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September 04, 2009
Friday
 
 
Samizdata quote of the day
Samizdata Illuminatus (Arkham, Massachusetts)  Slogans/quotations

America has "Czars" because there are still a few respectable people using the titles of "Capo" and "Don"

- Commenter CJF

Comments

We accept the use of such titles (promulgated by our much-beloved media) to recognize the formaliztion of hierarchies of our expanding bureaucracies.


Posted by RRS at September 4, 2009 11:32 AM

I don't have a problem with these folk using the term Czar, invoking imperial Rome, so long as we are afforded the same courtesy when we show our displeasure with them - dragging their corpses with hooks to the Potomac.


Posted by Brad at September 4, 2009 08:01 PM

Barack Obama is angry with Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity and others who call his unaccountable (and unconstitutional) high "advisers" (with their unknown budgets and powers) "Czars" ("just because I have more of these officers than any other President.....")

And I agree with Barack Obama - they are not Czars. Given their position (outside the legal structure but powerful - with no clear limits) and their political opinions (not just of Van Jones but of most of the 33 of them) and Obama's own political opinions........

The title "Commissar" is more fitting.


Posted by Paul Marks at September 4, 2009 08:06 PM

The czars are just a scam to avoid public scrutiny and Senate confirmation. That way Obama can have any ex-convict, crook and liar he wants and Congress can't do anything about it.

For the most part it is an unconstitutional usurpation of power.

Note how our ACLU responds ... chirp chirp

People power ...


Posted by tarpon at September 5, 2009 12:04 AM

Brad, Czar is of Slavic etymology: czar is the Slavic word for king. Hence, Paul Marks gets a beer - kommissar (Slavic for commissioner) is the better term. It is from a more relevant historic period, and there never were multiple czars, but there were quite a few all-but-omnipotent kommissars.


Posted by Plamus at September 5, 2009 01:50 AM

Plamus, 'czar' is the Slavic version of the Greek and then Gothic versions of the Latin word 'Caesar', but Paul gets a beer nonetheless:-)


Posted by Alisa at September 5, 2009 09:24 AM

I agree that Paul gets a beer. However, in keeping with the Russian theme might I suggest that we agree to adopt the spelling "Kommissar" (using a "k" rather than a "c")?


Posted by Laird at September 5, 2009 04:40 PM

A beer for Laird, too. Oh, what the heck, a beer for everyone:-)


Posted by Alisa at September 5, 2009 05:04 PM

A czar in every garage.


Posted by Alan K. Henderson at September 5, 2009 06:11 PM

I am happy to give Paul a beer any time he asks for one. I would rather give him a column in a national newspaper, but alas, that is not in my power.


Posted by Michael Jennings at September 5, 2009 11:45 PM

Indeed.


Posted by Alisa at September 8, 2009 08:23 AM
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