Obama Dethrones Czars, Debate Simmers (Constitutionality of Czars Questioned)

Two years after he dramatically expanded the scope of so-called policy czars, President Obama this year quietly scrapped some of the most controversial posts, tamping down what had been a simmering constitutional fight with Congress.

Thanks to what the White House says is a reorganization, czars no longer oversee health care or climate change policy, though less-visible officials such as “cybersecurity czar” and “Gulf Coast claims czar,” among others, are still on the job.

But even as Capitol Hill’s objections have been overshadowed by other fights between the executive and legislative branches over the nation’s borrowing limit and the NATO-led operation in Libya, that doesn’t mean congressional scrutiny of executive branch czars has vanished.

Last month, the Senate fell 13 votes short on an amendment to eliminate the salaries of White House policy czars and thwart any attempts by Mr. Obama to appoint more without the chamber’s consent.

Sen. David Vitter, Louisiana Republican and the amendment’s sponsor, said the measure was essential to ensure constitutional accountability. Opponents dismissed it as a partisan attempt to undermine the president’s authority to organize his own staff.

Analysts say it’s not surprising that concerns about White House czars persist, even after Mr. Obama’s April reshuffling of top staff positions through executive order.

“I think it’s legitimate to be concerned about it, because you don’t always know what these people are doing — you don’t know if they’re coordinating or directing,” said James P. Pfiffner, a George Mason University public policy professor who has testified before Congress on the issue.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com …

via Obama Dethrones Czars, Debate Simmers (Constitutionality of Czars Questioned).

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