Showing posts with label Czars. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Czars. Show all posts

Monday, November 27, 2017

In essence the CFPB director position was created to work above the reach of any oversight; almost like a tenured position no-one could ever remove.











...When Senator Elizabeth Warren and crew set up the Director of the CFPB, in the aftermath of the Dodd-Frank Act, they made it so that the appointed director can only be fired for cause by the President.

This design was so the Director could operate outside the control of congress and outside the control of the White House. In essence the CFPB director position was created to work above the reach of any oversight; almost like a tenured position no-one could ever remove.

The position was intentionally put together so that he/she would be untouchable, and the ideologue occupying the position would work on the goals of the CFPB without any oversight.

Elizabeth Warren herself wanted to be the appointed director; however, the reality of her never passing senate confirmation made her drop out.

The CFPB Director has the power to regulate pensions, retirement investment, mortgages, bank loans, credit cards and essentially every aspect of all consumer financial transactions.

However, in response to legal challenges by Credit Unions and Mortgage providers, last October the DC Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that placing so much power in a single Czar or Commissioner was unconstitutional...

Monday, November 20, 2017

In essence the CFPB director position was created to work above the reach of any oversight; almost like a tenured position no-one could ever remove.



...When Senator Elizabeth Warren and crew set up the Director of the CFPB, in the aftermath of the Dodd-Frank Act, they made it so that the appointed director can only be fired for cause by the President.

This design was so the Director could operate outside the control of congress and outside the control of the White House. In essence the CFPB director position was created to work above the reach of any oversight; almost like a tenured position no-one could ever remove.

The position was intentionally put together so that he/she would be untouchable, and the ideologue occupying the position would work on the goals of the CFPB without any oversight.

Elizabeth Warren herself wanted to be the appointed director; however, the reality of her never passing senate confirmation made her drop out.

The CFPB Director has the power to regulate pensions, retirement investment, mortgages, bank loans, credit cards and essentially every aspect of all consumer financial transactions.

However, in response to legal challenges by Credit Unions and Mortgage providers, last October the DC Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that placing so much power in a single Czar or Commissioner was unconstitutional...

Thursday, November 6, 2014

Number of People Under 'Active Monitoring' for Ebola in NYC Triples...Media agrees not to report any more suspected cases...

The number of people under "active monitoring" for Ebola symptoms has increased from 117 on Monday to 357 people Wednesday, health officials said. - NBC NY
The vast majority of those being monitored arrived in New York City within the past 21 days from the three Ebola-affected countries, the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation said in a statement.

Others being monitored are the staff caring for Dr. Craig Spencer, the physician being treated for Ebola at Bellevue Hospital, the lab workers who conducted his blood tests and the FDNY EMTs who transported the doctor.
All of those being monitored showed no symptoms but are being checked on out of "an abundance of caution," the statement said.
Report: Obama Administration Pressured News Outlets to Not Report Suspected Ebola Cases - Jim Hoft/Gateway Pundit
At the urging of the Obama Administration, the Associated Press and other news outlets have agreed not to report on suspected cases of Ebola in the United States until a positive viral RNA test is completed.

The administration and liberal activists were upset with coverage in the run-up to the midterm elections.
Obama Regime Puts Lipstick on a Pig: Election Day Scrubbed of Ebola - Downtrend
There is a reason why Obama didn’t pick an Ebola Czar with any actual medical experience when he tabbed longtime Democrat party hack Ron Klain who is a lobbyist. The real danger was never that the foolish policies of Barry and the boys were exposing Americans to Ebola but rather the political implications of it all. So the sudden departure of Ebola stories from the state-corporate media doesn’t pass the smell test. Interestingly the website of ◼ Forbes has a story that reports:
The Associated Press and other press outlets have agreed not to report on suspected cases of Ebola in the United States until a positive viral RNA test is completed.

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

CFRW Ballot Recommendations

CFRW Ballot Recommendations

Below are the official California Federation of Republican Women (CFRW) Ballot Recommendations. Once again, it should be noted that our recommendations are just that- recommendations. It is the hope of the CFRW Voting Body that our Republican Women heed our recommendations but ultimately research these propositions on their own as well so that they can better educate other California voters. Every election is just as important as the last!

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

CFRW Ballot Recommendations

CFRW Ballot Recommendations

Below are the official CFRW Ballot Recommendations. Once again, it should be noted that our recommendations are just that- recommendations. It is the hope of the CFRW Voting Body that our Republican Women heed our recommendations but ultimately research these propositions on their own as well so that they can better educate other California voters. Every election is just as important as the last!

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

WFB reported that Ebola czar was listed on Friday as a trustee to think tank with ties to Democracy Alliance - two days later his name is removed…

Ebola Czar Vanishes from Democracy Alliance Website - Washington Free Beacon

Third Way, a progressive think tank with ties to the Democracy Alliance, has removed newly appointed Ebola czar Ron Klain from its website, following a Washington Free Beacon report.

The Free Beacon reported Friday on Klain’s status as a trustee for Third Way, and his past experience lobbying on behalf of a drug company that was accused of denying life-saving drugs to dying cancer patients.

Friday, October 17, 2014

White House Ebola Czar Was ‘Key Player’ In Solyndra Scandal, Has No Medical, Health Background



Ron Klain, the newly appointed White House Ebola response coordinator, was one of the senior White House officials who advised that President Obama should visit solar power company Solyndra in 2011, despite an auditor raising red flags about the company’s finances. - Daily Caller
According to The Washington Post, Klain was one of the “key players” in the scandal while he worked for Vice President Joe Biden: “Ron Klain, then Biden’s chief of staff, dismissed auditor’s concerns about Solyndra’s solvency, reasoning that all innovative companies come with risk.”

Another Solyndra email, reported by Fox News, indicated that Biden’s office were all fans of Solyndra, and that the staff “about had an orgasm” at the prospect of an Energy Department loan.


Obama Ebola Czar is Dem political operative Ron Klain - Le-gal In-sur-rec-tion

Obama Appoints Anti-Ebola Czar, Then Hits Campaign Trail - Daily Caller
President Barack Obama has delegated the critical anti-Ebola mission to a top Democratic operative, Ron Klain, freeing himself to return to the campaign trail.

Shortly after, Obama left the White House to give a campaign-style speech...

Klain formerly worked as chief of staff to Vice President Al Gore, and has handled several difficult jobs for Obama, Gore and President Bill Clinton, Attorney General Janet Reno and Democratic staffers. He also worked for Vice President Joe Biden and was considered as a replacement for Rahm Emanuel, Obama’s first chief of staff. He left the White House in January 2011 to work for Steve Case, an Internet billionaire.




New Obama 'Czar' Has No Medical, Health Background... - CBS DC



◼ W.H. Struggles To Explain What Ebola Czar Knows About Ebola

Saturday, October 4, 2014

NO on Prop 45: When liberal politicians and trial lawyers conspire to change laws to benefit themselves, you can bet that taxpayers will get the short end of the stick.

PROP 45: CA DOUBLES DOWN ON OBAMACARE WITH NEW 'HEALTH CARE CZAR' - Jon Fleischman/Breitbart

If you like Obamacare, you’re going to love Proposition 45, the ballot initiative that would give one politician-- liberal Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones--complete authority over health care costs and benefits for individuals and small businesses in California.

Worse, the trial lawyers who fund Jones’s campaigns wrote Prop 45 to help them make more money from frivolous lawsuits. When liberal politicians and trial lawyers conspire to change laws to benefit themselves, you can bet that taxpayers will get the short end of the stick.

It’s frightening to think that one liberal politician could literally make health care decisions for you and me. In addition to single-handedly setting rates, Jones would have power over anything affecting rates, including co-pays, deductibles and even which benefits insurance companies cover. Jones, a trial attorney himself who used to work for Janet Reno, has absolutely zero medical background, as far as I can tell. And he’d be making these decisions about my health care without any input from the medical community.

I’m sorry, but Dave Jones making decisions about my health care is beyond even my worst nightmares of the socialist nanny state that California is becoming. Treatment options should be between me and my doctors and nurses--not a Democrat politician and his trial attorney pals trying to make a buck....

That a politician has written an initiative to become a “czar” underscores how far Democrats are overreaching to expand their power in California. The last thing we need to do in California is give Democrats even more responsibility by creating new “czars” to limit the freedom and liberty of taxpayers....

The initiative is written by the same people who wrote 1988’s Proposition 103, which gave the insurance commissioner sole power over car insurance rates. Backed by Ralph Nader, the measure created “intervenor fees” for trial lawyers and consumer advocates to challenge insurance rates. These intervenors have made $11 million off these lawsuits--costs that, of course, are passed on to California drivers.
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Candidates use politics to become 'czars' - Steven Greenhut/San Diego Union-Tribune
Two prominent California politicians are using their current political powers to advance political changes — in one case a bill, in another an initiative — that would give them vast new powers if they win statewide office in November. Critics find it tacky at best.
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Congressman Tom McClintock says: Prop 45 – If You Thought Obamacare Was Bad: NO. This is a trial lawyers measure that give the state insurance commissioner the power to set health care rates. Sound good? Doctors and other health care providers are already opting out of Obamacare because of artificially low rates; this compounds the problem for California. The good news it you’ll have cheap health insurance. The bad news is you won’t have a lot of providers accepting it.
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CFRW Recommends a NO Vote.

Summary: Requires health insurance rate changes to be approved by Insurance Commissioner before taking effect. Requires sworn statement by health insurer as to accuracy of information submitted to Insurance Commissioner to justify rate changes. Provides for public notice, disclosure and hearing on health insurance rate changes, and subsequent judicial review. Does not apply to employer large group health plans. Prohibits health, auto and homeowners insurers from determining policy eligibility or rates based on lack of prior coverage or credit history.

Fiscal Impact: Increased state administrative costs ranging in the low millions to low tens of millions of dollars annually to regulate health insurance rates, funded with revenues collected from filing fees paid by health insurance companies.

Talking Points:

- A very dangerous measure that would place all insurance rate power in the hands of one politician, who would also have the decision making ability for your treatment options.

- Would create yet another costly state bureaucracy that would be funded by your higher healthcare costs.

- Sponsored by special interest lawyers who included a hidden provision allowing them to charge up to $675/hour and make tens of millions in fees off costly health care lawsuits.

CFRW Ballot Recommendations

CFRW Ballot Recommendations

Below are the official CFRW Ballot Recommendations. Once again, it should be noted that our recommendations are just that- recommendations. It is the hope of the CFRW Voting Body that our Republican Women heed our recommendations but ultimately research these propositions on their own as well so that they can better educate other California voters. Every election is just as important as the last!

Prop 1 Water Bond. 
Funding for Water Quality, Supply, Treatment, and Storage Projects: 
Yes
Summary: Authorizes $7.12 billion in general obligation bonds for state water supply infrastructure projects, such as surface and groundwater storage; ecosystem and watershed protection and restoration; drinking water protection; water supply management; water recycling and advanced water treatment technology; and flood control. Reallocates $425 million of unused bond authority from prior water bond acts, for same purposes. Appropriates money from the General Fund to pay off bonds. Requires certain projects to provide matching funds from non-state sources in order to receive bond funds

Fiscal Impact: Increased state bond repayment costs averaging $360 million annually over the next 40 years. Savings to local governments related to water projects, likely averaging a couple hundred million dollars annually over the next few decades.

Talking Points:

- Republicans in the legislature fought hard to bring down the cost of this bond while increasing the amount of money allocated for surface storage projects to $2.7 billion.

- The bond is not perfect, and in fact still has a good amount of money allocated for some environmental “pet projects.” But Republicans must continue to fight for surface storage projects to be completed with this new bond. Living in a Democrat super majority state, we aren't going to have the "perfect water bond" come out of Sacramento. But this bond is a step in the right direction. If this bond does not pass and legislators must go back to the drawing board, we fear a worse bond will be brought back to the people of California, without the critical water storage the Republicans fought so hard to have included in this bond.

- Language for dam removal projects were removed from this bond and instead money will be allocated to fund two dam and reservoir projects, one in Colusa County and one in Fresno County. The Fresno County site, Temperance Flats, is especially important because our Central Valley Farmers have been relying so heavily on wells and groundwater that now that infrastructure is unstable. Our farmers need more surface storage to keep California growing.

- Again, it is important to note that this bond is not perfect and Republicans cannot rest on their laurels once it is passed. But we believe this is why it is so important to work hard to get Republicans elected to the legislature this cycle. The more Republicans we have protecting our interests in the Capitol, the better!
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Prop 2 State Budget. Budget Stabilization Account. 
Legislative Constitutional Amendment: 
Yes
Summary: Requires annual transfer of 1.5% of general fund revenues to state budget stabilization account. Requires additional transfer of personal capital gains tax revenues exceeding 8% of general fund revenues to budget stabilization account and, under certain conditions, a dedicated K–14 school reserve fund. Requires that half the budget stabilization account revenues be used to repay state debts and unfunded liabilities. Allows limited use of funds in case of emergency or if there is a state budget deficit. Caps budget stabilization account at 10% of general fund revenues, directs remainder to infrastructure

Fiscal Impact: Some existing state debts would be paid down faster, resulting in long-term savings for the state. Changes in the level of state budget reserves, which would depend on the economy and future decisions by the Governor and the Legislature. Reserves kept by some school districts would be smaller

Talking Points:

- Another measure that Republicans worked hard to get to the ballot. Republicans have been working towards a rainy day fund for years. Every single Republican legislator in both the Senate and the Assembly voted in support of this proposition.

- Sets aside state revenues in a fund that cannot be used to further state spending in times of excess.

- Finally works to pay down state debt payments.

- Another caveat though, this bill must have Republican oversight once passed to make sure the fund is safe from greedy Democrat spending even after it is passed.
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Prop 45 Approval of Healthcare 
Insurance Rate Changes. Initiative Statute: 
No
Summary: Requires health insurance rate changes to be approved by Insurance Commissioner before taking effect. Requires sworn statement by health insurer as to accuracy of information submitted to Insurance Commissioner to justify rate changes. Provides for public notice, disclosure and hearing on health insurance rate changes, and subsequent judicial review. Does not apply to employer large group health plans. Prohibits health, auto and homeowners insurers from determining policy eligibility or rates based on lack of prior coverage or credit history.

Fiscal Impact: Increased state administrative costs ranging in the low millions to low tens of millions of dollars annually to regulate health insurance rates, funded with revenues collected from filing fees paid by health insurance companies.

Talking Points:

- A very dangerous measure that would place all insurance rate power in the hands of one politician, who would also have the decision making ability for your treatment options.

- Would create yet another costly state bureaucracy that would be funded by your higher healthcare costs.

- Sponsored by special interest lawyers who included a hidden provision allowing them to charge up to $675/hour and make tens of millions in fees off costly health care lawsuits.
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Prop 46 Drug and Alcohol Testing of Doctors. 
Medical Negligence Lawsuits. Initiative Statute: 
No
Summary: Requires drug and alcohol testing of doctors and reporting of positive test to the California Medical Board. Requires Board to suspend doctor pending investigation of positive test and take disciplinary action if doctor was impaired while on duty. Requires doctors to report any other doctor suspected of drug or alcohol impairment or medical negligence. Requires health care practitioners to consult state prescription drug history database before prescribing certain controlled substances. Increases $250,000 cap on pain and suffering damages in medical negligence lawsuits to account for inflation.

Fiscal Impact: Increased state and local government health care costs from raising the cap on medical malpractice damages, likely ranging from the tens of millions of dollars to several hundred million dollars annually.

Talking Points:

- It is no secret this measure was drafted by trial lawyers who stand to make millions with an increase on the “emotional pain and suffering” cap for medical negligence lawsuits

- This measure forces doctors and pharmacists to use a massive statewide database filled with Californians’ personal medical prescription information. A mandate government will find impossible to implement, and a database with no increased security standards to protect your personal prescription information from hacking and theft – none.

- If California’s medical liability cap goes up, you could also lose your trusted doctor. It’s true. Many doctors will be forced to leave California to practice in states where medical liability insurance is more affordable.

- A recent study found that this initiative will increase health care costs by $9.9 billion annually – or more than $1,000/year in higher health costs for a family of four

- It is deceptive. The drug testing of doctors portion of this measure was only added as an illusion to the real goal of this prop- to raise the cap on emotional pain and suffering
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Prop 47 Criminal Sentences. Misdemeanor Penalties. 
Initiative Statute: 
No
Summary: Requires misdemeanor sentence instead of felony for petty theft, receiving stolen property, and forging/writing bad checks when value or amount involved is $950 or less. Requires misdemeanor sentence instead of felony for certain drug possession offenses. Allows felony sentence for these offenses if person has previous conviction for crimes such as rape, murder or child molestation or is a registered sex offender. Requires resentencing for persons serving felony sentences for these offenses unless court finds unreasonable public safety risk. Applies savings to mental health and drug treatment programs, K-12 schools, and crime victims.

Fiscal Impact: Unknown. Potential savings to criminal justice system. But also potential costs associated to recidivism rates.

Talking Points:

- Felons with prior convictions for armed robbery, kidnapping, car jacking, child abuse, residential burglary, arson, assault with a deadly weapon, and many other serious crimes are still eligible for early release under this prop.

- Judges must rule on a criminal’s early release based only on the most recent felony. Prior felony convictions will not affect a judge’s ruling except in extraordinary circumstances. This means that serious, violent felons will be released and there is little a judge can do about it.

- Under current law, stealing a gun is a felony, period. Prop 47 would redefine grand theft in such a way that theft of a firearm could only be considered a felony if the value of the gun is greater than $950. Almost all handguns (which are the most stolen kind of firearm) retail for well below $950. People don’t steal guns just so they can add to their gun collection. They steal guns to commit another crime. People stealing guns are protected under Proposition 47.

- Proposition 47 will reduce the penalty for possession of drugs used to facilitate date-rape to a simple misdemeanor. No matter how many times the suspected sexual predator has been charged with possession of date-rape drugs, it will only be a misdemeanor, and the judge will be forced to sentence them as if it were their very first time in court.
Prop 48 Referendum to Overturn Indian Gaming Compacts: Neutral or No Position
Summary: If the measure is approved by the state's voters, it will ratify AB 277 (Ch. 51, Stats. 2013), ratify two gaming compacts between California and, respectively, the North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians, and the Wiyot Tribe, and exempt execution of the compacts, certain projects, and intergovernmental agreements from the California Environmental Quality Act. This measure is a veto referendum; this means that a "yes" vote is a vote to uphold or ratify the contested legislation (AB 277) that was enacted by the California State Legislature while a "no" vote is a vote to overturn AB 277.

Fiscal Impact: One-time payments between $16 million and $35 million from the North Fork tribe to local governments in the Madera County area to address costs related to the operation of a new casino.Annual payments over a 20-year period averaging around $10 million from the North Fork tribe to the state and local governments in the Madera County area to address costs related to the operation of a new casino. Increased revenue from economic growth in the Madera County area generally offset by revenue losses from decreased economic activity in surrounding areas

Talking Points:

- There are pros and cons to this proposition. That’s why the CFRW has taken a neutral position. It is our hope that the Republican Women research this prop and decide how this will effect them and the future of California.

- It will create thousands of jobs in a depressed economic area. Madera County is in desperate need of jobs.

- But it creates a precedence whereby Indians can game outside of their tribal land. This is currently unprecedented. The current Indian Gaming Pact with our state allows tribes to only game on their tribal land. This referendum would allow tribes to petition to the government to game (build casinos) outside of their tribal land.
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Tuesday, November 13, 2012

OBAMA WIN IS CONSTITUTION'S LOSS

Nat Hentoff shames Americans who have 'discard the Declaration of Independence' - Nat Hentoff/WND

The fateful questions for the future of this nation are why did he win, and will his re-election show the victorious way for future presidents to come?

Many Americans’ choice to discard the Declaration of Independence reveals an alarming ignorance of their history, including why their country is – or is supposed to be – unique among all other nations in the world.

The depth of this ignorance explains why throughout the long, fiercely divisive presidential and congressional campaigns, there were hardly any references to Obama’s persistent contempt for the Constitution. This was the case among loyal Obama Democrats, of course, but also among Republicans and independents.

What makes us Americans was not an issue!

How grotesque it was for Obama to say in September – as he presented his beliefs for maintaining the principles of America’s rule of law while strengthening national security – that in going after American citizens involved with al-Qaida: “They are subject to the protections of the Constitution and due process” (“Death from afar,” The Economist, Nov. 3).

Had I been there looking at him, how could I not have burst out laughing?
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Nat Hentoff is a nationally renowned authority on the First Amendment and the Bill of Rights and author of many books, including "The War on the Bill of Rights

Saturday, April 7, 2012

All that’s unprecedented here is the spectacle of the president of the United States, while the judges are deliberating, idly swinging his tire iron and saying, “Nice little Supreme Court you got here. Shame if anything were to happen to it.”

Our Contemptuous President - Mark Steyn/National Review

...Obama-sized government ends nowhere good, and in his Chicago-style contempt for checks and balances he’s telling us that, if you enjoyed the first term, you ain’t seen nuthin’ yet.

Nobody Here But Us Morons - New York Post Editorial

Mystery solved. The other day, we speculated that President Obama’s astonishing broadside against the US Supreme Court meant one of three things: Either he’s ignorant, or he was trying to bully the justices deciding the fate of ObamaCare in his favor — or he thinks Americans are morons. Well, the answer is now clear: He thinks we’re all morons. “The president was not clearly understood by some people because he is a law professor [and] he spoke in shorthand,” White House press secretary Jay Carney said Thursday. Well, pardon us. But...

Friday, January 6, 2012

As Senate Republicans have been pointing out for months, Dodd-Frank threw out judicial review, removed CFPB from the congressional appropriations process, provided five-year tenure protection for the director and transferred the agency from the Treasury Department to the opaque and unaccountable Federal Reserve.

Obama’s super-czar is on the loose - Michelle Malkin

...White House Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters Thursday that the administration expects no retaliation for the end-run around the deliberative process. Playing the pharaoh’s helper, Carney airily dismissed widespread bipartisan questions about the legality of the power grab as “esoteric discussion.”

...This is not “bold.” It’s jackboot. It won’t benefit “middle-class Americans.” It’ll line lobbyist pockets, soak taxpayer dollars and fuel a Beltway rule-making bonanza. It’s not about reining in Wall Street abuses. It’s about consolidating bureaucratic authority and granting unprecedented immunity to a single super-cop from congressional and public oversight.

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

The Year in Obama Scandals — and Scandal Deniers


See no scandal, hear no scandal, speak no scandal. - Michelle Malkin (Photoshop source: Courage in America)

Dartmouth College professor Brendan Nyhan asserted in May — while Operation Fast and Furious subpoenas were flying on Capitol Hill — that “one of the least remarked upon aspects of the Obama presidency has been the lack of scandals.” Conveniently, he defines scandal as a “widespread elite perception of wrongdoing.”

So as long as left-wing Ivy League scribes refuse to perceive something to be a scandal — never mind the actual suffering endured by the family of murdered Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry, whose death came at the hands of a Mexican cartel thug wielding a Fast and Furious gun walked across the southern border under Attorney General Eric Holder’s watch — there is no scandal!

...Mother Jones’ Kevin Drum likewise proclaimed: “Obama’s presidency has so far been almost completely free of scandal.”

This after the year kicked off in January with the departure of lying eco-radical czar Carol Browner. In backroom negotiations, she infamously bullied auto execs to “put nothing in writing, ever.” Read The Rest

Monday, September 19, 2011

As the Obama agenda proves increasingly impotent, Americans have witnessed Obama's czars crash and burn or run for cover over the past thirty months.

Obama's style of management--bypassing the senate-confirmed agency heads--has failed to yield the results promised to the American people. You would think Obama would give up on the failed idea of using a curious collection of White House czars to manage complex economic and regulatory issues. No way. - Townhall

Instead, in the American Jobs Act, Obama is proposing a new group of czars as a part of his "jobs" act-- the American Infrastructure Financing Authority (AIFA) czars....

Here we go again. No doubt, Obama hopes that few legislators or American citizens will read the deadly details buried within the 199 pages of his proposed American Jobs Act that will establish this latest czar-ship, nor understand just how expensive AIFA is going to be.