HR 3226: the Czar Accountability and Reform Act of 2009

[jmichna]

The thread title is no joke:

Support the Czar Accountability and Reform Act of 2009
By Michelle Malkin • August 3, 2009 07:20 AM
I met with a group of terrific conservative House Republicans on the Hill last week to talk about Culture of Corruption. Two of the dominant themes from the book we discussed: transparency and accountability.

The czar explosion continues to resonate across party lines. As I’ve reported, it’s not just the number of czars, it’s the superfluousness. The conflicts of interest. The criminal history. And the compromised quality of so many of them.

GOP Rep. Jack Kingston of Georgia is sponsoring a Czar Accountability and Reform Act that would “would bar the use of appropriated funds to pay either expenses or salaries of members of task forces, councils, or similar offices established by the president and headed by a person appointed inappropriately to such a post without Senate advice and consent.”

Every member of Congress worth his/her oath of office should support the bill. Take advantage of the recess to press your representatives on the issue.

Do they support accountability or do they support the unlimited growth and empowerment of Obama’s shadow cabinet?

Posted in: czars

H.R. 3226, the Czar Accountability and Reform Act of 2009

The bill H.R. 3226 called the Czar Accountability and Reform Act of 2009 is sponsored by Rep. Jack Kingston, R-Ga. And co-sponsored by Rep. John Boozman, R-Ark would (according to Michelle Malkin):

“would bar the use of appropriated funds to pay either expenses or salaries of members of task forces, councils, or similar offices established by the president and headed by a person appointed inappropriately to such a post without Senate advice and consent.”

Obama's (Unelected) Czars and Czarinas... there are twelve pictured below but I believe the count today is up around twenty-eight, which is ten more than the entire dynasty of Romanovs during that line's three hundred year run in Russia:

From PolitiFact | Sorting out the truth in politics:

1. Herb Allison-TARP Czar
2. Alan Bersin-Border Czar
3. Dennis Blair-Intelligence Czar
4. John Brennan-Terrorism Czar
5. Carol Browner-Energy Czarina
6. Adolfo Carrion, Jr-Urban Affairs Czar
7. Ashton Carter-Weapons Czar
8. Aneesh Chopra-Technology Czar
9. Jeffrey Crowley-AIDS Czar
10. Cameron Davis-Great Lakes Czar
11. Nancy-Ann DeParle-Health Czarina
12. Earl Devaney-Stimulus Accountability Czar
13. Joshua DuBois-Faith-based Czar
14. Kenneth Feinberg-Pay Czar
15. Danny Fried-Guantanamo Closure Czar
16. J. Scott Gration-Sudan Czar
17. Richard Holbrooke-Afghanistan Czar
18. John Holdren-Science Czar
19. Van Jones Green-Jobs Czar
20. Gil Kerlikowske-Drug Czar
21. Vivek Kundra-Information Czar
22. George Mitchell-Mideast Peace Czar
23. Ed Montgomery-Car Czar
24. Dennis Ross-Mideast Policy Czar
25. Gary Samore-WMD Czar
26. Todd Stern-Climate Czar
27. Cass Sunstein-Regulatory Czar
28. Paul Volcker-Economic Czar

All of these Czars' and Czarinas' purvue and responsibilities fall under existing offices such as Secretary of Commerce, Secretary of Treasury, Secretary of Interior, Chairmen of the FCC, and so on.

So what's the purpose? A parallel Government?

That is, a government that reports directly and acts directly to President Obama.

And how much do these superfluous Czars and Czarinas add to the Federal payroll... and not just salary, but all the extended 'benefits' they receive and will receive in the future?

[jmichna]

Same topic, from another source:

Obama's Czars Spark Concerns Among Some Lawmakers
Some lawmakers believe President Obama's multitude of czars is a power grab. By Brian Wilson
FOXNews.com
Friday, April 17, 2009
Although former U.S. attorney Alan Bersin and the late Russian ruler Nikolai Alexandrovich Romanov appear to have nothing in common, thanks to President Obama, they now share a title.

Romanov, known as Nicholas II, was the last Russian czar. Bersin is Obama's border czar, a new Homeland security post responsible for issues related to drug-cartel violence along the U.S.-Mexico border.

The appointment of czars is nothing new in Washington. President Obama apparently likes the idea of appointing them -- he's got a bunch of czars.
Foreign Policy magazine composed a list of 18 Obama administration czars, including Carl Browner, who is the energy czar, and Gil Kerlikowske, who is the drug czar. But almost immediately, typical Washington quibbling began over who is and who is not a czar.

Czardom does not sit well with Sen. Robert Byrd. Though slowed by age, the West Virginia Democrat remains vigorous in his defense of the powers ceded to the Congress by the Constitution. He said he believes czars are a slick way of governing without having to answer to Congress.

There is no constitutional requirement that czars undergo those pesky Senate confirmation hearings.

Former Rep. Ernest Istook said he doesn't like the term czar either because it's too Russian.

"We could just call somebody the big boss, el jefe, head honcho, the big cheese," he said. "My father used to refer to people as the chief cook and bottle washer."

Istook said he believes the Obama team is using the appointment of czars to reinvent how the executive branch operates.

"If Barack Obama thinks that the executive branch is badly organized, and you could make a great case for that, then he ought to present a coherent system," he said. "But it's just ad hoc on a case by case basis."

If there is a public outcry over the czar mania, it's entirely possible, knowing Washington, that the Obama administration will appoint a super czar to resolve the issue.

[KingArthur]

I would like the bill to go further and make the position of czar illegal.

[Markjsc]

Originally Posted by KingArthur

I would like the bill to go further and make the position of czar illegal.

I agree with the sentiment, but I think it makes sense to have some sort of provision for temporary assistance in the Executive branch. For instance, previous Presidents have created Czar positions to temporarily oversee a new or temporary program until the proper permanent (accountable) leadership could be created or the program is dissolved.

I don't remember the details, but I think I remember that Bush (43) had a Czar to oversee the Katrina recovery plan. That kind of position seems reasonable as long as there are stipulations to keep it in check.

I also agree that the President should not have the power to employ (and provide ongoing benefits to) anyone he happens to owe a favor or wants a favor from.

[john_bud]

"Transparency" in government by increased obfuscation.

[TRIGRHAPPY]

Obama is the Czar of Czars.

Originally, the title Czar (derived from Caesar) meant Emperor in the European medieval sense of the term, that is, a ruler who claims the same rank as a Roman emperor, with the approval of another emperor or a supreme ecclesiastical official (the Pope or the Ecumenical Patriarch).

Occasionally, the word could be used to designate other, non-Christian, supreme rulers. In Russia and Bulgaria the imperial connotations of the term were

Just getting geared up for the Democratic Socialist Union of America.