With the exposure of Green Jobs Czar Van Jones as a conspiracy theorist and radical, Democrats in Congress may finally awaken to the expansion of presidential power at the expense of the legislative branch.  One has, at least – Rep. Dan Boren (D-OK), a conservative Democrat frequently at odds with his caucus on policy.  Boren wants an end to “czars” in the executive branch and a return to normal Congressional oversight on executive power:

U.S. Rep. Dan Boren said Congress should use the power of the purse to push the Obama administration to remove so-called czars that do not go through a confirmation process.

Responding to questions during a telephonic town hall, the Oklahoma Democrat said he was glad Van Jones, who resigned over the weekend as controversy continued to build over past statements, has left his post.

Boren joined others in criticizing the growing trend to name czars to lead efforts in specific areas.

Such officials do not go through oversight hearings or a confirmation vote in the Senate.

Thus far, Boren has opposed Card Check, cap-and-trade, and ObamaCare.  Boren voted for Porkulus, which is about all thus far identifying him as a Democrat.  Unions went after Boren hard in Oklahoma for his opposition to Card Check, accusing him of wanting workers to die, which apparently didn’t change any minds in Oklahoma, including Boren’s.

Democrats in Congress complained (idiotically) about the “unitary executive” principle during the Bush administration as an excuse for abuse of power, but thus far have entirely missed the very real encroachment by their own President.  Under Bush, they argued, his signing statements derogated the oversight of Congress on executive branch activities.  With the czars, Obama has put wide swaths of policy out of reach of Congress, and given himself the ability to appoint radicals and nuts to positions of considerable power with no vetting or oversight at all — as the Van Jones scandal showed.

Republicans need to push this issue, but so do Democrats.  The precedents set by Obama, and especially the Congressional leadership’s supine reaction to them, will be used by the next Republican president to work around Congress.  Congress needs to protect its power not just to limit Obama’s overreach but also to ensure that future presidents don’t make themselves into Hugo Chavez-style tinpot dictators.  Thus far, it appears that the only objection Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid have to tinpot dictators is the orientation of the pot.