Althouse: "Sunstein has nothing to do with the 'czars' or the problems with the ‘czars.'"

September 9, 2009

"Sunstein has nothing to do with the 'czars' or the problems with the ‘czars.'"

"The ironic thing is that anybody else who might be appointed to this job would be less qualified, and more liberal. I disagree with what Sunstein writes in 'Nudge.' But what he advocates is not as bad as the views likely to be held by other people who could run [the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs]."

25 comments:

Joe said...: Some of Sunstein's opinions are rather nutty, but given what his appointment actually is and the praise he has gotten from several non-liberals (including Eugene Volokh) I'm inclined to go with the assessment that the Obama administration could do a whole lot worse. (And unless someone can point to some nasty thing he really would do in that specific office, I see no grounds to stop his confirmation.); 9/9/09, 12:17 PM
Chennaul said...: Jake Tapper was catching all kinds of grief from Liberals for using the word-

"czars", there to be called something else now..

How 'bout -

Tsars?; 9/9/09, 12:24 PM
The Drill SGT said...: Sunstein is not a Czar. Sunstein will need confirmation and works in an agency that was set up by Congress and has a budget.

Obama Czars on the other hand, don't get vetted well, don't get confirmed, work as part of the EOP, and have influence over policy and access to Obama that Cabinet Secretaries would kill for.; 9/9/09, 12:32 PM
Crimso said...: "Tsars?"

I refer to them as Reichsmarschalls.; 9/9/09, 12:37 PM
Joe said...: How about "Clueless Asshats"; 9/9/09, 12:40 PM
BJM said...: So the choice is a lesser evil?

We are so screwed.

@Joe - that made me LOL, it did.; 9/9/09, 12:52 PM
Chennaul said...: How -'bout-

Clueless zeitgeists asshat Riechmarshalls?

C.Z.A.R.-for short?

wv:ansmstia [the one that forgot she got away...]; 9/9/09, 1:02 PM
garage mahal said...: Obama Czars on the other hand, don't get vetted well, don't get confirmed, work as part of the EOP, and have influence over policy and access to Obama that Cabinet Secretaries would kill for.

All czars are unvetted, Obama or otherwise. Really, don't you think Obama couldn't just talk to Van Jones, whether he was a czar or not? It was an unpaid position!; 9/9/09, 1:06 PM
The Drill SGT said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 9/9/09, 1:19 PM
The Drill SGT said...: garage mahal said...
It was an unpaid position!

Garage, You are smarter than that on 2 counts. You aren't clueless

First of all Young was a Federal government employee.

Secondly, even if he wasn't, then Young was getting paid BY SOMEBODY, to influence (lobby) for specific policies and firms.; 9/9/09, 1:21 PM
garage mahal said...: Drill Sgt
Are you talking about Van Jones?; 9/9/09, 1:22 PM
Kirby Olson said...: I liked the idea at the end of the article that you can't raise animals to the level of human, but you can lower humans to the level of animals, and claim that they are only as good as animals.

I think that that's precisely what Peter Singer has done with his argument that health-challenged children should be met with governmental euthanasia (abortion up to three years of age).

I'm not at all surprised that people with that philosophy should be found in close proximity to President Obama.; 9/9/09, 2:31 PM
The Drill SGT said...: garage mahal said...
Drill Sgt
Are you talking about Van Jones?

yes; 9/9/09, 3:24 PM
Automatic_Wing said...: Well, I don't care about Sunstein one way or the other, but if the Republican want to bitch about Obama appointing all these czars, they need to stop delaying the process on those nominees that are subject to Senate confirmation. Have the hearings, make your point and vote against him if you want, but enough of putting the nomination on hold.; 9/9/09, 3:31 PM
Hector Owen said...: I'm more worried about Sunstein's ideas about censoring the Internet. Kyle Smith at the NY Post apparently received an advance copy of his new book, On Rumors.

"Sunstein questions the current libel standard - which requires proving "actual malice" against those who write about public figures, including celebrities. Mere "negligence" isn't libelous, but Sunstein wonders, "Is it so important to provide breathing space for damaging falsehoods about entertainers?" Celeb rags, get ready to hire more lawyers.

"Sunstein also believes that - whether you're a blogger, The New York Times or a Web hosting service - you should be held responsible even for what your commenters say. Currently you're immune under section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. 'Reasonable people,' he says, 'might object that this is not the right rule,' though he admits that imposing liability for commenters on service providers would be 'a considerable burden.'

"But who cares about a burden when insults are being bandied about? 'A "chilling effect" on those who would spread destructive falsehoods can be an excellent idea,' he says.

"'As we have seen,' Sunstein writes, having shown us no such thing, 'falsehoods can undermine democracy itself.' What Sunstein means by that sentence is pretty clear: He doesn't like so-called false rumors about his longtime University of Chicago friend and colleague, Barack Obama.

"He alludes on page 3 (and on page 13, and 14, and 45, and 54 - the book is only 87 pages) to the supposedly insidious lie that 'Barack Obama pals around with terrorists.' Since Sunstein intends to impose his Big Chill on such talk, I'd better get this in while I can. The 'rumor,' i.e., 'fact,' about the palsy-walsiness of Obama and unrepentant terrorist Bill Ayers (Ayers referred to Obama as a 'family friend' in a memoir) did not 'undermine democracy,' i.e., prevent Obama's election. The facts got out, voters weighed them and ruled that they weren't disqualifying.

"Sunstein calls for a 'notice and take down' law that would require bloggers and service providers to 'take down falsehoods upon notice,' even those made by commenters - but without apparent penalty…

"But if his chilling wind doesn't work, Sunstein may try to make good on the implicit threat that runs through his book: that he would redefine libel as the spread of false information and hold everyone up the ladder responsible.

"If this happened, the blogosphere would turn into Pluto overnight. Comments sections would slam shut. Every writer would work on a leash shorter than a shoelace.

"Sunstein is an enemy to every news organization and blogger. We should return the favor and declare war on him."

Sorry about the length of the quotes, but this is important. This is why Sunstein is dangerous.; 9/9/09, 3:45 PM
AlphaLiberal said...: I especially relish when former Republican "czars" get all huffy over the people the Republicans wrongly call czars under a Dem President.

They specialize in hypocrisy! They're the best!; 9/9/09, 4:23 PM
AlphaLiberal said...: I meant to mention Bill Bennett. And Lamar Alexander.; 9/9/09, 4:24 PM
The Drill SGT said...: AlphaLiberal said...
I especially relish when former Republican "czars" get all huffy over the people the Republicans wrongly call czars under a Dem President.

I meant to mention Bill Bennett. And Lamar Alexander.

Bill Bennett was the Director of National Drug Control Policy (aka Drug Czar)

this job was created by an act of Congress, requires confirmation and has a budget that Congres can cut. It was a Cabinet position until Obama downgraded it.

Lamar? I don't know he has ever had a Czar job. He was confirmed by the Senate as Sec Ed, and of course is a Senator now.

I was thinking of somebody like:

Carol Browner, Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change. A non-confirmed position where she she will act as a coordinator for environmental, energy, climate, transport and related matters for the federal government. Her education preparing her to be the go to person for energy and climate?

BA English and a JD.

she oversees 3 cabinet departmental areas, but is not confirmed.; 9/9/09, 5:03 PM
The Drill SGT said...: Oh, I forgot to say that you know Obama hates lobbyists and wont have them in his adminstration.

Browner's husband owns a lobbyist firm, has energy clients impacted by his wife's decisions and Carol worked for the firm lobbying...

transparent and ethical; 9/9/09, 5:09 PM
Joe said...: Bill Bennett = Clueless Asshat (and all around self-righteous prick.); 9/9/09, 6:23 PM
Kirby Olson said...: It would be nice to have a sketch of all the czars, and what they control, and how much they are getting paid, and where their vulnerability lies.

I guess Glenn Beck will get around to that eventually.

He did a good job on Van Jones, but I'm sure there are hundreds more where he came from, and there's only one Glenn Beck.; 9/9/09, 7:16 PM
Kirby Olson said...: Beck will be like Hercules going after the Hydra.

For every Czar he fells two will spring up in his place.; 9/9/09, 7:18 PM
JAL said...: I understand you can find the list of czars on the White House site. (Or you could -- maybe they're disappearing it ;-) )

Or here's a quickie: Obama's House of Czars

lamater
mother in Lespache; 9/9/09, 11:14 PM
JAL said...: The other problem with Sunstein:

Jarrett also had a hand in recruiting Obama friend Cass Sunstein, a former colleague of the president's at the University of Chicago Law School, and now administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs within the Office of Management and Budget. Known inside the White House as the "Regulation Czar," Sunstein is tasked with developing regulations around the policies for environmental, healthcare, and safety issues.

According to administration sources, Sunstein's office is looking for ways to impose through the regulatory process those Obama White House health care, environmental, and labor policies that do not survive the legislative process.

"The goal from this White House is to have as much nonspecific language passed by Congress in policy areas like health care and the environment and then use Sunstein's office to put in place the regulatory language called for by Congress that gets us to where we want to be. It may very well be the most important job in this administration, given the lack of success we may have on Capitol Hill," says a White House source.

From America Spectator article on Valerie Jarrett.

He could be the nicest , smartest guy in the world, but this strategy SUCKS.; 9/9/09, 11:23 PM
JAL said...: Joe.

As they say -- You are for sure entitled to your opinions.

Bill Bennett has a morning radio show (6 am - 9 am, really) -- Morning in America -- which is smart, informative and civil.

If not on a local station it is available on Sirius, online through membership and maybe through TownHall free (at 6 am?)

The motto -- "candor, intelligence and good will."

Which is what it is.; 9/10/09, 9:01 AM