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Bob Sweigert's column on Wednesday titled “Grasshopper Soup: Welcome to Obama's Czariarium” was factually incorrect as well as filled with the hysteria that the “we're losing our freedom” crowd is known for.
I agree with Mr. Sweigert on one point: The appointment of czars has gone hand in hand with the expansion of presidential power. That's where any agreement ends.
The appointment of U.S. government czars unofficially started with newspapers calling the abundance of government overseers in the F.D.R administration “czars”. Officially the era of the czar began with Nixon with the appointment of drug czar Jerome Jaffe in 1971.
Nixon also appointed John A. Love as energy czar who was succeeded by William E. Simon in 1973.
Most of us can remember one of the most famous czars, William Bennett, who was appointed drug czar in 1988. So to state that “he just doesn't recognize America anymore” is just typical right wing hysteria.
Where was he the last eight years when habeas corpus was suspended. Or when wiretapping without a warrant was made retroactively legal in spite of a law already in place to handle those requests.
If he wants to talk about freedom being lost, he should spend his time writing about those issues. As far as the health care solution of mandated insurance, it has been talked about, but is just one of the many solutions out there. It is not law and as usual fear is being used to rile up the natives.
God forbid we all pitch in to make this country a better place. Every modern western nation has national health care. It's OK though. Mr Sweigert's generation has already lost. The next one coming up rejects most of his articles premise, and hopefully they do remake America into something he doesn't recognize.
I agree with Mr. Sweigert on one point: The appointment of czars has gone hand in hand with the expansion of presidential power. That's where any agreement ends.
The appointment of U.S. government czars unofficially started with newspapers calling the abundance of government overseers in the F.D.R administration “czars”. Officially the era of the czar began with Nixon with the appointment of drug czar Jerome Jaffe in 1971.
Nixon also appointed John A. Love as energy czar who was succeeded by William E. Simon in 1973.
Most of us can remember one of the most famous czars, William Bennett, who was appointed drug czar in 1988. So to state that “he just doesn't recognize America anymore” is just typical right wing hysteria.
Where was he the last eight years when habeas corpus was suspended. Or when wiretapping without a warrant was made retroactively legal in spite of a law already in place to handle those requests.
If he wants to talk about freedom being lost, he should spend his time writing about those issues. As far as the health care solution of mandated insurance, it has been talked about, but is just one of the many solutions out there. It is not law and as usual fear is being used to rile up the natives.
God forbid we all pitch in to make this country a better place. Every modern western nation has national health care. It's OK though. Mr Sweigert's generation has already lost. The next one coming up rejects most of his articles premise, and hopefully they do remake America into something he doesn't recognize.
