Michelle Malkin » Obama’s new euphemism for his czars

Obama’s new euphemism for his czars

By Michelle Malkin • September 16, 2009 03:45 PM

Just wanted to make sure you and all the other citizen czar-watchers out there were aware that President Obama has a new euphemism for his czars.

He tested it out yesterday during his AFL-CIO speech:

That’s why we’re investing in a clean energy economy that will free America from the grip of foreign oil and create millions of new green jobs that can’t be outsourced. That’s why I’ve named a new point person to jumpstart American manufacturing so that we can make “Made in America” not just a slogan, we want to make it a reality. (Applause.)

“Point person.”

Got it?

He’s referring, of course, to union hatchet man-turned auto czar-turned manufacturing czar Ron Bloom — the double-dipping appointee now in charge of revitalizing two industries that he and his Big Labor bosses have run into the ground.

No matter what you call them, the increasingly bipartisan clamor against them is rising.

Add Democrat Sen. Russ Feingold to the mounting critics of Obama’s culture of circumvention:

September 15, 2009

The President of the United States

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear Mr. President:

From the beginning of your administration, you have made an admirable commitment to transparency and open government. You showed the strength of your commitment by sending a memorandum to the heads of executive departments and agencies within a week of your inauguration, stating: “My administration will take appropriate action, consistent with law and policy, to disclose information rapidly in forms that the public can readily find and use.”

As you know, there has been much discussion about your decisions to create and assign apparently significant policy-making responsibilities to White House and other executive positions; many of the persons filling these positions have come to be referred to in the media and even within your administration as policy “czars.” I heard firsthand about this issue on several occasions from my constituents in recent town hall meetings in Wisconsin.

The Constitution gives the Senate the duty to oversee the appointment of Executive officers through the Appointments Clause in Article II, section 2. The Appointments Clause states that the President “shall nominate, and by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, judges of the Supreme Court, and all other officers of the United States, whose appointments are not herein otherwise proved for, and which shall be established by law.” (Emphasis added.) This clause is an important part of the constitutional scheme of separation of powers, empowering the Senate to weigh in on the appropriateness of significant appointments and assisting in its oversight of the Executive Branch.

As a member of the Senate with the duty to oversee executive appointments and as the Chairman of the Senate Constitution Subcommittee, I respectfully urge you to disclose as much information as you can about these policy advisors and “czars.” Specifically, I ask that you identify these individuals’ roles and responsibilities, and provide the judgment(s) of your legal advisors as to whether and how these positions are consistent with the Appointments Clause. I hope that this information will help address some of the concerns that have been raised about new positions in the White House and elsewhere in the Executive Branch, and will inform any hearing that the Subcommittee holds on this topic.

Thank you for considering my views on this important matter. I very much appreciate your commitment to transparency and open government and look forward to your prompt response.

Sincerely,

Russell D. Feingold

United States Senator

~ For the latest breaking news, be sure to join Michelle's e-mail list ~

Posted in: czars

Printer Friendly

comments (110)

See what others have said

Note from Michelle: This section is for comments from michellemalkin.com's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that I agree with or endorse any particular comment just because I let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with my terms of use may lose his or her posting privilege.

Comments

« Older Comments

#101

On September 17th, 2009 at 10:32 am, JodyT said:

I think neocon57′s point (get it?!) is that since Michelle isn’t some model of objectivity and that we’re all a bunch of nodding robotron’s about everything she says, that Republican president’s get a pass on things that we’re excited to criticize Obama about since we “don’t like him anyway.”

Super. Deep.

(Thanks, neocon57. Consider me enlightened.)
#102

On September 17th, 2009 at 10:44 am, NJ-Aviator said:

neocon527 said:

Well, you kinda just made my point. This is less about the czars, what they represent or mean to the country or the process by which they’re appointed or protecting the Constitution. It’s based on your dislike of the President. I think this site had a name for this sort of thing, when it came to the last president and the most recent Republican Vice Presidential nominee, but who needs to bring that into this.

Uh… yeah. Sure.

Maybe you haven’t been paying attention neocon527, but “this site” doesn’t give a pass to RINO’s. Or anyone for that matter, including John McLame. If anything, someone like Fmr. Pres. Bush is whacked even harder for moves like the bailout and jumping on the “Home Ownership is a Right” moronic bandwagon. He and other republicans are supposed to stand for conservative values and when he panders to the left or goes “liberal” as with the home ownership thing, it is in some ways worse than when someone like Barney Frank or Obama commits acts of the same stupidity content.

So whatever point you think was made…. it wasn’t.
#103

On September 17th, 2009 at 11:23 am, greasywrench said:

I think Capo would be more appropriate. Czar sounds so……Russian.
#104

On September 17th, 2009 at 11:45 am, rightwingrocker said:

It’s based on your dislike of the President.

Most of us don’t dislike Mr. Obama (he has not established his eligibility so I won’t call him “president” until he does – and if he does, I will). I don’t myself dislike him, though I do think he’s an a$$hole.

More importantly, he is clearly a corrupt socialist nutbag with no intention of showing the Constitution any respect. The sooner he’s run out of Washington on a rail, the better it will be for America – the America our Founding Fathers envisioned. The one we all want back.

RWR
http://www.rightwingrocker.com
#105

On September 17th, 2009 at 11:47 am, rightwingrocker said:

You’re close. A “point person” is someone Obama will point to when something goes wrong.

HAHAHAHA

Like Van Jones!

If this administration weren’t so dangerous, it would be hilarious!

RWR
http://www.rightwingrocker.com
#106

On September 17th, 2009 at 11:49 am, rightwingrocker said:

Definition – A person placed in charge of pointing at America’s constitution, citizens and businesses, using the middle finger.

Wow.

Ain’t that the truth!

RWR
http://www.rightwingrocker.com
#107

On September 17th, 2009 at 1:19 pm, stillontheroad said:

And we have this
“Along those lines, House Democrats will today pass a bill that creates a brand new federal government panel on “Green Schools.”

“The Advisory Council on Green, High-Performing Public School Facilities” is tucked deep into the House education bill (HR 3221), which is better known for federalizing most student loans”
#108

On September 17th, 2009 at 3:30 pm, WarEagle82 said:

Good grief! If he keeps this up he will have to appoint a Tsar Tsar to keep track of them all.

Just how much is all this costing me? Or are they paying for themselves through “creating efficiencies” and “cost savings?”
#109

On September 17th, 2009 at 6:23 pm, Lee Hazel said:

“Point Person” is this by chance refering to the shape of their heads?

PC is Thought Control
LEE
#110

On September 17th, 2009 at 7:27 pm, misterbee241 said:

On September 17th, 2009 at 11:23 am, greasywrench said:

I think Capo would be more appropriate. Czar sounds so……Russian.

I agree. Capo sounds very Chicago-like.