After spending years proclaiming that President Obama is a “dictator” because he appointed czars, Republicans changed their tune and demanded an Ebola czar who the president appointed today.
From the early part of Obama’s first term, Republicans claimed that the president was ruling like a dictator by appointing czars. The fact that Obama had only appointed five more czars than George W. Bush was completely lost in the hysteria of imaginary tyranny on the march.
In 2009, Rep. Jerry Moran (R-KS) introduced a resolution calling on Obama to stop appointing czars. At the time Moran said, “The Obama Administration’s excessive ‘czar’ appointments exemplify the ever-expanding federal bureaucracy and big government that Kansans and Americans have grown tired of,” Moran said. “The increasing use of unconfirmed government officials is irresponsible – it is time Congress stops the executive branch from abusing this flawed appointment process. I have introduced this resolution to condemn the increased use of unconfirmed government officials and heads of agencies.”
On October 6, 2014, Rep. Moran co-authored a letter sent to the president that asked for an Ebola czar. “The Ebola outbreak in West Africa is a health crisis of massive proportions. You have announced a government-wide response to address this crisis and help Africans before it becomes a threat to the United States. This requires a global response and the U.S. needs to provide the necessary leadership to control and eliminate this outbreak. We believe it is imperative that you designate a single, senior advisor who will be responsible for coordinating all U.S. agencies and policies involving the international and domestic response to Ebola.”
In 2009, John McCain tweeted:
Obama has more czars than the Romanovs – who ruled Russia for 3 centuries. Romanovs 18, cyberczar makes 20.
— John McCain (@SenJohnMcCain) May 30, 2009
Fast forward to last week’s CNN State Of The Union where McCain said, “Well, first of all, from spending time here in Arizona, my constituents are not comforted. There has to be more reassurance given to them. I would say that we don’t know exactly who’s in charge. There has to be some kind of czar.”
Today, CNN reported that President Obama will appoint Ron Klain to be his “Ebola czar.”
Czars used to be a sign of Obama’s growing tyranny until Republicans decided that Ebola was coming to us all. The whole making government smaller by slashing the budget for things like infectious disease preparedness doesn’t look so good now, so the same Republican members of Congress who declared Obama to be a dictator are now begging for a “big government” czar to save them.
Republicans have whipped up the Ebola crisis as part of their fear based reelection strategy while the media has eaten up the absurdities like catnip and pushed the Ebola hysteria to new heights. Turn on any local newscast around the country, and you will see endless baseless speculation about how Ebola is coming soon to YOUR backyard to kill you and everyone you love.
The Ebola czar will be helpful in coordinating the federal response, but “small government” Republicans can’t explain away their sudden support for czars.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
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