Finally, Some Real Push Back From Obama Administration On The Right's "Czar" Idiocy
One of the more laughable right wing attack lines against President Obama has been the number of "Czars" he has appointed. Of course, we know that former President Bush had more czars than Obama, but why would Fox News report that? During his health care reform speech last week, the president said "If you misrepresent what's in the plan, we will call you out"
Release the hounds, the pushback has begun:
Last week, when the President addressed the Joint Session of Congress in a speech on health reform, he referred to some of the untruths – okay, lies – that have been spread about the plan and sent a clear message to those who seek to undermine his agenda and his presidency with these tactics: "We will call you out." So consider this one of those calls.
Over the past several weeks, we've seen with increasing frequency and volume issues raised around the use of "czars" by this Administration. Although some Members have asked serious questions around the makeup of the White House staff, the bulk of the noise you hear began first with partisan commentators, suggesting that this is somehow a new and sinister development that threatens our democracy. This is, of course, ridiculous. Just to be clear, the job title "czar" doesn’t exist in the Obama Administration. Many of the officials cited by conservative commentators have been confirmed by the Senate. Many hold policy jobs that have existed in previous Administrations. And some hold jobs that involved coordinating the work of agencies on President Obama’s key policy priorities: health insurance reform, energy and green jobs, and building a new foundation for long-lasting economic growth
But of course, it’s really the hypocrisy here that is noteworthy. Just earlier today, Darrell Issa, a Republican from California and one of the leaders in calling for an investigation into the Obama Administration’s use of "czars", had to admit to Fox News that he had never raised any objections to the Bush Administration’s use of "czars". Many of these members who now decry the practice have called on Presidents in the past to appoint "czars" to coordinate activities within the government to address immediate challenges. What is clear is that all of this energy going into these attacks could be used to have a constructive conversation about bringing this country together to address our challenges moving forward – and it doesn’t take a "czar" to bring that about! Just some folks willing to act in good faith. Read on...
This is a blogger with a spine. The blog post was written by Anita Dunn, and she goes on to nail numerous right wing politicians and pundits, calling them out on the nutbaggery. It's worth clicking through to the original to read it all.
that sure looks like 100k people in that crowd .
every time you throw a little mud , you lose a little ground .
You see that crane in the background. They had top get that up to get a real good shot of the huge 3,000,000,000 person crowd. It says right here from the University of... of... of... Oh I can't remember but they said that Glenn Beck is an idiot.
Million. How dare you falsely lower there numbers you sick pinko commie socialist fascist.
Clearly that's 1.7 mil...
A UNIVERSITY counted them!
was following and screaming at Edward Kimmel with his sign "Healthcare reform now."
is my hero.
You could tell the cops escorting him were on his side.
That's not 100K, that's obviously Two Million Patriots!
I don't give a shite if it was 2mil - 4 mil, whatever. Doesn't matter - 3 million people in the US paid $13.99 for Taylor Swift's latest album.What does that tell you? There's 3 million morons waiting to be spoonfed the latest corporate crap that comes down the pike. Meanwhile, Wes Montgomery died in abject poverty. A BRILLIANT artist, ignored by these mouthbreathers....
"Anything popular is wrong"
Oscar Wilde
Finally! I hope more of this happens. Now, I wonder if the MSM will pick up on this?
The problem, of course, is that anyone that watches Glenn Beck reads at the 2nd grade level if that and would never even be able to comprehend the white house blog post.
pushback on the ridiculous is always important. but without a good offense, and continual defense, the "liberals" will always be back on their heels.
simply waiting for the next dumbass GOP/right wing attack and then responding carefully and cautiously is a losing battle.
go on the offensive. attack the right, put them on the defensive.
charge that:
--the GOP supports private insurance death panels
--the right wing cares more about profit than health
--the GOP exists to protect the needs of corporations
--war on terror creates terrorists
and on, and on
never relent, never slow, give no quarter.
Pushback is nice but it's still playing defense on issues framed by the other side. That's losing the message battle. I still cannot believe we didn't see a coordinated rollout every day this summer of one person after another telling their insurance company death panel horror stories. There should have been Congressional hearings and other events featuring these people. Who's in charge of the White House and Congress again? Apparently, it's the insurance companies.
The Republican haiku:
Always on offense
Never concede anything
Who cares about facts?
If you have not read the whole blog post you must read it. I have a feeling we will not be hearing much more about czars.
http://rawstory.com/08/news/2009/09/17/limbau...
Rush wants segregated buses. LOL!
How many races do we have in the US now?. Which race gets to go on which bus?
This guy really is trying to start a race war.
We need segregated radio.
Wingnuts should have their own wavelengths and you can only get reception of those wavelengths via segregated wingnut radios.
"Anyone that makes less than $150K in this country, has no business voting Republican."
their tinfoil hats, then they could pick up the reception with no interference.
It might help drown out the other voices in their head.
"When are we going to stop trying to tell elected officials what to do. Our job is to spend the taxpayers' money the best way we can." -- Tommy Watkins, Justice of the Peace, Crawford County, Arkansas
I thought the voices in their heads was right wing radio?
that these people should have NOTHING to do with reforming health care.
They DON'T WANT anything to do with reforming the system. although , maddeningly, many of them will benefit from it when it is reformed.
it will be a net positive when you consider the predicted cost of health care insurance in 10 yrs. it was also be a much needed boost to the economy small-medium-large businesses. this is a collective issue. health care, health care conditions and health care insurace affects everyone. these are people that aren't capable of looking beyond their own nose. they are overwhelmed by the ROMANCE of capitalism and individualism. they aren't capable of problem solving for the whole only for themselves.
personally, i'm SICK of it. this country needs to make adjustments to compete in the global economy. health care and health care insurance is too expensive and is getting more expensive. if we don't make changes WAGEs will remain stagnant and we can expect more "outsourcing".
i get a kick out of it when people wrap themselves in a flag and tell you your not patriotic. mention the
BUSH legacy and they go into a mindless stupor. this is CULTURE CLUB nonsense.....kind of a touchy feely thing where TEAbaggers hangout with people like them and insult the president/liberals. they get off on it, but they offer no solutions and deny the BUSH legacy.
We've been through this so often, you'd think the responsible journalists out there (if there are any left) would just start rolling their eyes and start their reports with "here we go again". The fictioneers at the GOP seem to have a special gift for blowing up fleas to the size of elephants while reducing real elephants to the size of fleas. Granted, there will always be that 25% that willingly put on the inverted binoculars and scream "I see it! I see it!" but do we have to maintain the charade that their veiw has any basis in reality?
Some really nasty illegal shit from the previous administration is being swept under the rug while the press reports the hysteria "More czars than Lennin (actually there were no czars under Lennin, so they changed it to more czars than the Romanoffs, yet another stupid analogy)or screaming "ACORN! ACORN! ACORN!"and treating like it's some sinister arm of the Obama administration (the way the much vilified Rose Law firm was during the Clinton administration)
I'm glad somebody is trying to call the Repugnics on their bullshit. It's about time.
Yes, idle talk is fine -- "If you misrepresent what's in the plan, we will call you out" -- but now I will be watching to see if he/they do it.
So far, it's the same old, same old. Obama makes "threat", GOP attacks, Democrats back down.
Damn it -- DO WHAT YOU SAY YOU WILL DO!
I'm almost 60 years old. And, as a real Republican I remember the first time any administration used the term: "Czar", and it was during the Ronald666WilsonReagan administration when he called William Bennet the "Drug Czar". I was totally offended in the use of that term for an American. And look at what the morons have done now.
The Drug War has pumped approximately 38 billion dollars into the drug culture and still we have plenty of drugs....close that program down. And please correct me if I'm wrong.
The whole "demonic christian" followers of the 666 need to be pushed out. It is prophecy that they will be "done" with. I understand these disgrace's to Christ, even have the highest teen age pregnancies and highest dropout rates too. It's all A.D.D.
John
When they appointed an "Energy Czar" to handle the oil crisis.
All white, not a flat belly in sight.
... but don't get caught up in the ass-deep in alligators dilemma.
You can't fix stupid. We're talking people who are worried about 'czars,' conveniently forgetting:
- Eight years of the 'unitary executive' theory under Bush.
- Remarks that Republicans needed to create a 'shadow government' to protect America.
- Remarks that Republicans needed to be more like the Taliban to protect America.
- Idiotic swooning about slitting wrists and blood oaths from Bachmann Two-Lips in Overdrive.
- Wackaloons like Chuckles the Ninja talking about armed uprisings.
Sheesh. That's a mine of stupid that keeps producing, even though the canary croaked years ago.
i would be curious to hear what former drug czar and wingnut bill 'its just gas' bennett has to say on the issue of czars...
oh wait, no i wouldn't
...so you know what that means...
Within the next 48 hours, Glenn Beck will be calling for Anita Dunn's resignation or termination, calling her something like "the propaganda and misinformation czar."
Yes it was
Thanks
"I know that there are people who do not love their fellow
man, and I hate people like that! " ~ Tom Lehrer (1928 - )
if only beer bellies were brains.
"Anyone that makes less than $150K in this country, has no business voting Republican."
I hope it's their good side.
"Anyone that makes less than $150K in this country, has no business voting Republican."
IF ONLY ALL THE COMMENTS WERE TYPED IN CAPS!! IT WOULD GET THE POINTS ACROSS SO MUCH BETTER!
For some reason, they don't hurt MY ears.
{ Well, they bother me. Just so you know. SiteMonitor}
If any of this makes you mad, that’s a step in the right direction. Anger is a higher level of consciousness than apathy, so it’s a lot better than being numb all the time. Any emotion — even confusion — is better than apathy.
The NutJobs have sacrificed the noblest parts of their humanity on the altar of fear……
They sold their humanity for nothing but an illusion.
Pathetic.
Thanks C/L and others who fight in the trenches to keep them honest, it's kinda like sunlight to a Vampire!
(now where is my wooden stake and holy water)...heehee
Gr8 link TY
LuLu
Wow. The Obama Administration took on the Right. Um ...no. This is Kabuki Theater and nothing more.
The Right doesn't care about Czars taking over America. The Right cares about controlling health care "reform"; about continuing two immensely profitable wars; about continuing massive corporate welfare and keeping billionaires taxes low...
These foot soldier wackaloons have always been here and always will be. They are few in number and politically powerless. There "leaders" are media personalities and an unemployed beauty queen runner-up with a Facebook page. They are nothing but distractions.
The Right can lose all the birther/deather/illegalalien/Czarist arguments in the world. As long as Obama capitulates on what really matters to them, the Right is quite happy to help provide the illusion that Obama is fighting the Right.
We often smugly chuckle at conservative Joe six-pack supporting policies that hurt him economically, but it isn't it just as silly to believe that Joe is the one opposing us?
Joe didn't invent the Wall Street swindle machine; Joe didn't start a war based on lies; Joe didn't triple gas prices; Joe didn't write Max Baucus's health plan.
Wackaloon Joe is nothing but a shiny object.
Corruption favors the wealthy.
To get the Limbautomized zomies something to hate while they pick their pockets and sell them down the river.
See the podcast today. A group pf rethugs have sponsered a bill to end the "czars" by the end of '09.
"Let's talk dirty to the animals"
... wouldn't such a bill rip a hole in the space/time continuum? :)
Thanks for the tip.
Corruption favors the wealthy.
holding the signs in the pic, but does the US Flag code (Section 8, Sub-graph g) state that the US flag should not be used as apparel.
You can't fix stupid, all we can do is just sigh and move on to the more adult things we need to do to help our country.
"When are we going to stop trying to tell elected officials what to do. Our job is to spend the taxpayers' money the best way we can." -- Tommy Watkins, Justice of the Peace, Crawford County, Arkansas
America is starting to circle the drain.
These nuts are getting louder and crazier every day.
It's coming, folks. It's just a matter of whose town it's gonna happen in. Sadly, I sincerely feel that there will either be a major riot or another Oklahmoa City.
It really is starting to feel like it's all whirling out of control.
These assholes are simply TOO stupid to see how dangerous all this rhetoric is.
"Anyone that makes less than $150K in this country, has no business voting Republican."
I'm from Oklahoma and I still have a few friends that still lived in Oklahoma City on that day.
That's something I don't wish to go through again and something I don't want my daughters to experience.
"When are we going to stop trying to tell elected officials what to do. Our job is to spend the taxpayers' money the best way we can." -- Tommy Watkins, Justice of the Peace, Crawford County, Arkansas
From the HuffPo: Gil Kerlikowske, Obama's DrugCzar
Okay, if there's not supposed to be any, why don't we abolish this 5th wheel position? It never did a bit of good anyway...
"Drug Czar" is what the media calls him.
Less syllables.
Corruption favors the wealthy.
“That’s troubling, troubling not just in the sense that Beck could get even one person to spend perfectly good money to go to our nation’s Capitol to protest our President for GWB (Not George W. Bush but Governing While Black). It’s even more troubling that a maniac such as Skousen, a man who’d been rightfully thrown out into the cold by even his fellow right wing extremists would pick up an acolyte who is already enjoying more critical and commercial success than he ever did, that Beck’s plagiarized racist views are merging closer and closer to the political mainstream now represented by Joe Wilson.” - The Ignoble Experiment.
JP
http://giveusthisdayourdailtydread.blogspot.com
I'd love to ask one of these simpering shit-maws about the intricacies of cap-and-trade, and why it so incenses them.
The dude in the flag shirt. Didn't Abbie Hoffman get arrested for wearing something very similar? I know it was a long time ago, but still - when a lefty wears it it's a crime, when a wingnut wears it it's patriotic?
ANYONE that wears a US flag shirt is an AUTOasshole.
It's actually kind of fun to see where the far-right will take their conspiracy-paranoia next. There's just no guessing where their usual vigilance will detect the next threat. The randomness is fun. There could be a state lottery based on picking the next "thing associated with Obama" to be villified.
The whole "czar" issue is just another instance of what I call the "conservative word game". Facts don't matter to these people. What matters is that someone said the word "czar". That has all kinds of connotations to it. Just like it doesn't matter to Jonah Goldberg (the ultimate word gamer) or any other conservative what Hitler actually did as much as the fact that the Nazi party has the word "socialist" in it. End of research. All socialists are now Nazis. Wasn't that easy?
a czar is an expansion of the executive branch, and in this country we have a rule of law called the constitution.
when a president, regardless of his political affiliation, creates an office that answers only to him, and does not clearly define their powers than those powers are essentially unlimited, and create an expansion of executive control.
of course republicans and democrats have had czars, and regardless they are unconstitutional and should not be allowed.
a president could by czar creation control every element of human life without the legislative or judicial branch, and people would continue to talk about republicans or whatever while their liberties are stolen from them.
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