Forget becoming Communist Russia, try a cabinet filled with all-powerful czars. When "climate czar" first popped into our lexicon earlier this week, I thought it was a one-time title for Al Gore because he's already been vice president — a cabinet title would practically be a demotion — and it has a nice ring to it. And because, really, how can there be a climate czar without it being Al Gore?
Well Al Gore doesn't want the job, and a slew of new czar titles have been tossed around this week: auto czar, tech czar, energy czar, education czar, style czar (joking! . . . but Tim Gunn, yes?). What makes a czar different from a regular cabinet secretary? To find out, read more.
Czar is really just a slang term in the US for a government position with lots of power. They report directly to the president instead of the president's chief of staff, so any czars in the Obama administration can work around what will likely be Rahm Emanuel's tight grip.
Don't think the US doesn't already have czars, though. The senate voted to establish a drug czar in 1982 to control US drug policy, and the Bush administration established a terrorism czar, war czar (though Bush never found any takers so the position remains open), and cybersecurity czar (highest ranking position in Homeland Security). Just last month, Congress agreed to appoint a copyright czar, which will be named by President-elect Obama.
I'd take a world with copyright and climate czars over war and terrorism czars any day. But what's the point anyway? Is it dangerous to give one person so much power, or a good way to get a lot accomplished?
Browns Fashion
UGG
Minority
I'm enjoying the communist flavor of this shorthand. A taste of the rule to come.
1Cybersecurity czar? That's seriously the scariest thing I've heard in a while. Thanks for that one, Bush...
2I think we are forgetting Henry Paulson, Bailout Czar, Ben Bernanke the Inflation Czar, and Chris Cox the Not Doing My Job Czar.
3Should there not be a point person in the government for certain important policies? Making them all permanent Cabinet positions bloats the government and leads to territorial disputes. Don't call them czars if it bothers you - but it didn't seem to bother anyone in the Reagan '80s.
4so steph you agree that bloating the government is a bad thing?
5I don't know of anyone who supports bloating anything.
6"Czar is really just a slang term in the US for a government position with lots of power. They report directly to the president instead of the president's chief of staff, so any czars in the Obama administration can work around what will likely be Rahm Emanuel's tight grip."
Everyone knows reporting to the president instead of the chief of staff is the first step on the slippery slope to communism!
7Yeah, bloating is always bad.
8Where does this say the government is going to get bloated?!
9It doesn't, I said appointing czars instead of making new Cabinet posts keeps from bloating the government. And like Pavlov's dogs, some of our friends responded to the word.
10"and now we're Russia!" Omg I just realized how hysterical this title is! I know it's supposed to be tongue-in cheek, but I could seriously see a Palin supporter being like, "I knew it! We're commies now!"
11
12Not to mention- czars ruled before communism, and were part of the monarchy, titles handed down based on having royal blood.
13Shhh, Snowbunny--don't start the "elitist" battle!
I want to be the Booze Czar. On the days when I made it in to work, I'd do a great job.
And I do think appointing czars in some instances is a good way to get around governmental red tape that can make it hard for things to get accomplished.
14Many have alluded to the czarist origins of communism.
15So wait a minute, the US has been assigning people the title of "czar" for two decades, but it is Obama's use of it that is irregular and makes us Russia. That's silly.
16Haha, I don't think anyone is seriously saying that.
17I don't think anybody is seriously saying that either. I'm just objecting to the silly post title.
18id like to nominate organic to become snarky czar, or just Cznarky, for short!
19That's absurd, and I accept.
20ok. great! now about that 63 page background check application...
21Cznarky! I love it!
22It's possible I have said some things on the internet that would suggest a conflict of interest.
23Not with being the Czar of Snark.
Organic, I think you should change your username to Cznarky. Apart from everything else, it has a certain flair.
24It certainly does. Plus I could change my persona again.
And I do have a flair, don't I?
25You positively ooze flair.
26I don't like to talk about my flair.
27I don't have any flair. It makes me painfully envious of those who do.
28I flail a lot, but I don't think that qualifies as flair.
29It does if you do it flamboyantly enough.
30Hey I want to be a Czar. How bought the Czar of keeping Rahm in line? Uhm Rahm your being too partisen baby...relax sugar there you go walk that line like Johnny Cash..there you go see honey I knew you could do it.
31I do manage to flail and fumble gracefully.
32You've got your own kind of flair then
Hypno, stop with the making me laugh so hard I snort whiskey up into my nose!
33Hey I used to make all of my friends in High School spit soda out of their nose they laughed so hard.
34It's painful!
35
Hypno!
36All of these Czars mean MORE money going to government positions of power and there huge ass staffs.
37The czar word used in US government still just strikes me as odd. Oh well.
That being said, I'd be the Czar of Procrastination. I may not be good at much, but I'm damn good at procrastinating.
38Ok wait wait wait wait wait.....wait..
If Obama is using the word "czar" a lot does that now mean he's Russian Orthodox and not Muslim?
(Actually I think the word "czar" is effing stupid in the US government, and I have thought so since Reagan's administration first used it for William Bennett almost THIRTY years ago. "Drug czar".....as if calling it that will make the bad drugs go away....)
Its just using a word to sound powerful. Not exactly a crime but still not the choice I would prefer as "czar" just sounds pretentious and stupid. Sorry O, not with you on this one.
39We could call them Drug Boss or Drug Capo.
40I like "Honcho".
Climate Honcho.
Yep.
41I love the sense of humor here. But on a serious note, did no one notice his using the word "rule" when he discussed stepping into office? Presidents don't RULE. And for the record, there is no "Office of the President Elect." Ego, much? Geesh.
And I nominate Giggle "Czar of Nachos."
42Bush put a few czars in charge to help keep this country safe. Having a czar for war is one thing but Obama wants a czar for obsolutely everything so he can have total control. He is goign to burn this country to the ground and the media is going to let him do it because they are all democratic followers who are all hypnotized. The man wants a socialist country in which he is a God. Wake up people every day he does something else, and no one stands up to stop him.... Pay attention........
43Let's see... Our lesson for today will be when did presidents start using the Czar term. That would have been during World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt with Gen. George C. Marshall, as Army chief of staff a position known today as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs. However during his wartime administration the media depicted in cartoons Leon Henderson (The administrator of the Office of Price Administration)as “czar of prices.” Hence the beginning of the "Czar" craze.
44In the 1970's President Nixon brought back to life the term with his "energy czars" John Love and William Simon. Then in the 1980's Congress created the "Drug Czar" Position. Finally we come to 2008 when Congress passed a measure creating a copyright czar which the White House didn't want due to ambiguous language. Lawmakers, however, sent him the package anyway.
No matter which way you slice it both sides have been czar crazy - they are just getting crazier. BTW the czar position were meant to report to both the President and Congress. Will Obama's Czars be reporting to congress? We shall see...
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