Comments on: Who Are Obama’s Czars, and Where Are They in the Constitution?

By: rexprimoris

rexprimoris — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:44:51 +0000

My feeling is that the vast majority, if not all, of these “czar” appointments are nothing more than patronage jobs handed out as payback to party loyalists and Obama cronies. If they were there to do real work, why the transparent effort to avoid the Senate confirmation process?

By: MrSpeck

MrSpeck — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 18:10:37 +0000

Here ya go:

Voinovich's reason for holding up Robert Perciasepe's nomination is because he "believes the EPA is underestimating the cost to households of climate change legislation."

Jackie Berrien's nomination as chair to the EEOC is being held up until a pick for a Republican vacancy is named.

Bond is blocking Martha Johnson's nomination to the GSA post because "the agency has been balking at constructing a $175 million federal building for Kansas City."

Bunning is blocking Miriam Shapiro's nomination as trade rep because he's mad at the Canadian Parliament for passing a law aimed at reducing teen smoking, which he thinks would hurt his state's tobacco growers.

Paul Anastas' nomination to the EPA post is being blocked until the EPA delays formaldehyde regulations (a probable carcinogen).

Arturo Valenzuela's nomination as asst Sec. of State is being bloccked by DeMint because Valenzuela called the ousting of the Honduran President a "military coup".

Shall I go on? In none of these cases is the character of the nominee in question. Mr. Obama is not negligent in trying to fill positions in his administration as the author carelessly suggested; rather they are being held up by nothing other than good old-fashioned partisan politics and pandering to special interests.

"Less than transparent?" Please. You obviously haven't bothered to research any of these nominees on your own, so probably haven't bothered to log on to any of the administration sites to witness unprecedented transparency in action.

Is the administration perfect? Absolutely not. But since you have made up -- and evidently already closed -- your mind, I don't suppose it matters to you anyway.

By: Dave Fadley

Dave Fadley — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 16:59:50 +0000

Where is the TRANSPARENT government Obama 'promised'? It's about as transparent as lead. What's he REALLY hiding???

By: pcafe

pcafe — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 22:39:08 +0000

If the appointments are being “held up” by various Republicans, then let us hear “why.”
Perhaps your commentary would be more meaningful if we knew the names of the 'hold ups” as well.
I would love to look up the resumes of some of these nominees to see what the character or associations have been.
Clearly, Obama's czars have not been “top notch” and in some cases have agendas that cause American taxpayers major concern. And, that they are paid and receiving benefits from taxpayer money is enough reason to challenge this less than transparent administration.

By: MrSpeck

MrSpeck — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 20:37:52 +0000

If you're going to commit such opinions to print, you might do well to rely less on inflammatory headlines and more on actual facts. Here are some:

1) John Holdren was unanimously confirmed by the US Senate last March. I realize you're a Representative rather than a Senator, but figure that this information is as easy for you to come by as it is for me.

2) Mr. Obama's nominee for EPA deputy administrator is being held up by Sen. Voinovich (R-OH)

3) Mr. Obama's nominee for the char of the EEOC is being held up by Republicans.

4) Mr. Obama's nominee to head up the GSA is being held up by Sen. Chris Bond (R-MO)

5) Mr. Obama's nominee for US Trade Rep is being held up by Sen. Jim Bunning (R-KY)

6) Mr. Obama's nominee for Assistant Administrator for the EPA is being held up by Se. David Vitter (R-LA)

7) Mr. Obama's nominee for Assistant Sec'y of State for the Western Hemisphere is being held up by Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC)

8) Mr. Obama's nominee for Treasury Under Secretary is being held up by Republican staff of the Senate Finance Committee.

9) Mr. Obama's nominee for Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade is being held up by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA)

Once again, this is happening *in the same building where you work* with *members of your own party*. One Senator holding up nominees is from your *own home state*.

Jeez.

And you wonder why people mistrust politicians and why the GOP is having such a rough time these days. You'll go a long way toward improving your image when you:

1) Get the simplest of facts straight.

2) Worry less about non-issues such as "czars" (Presidents from both parties have had 'em) and more about Health Care reform, jobs, the economy, and the war(s).

Please.