Home Free.

Fascism has several hallmarks; using brutality to enforce minor rules is one of them.

Slowly but surely the forces of fascism are pushing back the victories of WWII.

[ichabod1]

I think... that a totalitarian federal government is by definition fascist, whether they wave the flag around or not. And we don’t have a “nanny” state, that’s too nice. We have a TOTALITARIAN state.

[ichabod1]

Yes, and the analogy was these people were to be the big boss over whatever issue or area they were assigned. In reality, it’s more of a coordinator, with more or less access to the resident.