My God, it’s full of czars!
posted at 3:35 pm on August 21, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
Now that the buyout of General Motors and Chrysler has all but completed, what happens to the Car Czar? IBD Editorials notes that Ron Bloom, who replaced original car czar Steve Rattner, will quietly move into a new position of manufacturing czar. They question Obama’s judgment in having a union boss dictate to management how to make manufacturing profitable:
The question naturally arises: Do we really need a factory guru, especially one whose expertise is in advising labor unions — the cause of much of the U.S. steel and car industries’ woes?
The obvious answer is no. This is just another attempt to revive the long-discredited idea of industrial policy — the notion that markets are inefficient and unfair, and the economy can best be managed by government “experts.”
In the case of manufacturing, it isn’t as sick as we’ve been led to believe. In fact, total value added by the nation’s factories in 2008 hit a record $1.64 trillion for a gain of 21% since 2003.
And despite talk of the U.S. losing its industrial might, we still make up 25% of the world’s manufacturing value added — nearly 2 1/2 times China’s output, U.N. data show.
It’s a good question, but a better one is this: what authority does the federal government have to set up commissars for private industry at all? This question becomes even more urgent when these “czars” have no accountability to or oversight from Congress, whether they choose to exercise it or not. Obama has more czars than Cabinet members now, and none of them required any confirmation from the Senate or answer to anyone but the President.
Glenn Reynolds has a new video outlining the number of czars in this administration. It’s eye-opening, to say the least. Be sure to watch it all by clicking on the org chart below.
Blowback
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Well, there’s that too. But I was referring to the number of czars.
UltimateBob on August 21, 2009 at 4:33 PM
lol
Count to 10 on August 21, 2009 at 4:33 PM
B-b-b-but Bush!!!
JetBoy on August 21, 2009 at 4:34 PM
Do you think Max knows ? ? ?
oldfiveanddimer on August 21, 2009 at 4:36 PM
Strap in. Prepare for atmospheric braking.
whoisonfirst on August 21, 2009 at 4:57 PM
Where’s the Supreme Court? Oh, on vacation while our country goes down the toilet.
rlwo2008 on August 21, 2009 at 4:57 PM
Remind those Czars what happened to the Romanovs.
NoDonkey on August 21, 2009 at 5:01 PM
Trust that our creative legal beagles are working 24/7 on how best to get this issue before the USSC.
petefrt on August 21, 2009 at 5:03 PM
Uh-oh. Beck is doing a segment on “the Marxist roots of Barack Obama.” Boy, Oh Boy (cott)
DrStock on August 21, 2009 at 5:05 PM
Liberal4eva was in fact a sock puppet for Liberal343, and so he won’t be coming back.
Ed Morrissey on August 21, 2009 at 5:05 PM
Anytime a lib gives you “But Bush did it too” stuff, that gives you a crystal clear window into their mindset. Conservatives don’t do hero worship. That’s the liberals realm. Many liberals wait to see what his leader does and then supports it. A conservative generally remains skeptical of their elected representatives, on both sides. Generally, though not always.
So when someone comes back with “Bush did it too”, generally the first thought is what the heck does that have to do with it. Bush had low approval ratings. A big reason for this is that a sizable portion of the population thought he wasn’t really a small government guy.
The reality is that none of us (on the right)are ever going to elect someone that we agree with 100% of the time. Almost always, you are left to pick the guy that will do the least harm…be least intrusive. The only way that you could agree with ANYONE 100% is if you are a mind of mush that begs to be led rather than having to think for yourself.
stldave on August 21, 2009 at 5:08 PM
Okay….. That is just downright creepy. Don’t know what else to say.
Susanboo on August 21, 2009 at 5:09 PM
“The Obama Administration is Full of Czars!”
From the little Russian I remember, I believe the word Czar means $#!+.
ronnyraygun on August 21, 2009 at 5:17 PM
So … the revolution starts in 5 .. 4.. 3..
Onager on August 21, 2009 at 5:21 PM
Lol! Good one! You could be the lyrics Czar. Maybe they would let you help out the TOTUS czar.
Susanboo on August 21, 2009 at 5:24 PM
When do we begin referring to them as the Politburo?
Kafir on August 21, 2009 at 5:31 PM
Busted. Thanks ED.
chemman on August 21, 2009 at 5:32 PM
I am not sure about the accuracy of this, but here is an article about the number czars the last few Presidents have appointed. So while Bush had more then the previous three Presidents, he only had a few, not thirty.
http://blogcritics.org/politics/article/president-obamas-czar-power/
Susanboo on August 21, 2009 at 5:44 PM
My God, it’s full of czars!
Now that’s genius.
TiminPhx on August 21, 2009 at 5:49 PM
You’re kidding, right? Please tell me you’re kidding ….
BD57 on August 21, 2009 at 6:00 PM
Mr. Morrissey
Thank you.
24K lady on August 21, 2009 at 6:19 PM
Czars! What a bunch of BS!
They’re Reich Ministers. And you KNOW what that makes Obama.
GarandFan on August 21, 2009 at 6:32 PM
Lighten up, Francis . . . oops, wrong movie.
Empiricist on August 21, 2009 at 6:38 PM
This is UNSAT!!
Khun Joe on August 21, 2009 at 6:42 PM
Czars! What a bunch of BS!
They’re Reich Ministers. And you KNOW what that makes Obama.
GarandFan on August 21, 2009
Well, we’ve already seen the third reich. Let’s call this one the turd reich (flushed in four years).
SKYFOX on August 21, 2009 at 6:52 PM
I think Barney Frank is on record with that POV. “You’re doing a public service–whether you make a profit is secondary”.
Chris_Balsz on August 21, 2009 at 7:00 PM
The “power” question urgently needs an answer. They must have some power to influence and/or enact or else why have them at all. The other question to ask is where’s all the election-winning transparency in these postings? What access, if any, does the public have to these publicly-paid servants?
And if they do have overriding powers, be it to actually enact or simply influence the executive office, what exactly is Obama’s cabinet being paid to do, and who actually leads who? And how many more “box-top” czars are needed before D.C. officially qualifies for the mail-in title of Imperial Washington?
Most of these questions are obviously rhetorical but some clarity on the job description and terms of employment is long overdue considering these czars are no longer a here and there affair so much as “a few temps” morphing into something more akin to SH’s “Department of General Intelligence” and its kissing cousins.
wildthing on August 21, 2009 at 7:04 PM
Cannot these czar’s authority be challenged???
How many will he appoint??
If he gets away with these,, will he not go to another level with them?
What prevents him from just appointing a a czar for each state? A congressional czar? A National Law Enforcement Czar? A czar that will create legislation for him to sign into law?? A Judicial Czar to guide the Supreme Court. Military Ethics Czars for every Navy ship and sub. A Party Czar?
We are only 6 months into this man’s Presidency. He has nearly the entire MSN on his side. What will our nation be in two years??
There are just 3 things that have hindered Obama.
Talk radio, the internet and Fox news.
3 things have been in his way.
Something to keep in mind.
JellyToast on August 21, 2009 at 7:20 PM
To me, this is the single most frightening aspect of this administration.
I feel like I’m yelling at people, “Do you not SEE THIS??” And all I get is complacency. It’s maddening.
Mommypundit on August 21, 2009 at 7:26 PM
Bush also had attorneys, 6 of them…Obama has 47 on staff…when will you ever learn to keep your mouth shut? Every time you post, you step in it…your IQ is about as high as Obama’s poll numbers…
right2bright on August 21, 2009 at 7:31 PM
Whoops, just saw where liberal got busted…
right2bright on August 21, 2009 at 7:32 PM
Hey, do we have a wee-wee CZAR??
mobydutch on August 21, 2009 at 7:48 PM
Whenever I hear “Bush did it too” I think of what my mom always said when I was little…Well honey, two wrongs don’t make a right. Just because Bush did it, doesn’t make it right (which I’m sure any liberal would be quick to agree with!)
walnut on August 21, 2009 at 8:09 PM
300+ years of the Romanov’s vs. 6 months of Obama administration.
Insane. Out of control.
anuts on August 21, 2009 at 8:14 PM
no apostrophe
anuts on August 21, 2009 at 8:15 PM
Soooooo, if Bush “did it too” and you hated him, then when Obama does it on steroids, it means you dispise him, right?
I am soooo confused. Is there a Czar for that?
gordo on August 21, 2009 at 8:19 PM
Sarah Palin (mid-2011):
“I will fire all the czars!!!”
Worth a million votes right there.
Sapwolf on August 21, 2009 at 8:22 PM
Teh case of teh Bizarre Czar Bazaar.
starboardhelm on August 21, 2009 at 8:23 PM
Obama’s administration is:
The FOURTH REICH
Sapwolf on August 21, 2009 at 8:24 PM
The real SLIM SHADY and his POSSE
widge8 on August 21, 2009 at 8:31 PM
Hmmm…Experts to tell the common folk how they must live. This is classic Progressivism. It stems from a deep-seated arrogance that these arseholes know better than us. The sooner we vote them out of office the better. Definitely motivation to make sure the 2010 elections boost the Republican presence in Congress.
second digit on August 21, 2009 at 8:32 PM
What if a majority of everything we have seen so far has been trial balloons and tests??? It’s only been 6 months!
He said in California that “we ain’t seen nothing yet!”
What if all of these czars, the GM takeover, the intimidation, etc, have just been tests to see how far he can go, how far he can push the media, before he attempts what he really wants to do?
With the power the treasury now has,, and if enough czars were to be appointed and unchallenged, how long before congress would be naturally stripped of all power?
Serious question.
If Obama has the authority to appoint Czars,, does he have the authority to appoint himself Czar over the US??
If a President can pardon himself,, can he appoint himself Czar?? Why not? Can a governor appoint them self to an empty Senate seat? Why could a President, if he has the power to appoint Czars to go around congress, why can he not appoint himself as well?? He’s already getting away with everything else.
There are just 3 things that have hindered this man. Talk radio, the internet and Fox news.
At some point, those three things will have to be dealt with if he wants to realize all of his goals.
JellyToast on August 21, 2009 at 8:44 PM
Why not just call them “commissars”? That’s what they really are.
I think Obama is the first President to fully grasp the concept that he can do whatever he wishes, Constitution be damned, and no one will do anything about it. Sure, people will say lots of things against it (Tea Parties *cough, cough*), but no one will actually do anything about it.
Again, when will people have the courage to actually vote for someone who doesn’t have an “R” or “D” next to his name, provided that he is the better candidate of course?
Send_Me on August 21, 2009 at 8:57 PM
A shadow government of freaks, misfits, criminals, insane psychotics and worse yet, social engineers. Obama’s pretty much got the judiciary and legislature wrapped up but JUST IN CASE he can outflank them with czars reporting to only him.
MaiDee on August 21, 2009 at 11:48 PM
With a K! Kommissars. And yes, Zero does seem to think he’s free to “remake” America without any interference. He’s a monster.
Maquis on August 22, 2009 at 2:31 AM
Let me get this straight….
President Obama had the opportunity to appoint 3 dozen people to positions not requiring confirmation and about 2/3 of those he picked appear to be white men.
This is the “diversity” president?
Rose from Ohio on August 22, 2009 at 6:33 AM
Whiskey, Tango, Fox Trot; over!
Cybergeezer on August 22, 2009 at 10:00 AM
Nothing like a Stanley Kubrick reference to make the day complete. Good one.
Physics Geek on August 22, 2009 at 10:38 AM
We should have the “czar of the day” post here at HA or Michelle’s site. Pick a czar, show their socialist or Barack-buddy background and how it influences what they are doing (or might be doing, since nobody knows what they are REALLY doing.)
I wanted to ask Tom Coburn (Senator R-OK) in his town hall meeting last week about the Czars and when Congress was going to do something about this power grab by the executive branch, but after more than an hour of answering questions there were still 100 hands going up for more, so never got a chance. If anyone else has a chance with their pol, go for it.
Christian Conservative on August 22, 2009 at 11:31 AM
An adult is in charge.
All is well.
Loxodonta on August 22, 2009 at 1:59 PM
+10, you raaaaaaaaaaacist. ;-)
HAnthonyWayne on August 22, 2009 at 6:32 PM
^^^^
;-)
Rose from Ohio on August 22, 2009 at 9:17 PM
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