I would like to know the salaries and duties of each and every Czar.
ATLANTA --- Two Republican congressmen from Georgia have been as vocal in criticizing the Obama administration's policy "czars" as anyone, and the traction they have gained could indicate the rise of the GOP.
Georgia Reps. Tom Price, Phil Gingrey and Paul Broun, all Republicans and all physicians, have contributed to the drumbeat of opposition to Democrats' health care proposals.
It's not surprising health care would gain so much attention. But the issue of administration "czars" would normally be limited to inside the Beltway.
Rep. Jack Kingston and Mr. Broun have been among those making the issue visible, including a news conference Wednesday broadcast live on Fox News.
RADIO AND TV talk shows have made the issue a staple of conservatives' conversations. It illustrates that Republicans have regained some ability to influence the public agenda, though they'll never be able to completely set it as long as they're in the minority.
"Hiring smart and qualified people to coordinate between agencies and with the White House is nothing new," White House spokeswoman Gannet Tseggai said Friday. "While some may now be applying new labels or engaging in revisionist history, the reality is that every president dating back to Nixon had similar positions in their administrations."
There were 47 occasions when various media outlets described senior aides to president George W. Bush as czars, including five AIDS czars, four budget czars, three faith czars and Mr. Bush's "bailout czar."
Mr. Kingston and others became alarmed when so many Obama aides were getting the nickname so early in the administration.
Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., complained in February that Mr. Obama seemed to be appointing a lot of key policy aides whose nominations weren't being submitted to the Senate.
In July, Mr. Kingston said it hit him as he attended a meeting of the House Appropriations Committee in which he'd heard testimony from all of the Cabinet secretaries but none of the so-called czars. When none of the chairmen of the 13 subcommittees said they had either, he concluded that some oversight was needed.
IN JULY, the Savannah Republican tried unsuccessfully to amend an appropriations bill with a requirement that would have prohibited government funds for salaries or expenses of appointees who lacked Senate confirmation. When that failed, he introduced a standalone bill. He even found a name that spells CZAR, the Czar Accountability and Reform Act of 2009, H.R. 3226.
"When I introduced my bill in July, there weren't a lot of people who were that attuned to that, and now we have 109 cosponsors," he said Friday.
Mr. Broun was an original cosponsor, as was Rep. John Linder, R-Ga., and 15 others. Mr. Gingrey and Lynn Westmoreland are the only other Georgia congressmen who have signed on.
Mr. Broun worries about erosion of the legislative branch's ability to counterbalance the executive, according to spokeswoman Jessica Morris.
"He is simply sounding the alarm that America is on a slippery slope of putting government in control of our lives at the expense of our constitutionally protected freedoms," she said.
Mr. Kingston admits his legislation won't pass. Partisan lockstep support of the president isn't new, he notes.
"I think the Bush administration was rubber-stamped way too many times," he said.
Comments
I would like to know the salaries and duties of each and every Czar.
I would like to know if any of Bush's 47 Czar's are still working under Obama's Administration, I would also like to know why is it a big deal now when bush had them what's the difference?
The difference is that two wrongs don't make a right.
LOL 2tired that is exactly right but you will never get that across to a obamanitee......barry can do wrong you know...he walks on water..........(stoopid sheeple).
fruitpa, Bush's 47 czars were over 8 years filling, 27 jobs (think turnover). Obama's are over 8 months, filling 35 jobs. Bush's appointments were often (but not always) career politicos that had been vetted by congress, albeit for other jobs. Obama's appointments are usually extremists with questionable or shady pasts. Bush's czars were aboveboard appointments of liaisons, usually to aid overburdened cabinet members. Obama's czars are often quid pro quo (look it up) appointments or attempts to bypass the vetting process. The difference is obvious to the informed and sighted.
The Republicans [filtered word] away their credibility on fiscal conservation over the past eight years and now monstrously compounded matters with two Republican Congressmen making publicity from Georgia, whining about Obama's czars appointments by leaning on their shovels and generally half-as-sing their way through Obama's health-care reform. Way to take your jobs seriously,
u pist ants. And u wonder why u lost the White House?
half-as-sing? is that like part yodeling?
3headedbeast, Bush couldn't run for a third term and the Republicans didn't enter anyone in the presidential race. Of course they lost the whitehouse.
Well carfish their sa;aries range from 114k to 157K a year. Their duties are as directed by the President. BTW we pay our RCBOE superintendant and his deputys way more than that. Whipping post I thought Big John and Little Sarah were running for president, just shows how stupid us democrats are to make such an assumption. I think the last sentence of the LTE says it all for the republicans during the entire administration of President Bush.
I wish people would stop confusing editorial comments and news reports with letters.
I wish people would stop confusing editorial comments and news reports with letters.
Posted by KSL on Mon Sep 21, 2009 9:53 AM TRUE TRUE TRUE!! KSL wins the statement of the year award...Only problem KSL is that some on here do not know the difference.
JHS, we have a government education system. Knowledge isn't high on the list of goals.
conservatives should be proud of the number of like minded minions the previous administration put into the federal government in positions that are permenant. This being the rite of the Executive branch, turn about is fair play... but who wants to be fair.. not fox news for sure.. and these 'hotair' congressmen want their cake and eat it too... thats not the way the 'game' is played boys and girls.... The winner makes the rules for now.. maybe in 2012 the tables will change, but until then it makes no sense to 'complain and moan' about a system that all 535 'crooks' swore an oath to..
So it seem some Republican Congressmen from Gerogia want to exert the authority of the legislative branch now that Bush is out of office. Where were they for the last six years? They ARE right on this issue, but just hypocrites.
So... Are we going to continue to go back to the past admin while many continue to ignore what is happening with the present prezbho admin? What is more important; what did or didn't happen previously or what is happening now? Pay attention to the words and the people prezbho surrounds himself with. If you're not concerned about the policies of this admin -- You're not paying attention...
Like I said, the Republicans ARE right on this issue, but just hypocrites.
All the ones that think and support "O" CZARS knowing the background history of most of them are the same breed of indiviuals.
Haters, Haters, Haters!!! Is there anything that this president can do that does not draw the ire of "the conservatives"? What was the background of BUsh's czars? And, what were their results? There is more drugs and crime and Bin is still free. You must admit Barry has a mean/hip walk when he strides across the WH lawn. At least give him credit for having "it".
haters, haters, haters, racists, racists, racists, bigots, bigots, bigots. Does that about cover it? Bush isn't in office. prezbho, his crooked admin, his 32+ czars, lobbyists, etc. have no one to blame but themselves. Did prezbho really think that people were so stupid that they wouldn't question those that are so questionable in his admin and that he has approved to serve him and him alone?
ALL politicians are hypocrites Brad, what's your point? misterme, What is "it"? We all know what happens to peacocks that have "it" when the raptors show up. All he has is a bunch of unvetted czars that answer to him & him alone. Bush's czars were vetted. But that's a moot point, he's no longer in office.
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