I was channel surfing a little while ago and passed by Fox "news" showing a press conference of some sort and something possessed me to stop and see what it was and it turned out to be a group of Republicans bemoaning the number of Czars in President Obama's administration. Senator after Senator stepped up to the mic and wrung their hands over the number of Czars there are in this administration and how they should be brought before Congress and questioned so that we could know who they were and what they were doing. I didn't really listen very well, seeing as I tend to get a strange buzzing noise in my ears after a while when watching Fox, or listening to any republican speak for that matter.
Here is the video for the presser, if you can stand to listen:
The first thing that came to mind was this youtube video going around from the tea parties (the Czar bit starts around 6:24):
Unfortunately, the kid doing the interviewing didn't quite have his facts right himself in that video but the point was made. Czars are nothing new (update: list of czars from wikipedia) and the republicans at the press conference today were sure to keep saying "we know that all Czars are not created equal", so that when Bush's, and any other republican President's Czars are brought up, they'll be ready to explain how those appointments were necessary and good but since it's President Obama, these Czars can't be trusted.
It's really pretty sad that they have to continually resort to this kind of thing but what's even sadder is the amount of people that will eat it up. What do you think, with this get any real traction anywhere besides Fox?
Sorry, not much here but I hadn't seen any diaries on it and decided to toss one out.
Update: From Ladyhawk in the comments, Reality Check from whitehouse.gov
A few quotes cited there:
Many of the same critics who are decrying these roles have applauded or even pushed for them in the past. Sen. Robert Bennett has criticized czars as "undermining the Constitution," but reportedly prodded President Clinton to appoint a Y2K Czar. In a 1999 CNN appearance, Sen. Bennett said "I think John Koskinen has been superb. I wrote the president six months before John was appointed, recommending that he appoint a Y2K czar." At a 1999 National Press Club luncheon, Bennett told reporters the Koskinen was "there to help, prod, give information, and make analyses and reports" and said he spoke with the czar to ensure "we maintain the kind of bipartisan and across-the-government sort of communication that this never becomes a political issue."
Senator Lamar Alexander has also criticized President Obama’s "czars," calling them "an affront to the Constitution." But during remarks delivered on the Senate floor in 2003, Sen. Alexander said "I would welcome" President Bush’s "manufacturing job czar." That same day in the Senate, he also expressed support for President Bush’s AIDS czar Randall Tobias.
When asked on Fox News if he had opposed any of President Bush’s "czars," Rep. Darrell Issa responded "No we didn’t," despite previously claiming that czars "undermine" transparency and accountability.
On another note, I went to the fox site (yes, I'm a glutton for punishment) and saw this poll in the corner of one page:
RCP Poll
President Obama Job Approval
RCP Average: +8.7% Details
Approve 53.0%
Disapprove 44.3%
Congressional Job Approval
RCP Average: -33.2% Details
Approve 28.8%
Disapprove 62.0%
Direction of Country
RCP Average: -23.4% Details
Right Direction 35.4%
Wrong Track 58.8%
Just thought it was interesting to see President Obama's numbers there.