by Joe Markman
President Obama's appointment of "czars,'' or policy coordinators, is drawing new fire from lawmakers in both parties.
Their most prominent complaint is that Obama, by using his own authority to name people to these policy jobs, is circumventing the role of the Senate in considering and confirming important nominations to the president's administration.
In a letter sent to the president this week, Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and five other Republican lawmakers criticized the administration for encroaching on Congress's authority in establishing too many far-reaching czars.
Collins identified 18 positions created by President Obama which "may be undermining the constitutional oversight responsibilities of Congress." The letter asks Obama to respond with information about each position, including the administration's vetting process and whether the officials will be available to appear before Congress.
Some of the czars, or policy coordinators, include Nancy-Ann DeParle, who coordinates health care issues within the White House; Carol Browner, who coordinates energy and environmental issues within the White House; Adolfo Carrion Jr., who works on urban affairs; and Lynn Rosenthal, who works on domestic violence and sexual assault issues.
Democrats have also questioned the use of czars. On Tuesday, Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) raised concerns in a letter to Obama. And Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.) had sent a similar letter earlier this year, noting that czars in past administrations had "rarely" testified before congressional committees "and often shield the information and decision-making process behind the assertion of executive privilege."
White House spokesman Tommy Vietor said that Republicans have mislabeled key agency personnel as czars.
"The term 'czar' is largely a media creation to make jobs that have existed under multiple administrations sound more exciting," Vietor said. " Every president since Nixon has hired smart and qualified people to coordinate between agencies and the White House."
Despite the recent fervor among lawmakers and the conservative media over Obama's lengthy czar list, these positions are not a creation of the 44th president.
The term goes back at least as far as 1957, when James Killian was called the "Missile Czar" by the press in the aftermath of Sputnik.
During the 1970s oil crisis, Frank Zarb was known as the energy czar under President Ford.
President George H.W. Bush appointed William J. Bennett as the nation's first drug czar in 1989.
The second Bush administration also had numerous intelligence and homeland security czars.
The Obama administration itself rarely refers to officials as czars, and some of them have been confirmed by the Senate or placed in positions created by Congress.
Richard Holbrooke, who Collins labeled the "Afghanistan Czar," has testified before Congress several times - one of the senators' concerns.
Comments
Before everyone goes off half cocked and starts pointing fingers, read the attached wikipedia listing on presidental czar appointments. I little knowledge should help add to the discourse although a lot of us posting here have never let a good fact or two get in the way of our rants.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._executive_branch_czars
Posted by: kg123 | September 17, 2009 8:34 AM
kg123......Isn't it funny how "now" this becomes an issue even though Bush, whom most of these "clear thinkers" spent their time defending, was the worst offender? Where was Glenn Beck 2 years ago on this issue? or Faux News?
Posted by: bill r. | September 17, 2009 8:54 AM
Hmmmm . . . even the Dems are calling Nobama out on some of his "appointments".
Over-exposed on TV (gee, so let's line up all the Sunday talk shows), ACORN, health proposals falling with a thud, not supporting the Chicago Olympics bid meeting in person, and on and on it goes . . .
SUPPORT STUPID POSTS, POST THEM DAILY, IDIOTIC AND REPETITIVE. NOW.
Posted by: Bobbie Mobbie | September 17, 2009 9:13 AM
Strictly a way for political hiring and waste taxpayers money.
Doesn't seem to be much background check , if any.
Posted by: Inky | September 17, 2009 9:23 AM
I have to repeat the obvious, that Bush's czar count is over 8 years, while Obama's is 6 months. More importantly, people should be concerned no matter what side you're coming from, especially members of congress. How much power do these people have? What is their backround? Their budgets? Their paychecks? You can stay stuck in the politics or you can watch out for number one. Hint - those with real power are hoping you'll choose the former.
Posted by: Kathy | September 17, 2009 9:33 AM
"bill r": OK, if you claim Bush was worse, please list the Czar's Bush created that were not authorized by Congress. It is going to be a very short list and will begin to approach the 34 or so created by Obama.
Tommy Vietor lies. This is not a media concoction. These Czars were created to bring together multiple cabinet level functions. The question is how much authority do they really have. If it overrides cabinet positions, then there is a very real problem with lack of confirmation. We already have one example of an avowed communist and Truther in Van Jones. It is a certainty the administration knew about those because the Secret Service has to do some vetting. It is also a certainty Van Jones could not have gotten through the Senate confirmation process. So, it is hard not to conclude he was put in as a "Green Jobs" Czar to avoid the confirmation process. This was no accident.
Rick
Posted by: Rick Caird | September 17, 2009 9:36 AM
Bush had 16 czars. Beck is a hyocrite. Enough said.
Posted by: Nancy in Illinois | September 17, 2009 10:05 AM
little bill, you still have nothing to add to any conversation of substance. When you grow up, you may learn how to defend a position instead of simply making your childish name calling, "your moma does" injections. In your case "It's Bush's fault" is your typical response to everything. He's gone and president Obama is in charge. President Obama can change every Bush policy he wants to or in this case, increase the number of "dolts".
Pick up the clue phone little bill and get a grip on reality, Grown ups talk issues not make slanderous childish remarks all the time.
Posted by: springfield | September 17, 2009 10:57 AM
little bill
Posted by: springfield | September 17, 2009 10:57 AM
I love nothing more than someone who starts his posts like this lecturing me on being a grown up. From the party who places blame of 9/11 on Clintons shoulders, your moaning means very little. Tell me about Obama's birth certificate mr. grown up...or death panels.
Ps....pick up up a clue phone? Wow!
Posted by: bill r. | September 17, 2009 12:08 PM
Bush had 16 czars. Beck is a hyocrite. Enough said.
Posted by: Nancy in Illinois | September 17, 2009 10:05 AM
That would be an average of two a year Nancy, and I don't remember any of them being black hating facists. Perhaps you think 35 of them in a half year, is normal ? You need some "get a clue" classes quickly,....you could be saved with any luck...and Nancy, take the child
like bill r. with you, he too, is out of touch with reality.
Posted by: Don B. | September 17, 2009 12:31 PM
and I don't remember any of them being black hating facists
Posted by: Don B. | September 17, 2009 12:31 PM
Talk of being a child. Proud to be a "teabagger" Don B. is also proud of the tea party leader's statement." The President an Indonesian Muslim turned welfare thug and a racist in chief." Yes logic and grown up is a word these people shouldn't use.
Posted by: bill r. | September 17, 2009 12:54 PM
Kathy,
"czars" don't have budget authority. These are not Cabinet level positions.
Posted by: Send 'em Yr Truck Nutz | September 17, 2009 12:59 PM
I've never stated a political party affiliation little bill.
I've also never brought up anyones birth certificate or death panels. You are a bit confused with your cloudy crystal ball little guy.
Your clairvoyance is nothing more than a dim bulb. As I said earlier, either grow up or join the kiddie group down the hall.
Posted by: springfield | September 17, 2009 1:05 PM
You Right Wing Nutz would hate Obama no matter what he does. I almost get the feeling that you would hate him for putting Grey Poupon on his Hamburgers....wait that happened!
Hannity Attacks Obama For Putting Mustard On His Burger
www.chicagotribune.com/.../chi-talk-mustard-obamamay11,0,1652607.story
Posted by: Send 'em Yr Truck Nutz | September 17, 2009 1:12 PM
By the way Nancy...Bush actually had 47 Czars! Don't worry about Don B. he likes to beat his chest to feel more "manly".
Posted by: bill r. | September 17, 2009 1:24 PM
Mr. Nutz, er John E., actually many of the czars have more power than those in the Cabinet.
Anyway, hey Mark, funny how some Dems are shooting down your attacks on Glenn Beck by putting forth their own concerns, huh?
Posted by: John D | September 17, 2009 1:44 PM
"bill r": and your source for "Bush had 47 Czars" is??????
Rick
Posted by: Rick Caird | September 17, 2009 1:52 PM
Rick....You can see the new add coming out on this. But Us News and World report would be just one of many.
Posted by: bill r. | September 17, 2009 2:50 PM
I understand congress is dragging its feet on his appointments so possibly he is naming these people to get some work done while waiting for others to go through the system?
Posted by: lochnesssmonster | September 17, 2009 5:50 PM
Rick, the so-called 47 Bush czars comes from a DNC ad against Glenn Beck. They include folks like John Negroponte had a national security and intelligence title (one that requred Senate approval) and Karen Hughes, who was an unofficial advisor to George Bush and was tasked with spreading goodwill to Arab countries. Not quite the same as Obimbo's czars.
Posted by: John D | September 17, 2009 5:56 PM
" bill r": That was fun. I saw the add and it didn;t look right. So, I tracked down the sources. What they were doing was counting replacements as new. For example, at least five of them were guys, one at a time, coordinating the budget. Somehow, they decided to count Rove as a Czar. Strange. A czar with no portfolio.
Here is the source:
http://www.democrats.org/a/2009/09/the_bush_czars.php
Notice, too, they call cabinet secretaries, like Tom Ridge, czar's. They were really, really reaching.
Anyway, I easily found enough to call BS on the DNC ad.
Rick
Posted by: Rick Caird | September 17, 2009 6:09 PM
George W. Bush 2001-2009
# of czar jobs --36
# of appointees--46
Posted by: bill r. | September 17, 2009 10:36 PM
"bill r": You have to go a little further than pure assertion. I already pointed out the holes in your source.
Rick
Posted by: Rick Caird | September 18, 2009 2:10 PM