CHESSNOID

I knew we had Presidents and not Kings in the United States, but I was not aware that we had many Czars.  What is the definition of czar?  I always thought it was a Russian King or something like that.

Dictionary.com:

–noun

2.	(often initial capital letter) the former emperor of Russia.

I remember hearing this title being used at the end of Bush’s term for some made up position like an auto czar. I never thought he was very smart and thought that idea in particular displayed his ignorance once again like so many other times.  I remember criticizing recently how stupid it was to have a “pay” czar to approve bonuses of tax payer bailed out companies, especially since most of the bonuses go through.

So it surprised me to read that we have not just a handful of these czars in the United States, but quite a few.  32!

Fox News:

“The White House staff should review my full remarks before launching an attack,” he said. “I made it clear that there have always been a few czars but nothing like the 18 new czars appointed in this administration. Eighteen of the administration’s 32 czars hold new positions that did not exist in previous administration and were not authorized by law.”

“These czars are unconfirmed by the Senate, unavailable for questioning, and unaccountable to the American people through their elected representatives,” he added. “They’re the most visible symbol of too many Washington takeovers.”

Earlier this week, Reps. Darrell Issa and Lamar Smith sent a letter directly to White House Counsel Gregory Craig, outlining “grave concern” and saying of the czars, “a pattern of behavior and associations maintained by some individuals runs contrary to the very core of our democracy.”

The letter specifically mentioned former “green jobs czar” Van Jones, noting that he was a “self-described communist.”

On Wednesday, Issa equated the czars to a “shadow cabinet” and says it’s operating without the legitimacy and oversight necessary to any cabinet-level position.

Republicans aren’t the only ones voicing concerns. Democratic Sen. Russ Feingold of Wisconsin told the president he also heard concerns about the czars firsthand on several occasions during town hall meetings in his home state.

Feingold urged the president in a letter dated September 15 to “disclose as much information as you can about these policy advisors and ‘czars.’”

Issa went much further, detailing a lengthy list of what he expects the White House to turn over, and set the deadline for September 29th.

We need to stop the bailouts and get rid of the czars (which are paid by taxpayer money ) which are both wasteful.  I think it is more than enough we have a President, a Vice President, a  Presidential Cabinet, a Secretary and Assistant Secretary for every Department that exists which is on top of the Senate and House of Representatives.