The Czar War Is On

It's about time...!

After the resignation of Van Jones over his 9/11 Truther connections, Republicans feel energized to tackle what they see as the greatest abuse of power in the Obama administration: the proliferation of czars. Fittingly, it starts in the Senate, the legislative body Barack Obama has bypassed with his proliferation of unaccountable commissars in government. Yesterday, Lamar Alexander (R-TN) delivered a blistering attack on the apparatchiks of Obama’s government and the way it undermines the checks and balances in the system:

More:

So what do these czars do? Do they advise the president? Or do they impose the administration’s agenda on the heads of federal agencies and offices who have been vetted and confirmed by the Senate? Unfortunately — and in direct contravention of the Framers’ intentions — virtually no one can say with certainty what these individuals do or what limits are placed on their authority. We don’t know if they are influencing or implementing policy. We don’t know if they possess philosophical views or political affiliations that are inappropriate or overreaching in the context of their work.

This is precisely the kind of ambiguity the Framers sought to prevent. Article One tasks the legislative branch with establishing federal agencies, defining what they do, determining who leads them and overseeing their operations. Article Two requires the president to seek the advice and consent of the Senate when appointing certain officials to posts of consequence. Thus, authority is shared between government branches, guaranteeing the American people transparency and accountability.

This is a great fight for the GOP to pick. There is no legitimate defense of the practice of czar appointments, and with the departure of Van Jones, the precedent has been set. If the GOP can successfully force Obama to explain himself and this shadow government of czars, they will have won a crucial battle for 2010.

There's my two cents.