Why would Republicans John McCain and Jack Kingston be so stupid as to call for Obama to recruit a “Czar” to coordinate government medical and communication efforts in the Ebola imbroglio?
Minimizing Obama’s true breach of his oath to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States” is not to be taken lightly.
Conservatives have pressed for the President to abide by that oath and the “Appointment Clause” in the constitution whereby Obama sidesteps Congressional approval for important department leaders.
Sure, the President can appoint lower level officers as the Constitution states, “...Congress may by law vest the appointment of such inferior officers, as they think proper, in the President alone...”
Not all members of Congress think Obama’s “Czars” are “proper.” Also, since when is such an officer “inferior” when he has more power, influence and access to the President than a confirmed Cabinet member?
The issue of Obama’s unconstitutional “Czars” is serious, now trivialized by the slack-jawed McCain and Kingston.
It’s true that Americans are confused about ebola due to this administration’s incompetent and contradictory messaging. A partisan hack like Ron “Hanging Chads” Klain, who led the failed campaign to deny President Bush his honest Florida vote count in 2000, is certainly not going to be any credible “face of Ebola.”
Klain has no medical training, was a lobbyist for Fannie Mae until subprime mortgages and their derivatives led to the “Great Recession” and has been Chief of Staff to Al Gore and Joe Biden. This is a partisan appointment of a political consigliere who has no gravitas to ensure America of any government competency.
Liberals desperately tried to blame Ebola on Republicans, saying this wouldn’t have happened if we had a Surgeon General. First of all, we do have an acting Surgeon General, Rear Admiral (RADM) Boris D. Lushniak, M.D., M.P.H. His job description includes “articulat(ing) the best available scientific information to the public regarding ways to improve personal health and the health of the nation.”
Why didn’t Obama choose Lushniak, the official articulator, to articulate ebola and the containment thereof to the American people? Perhaps he doesn’t have experience in such specialized study?
According to Lushniak’s bio, he worked “as part of the Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and initially was stationed with the CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in Cincinnati, Ohio where he conducted epidemiological investigations of workplace hazards.”
Lack of institutional leadership?
“RADM Lushniak served as Deputy Surgeon General from November 2010, until July 17, 2013, when he assumed the duties of Acting Surgeon General.”
Mr. Obama, why is it you don’t have confidence in Lushniak, yet you do have confidence in a political hack like Ron Klain?
McCain and Kingston may not be entirely to blame for Obama’s “bad hire” of Klain, but they are to blame for any subsequent ridicule and trivializing of a very serious constitutional betrayal. And trivialize and ridicule the left will at every opportunity.
When Republican Senator Jerry Moran of Kansas and Republican Representative Frank Wolf of Virginia wrote their letter to President Obama, they did not call for a “czar.” They requested the President simply “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” and tell congress what their policy is, if any.
Some liberal reporters falsely called it a request for a “czar.” Surprise, surprise.
Republicans should rebuke McCain and Kingston who actually did trivialize the Czar issue. By doing so they have become the poster boys for liberals to point and laugh at Republicans for being “insincere” about this serious affront to the Constitution.
Republicans need to focus on what is important.
Ebola is not an epidemic. It will not be an epidemic in this country.
The epidemic is this administration’s incompetence and arrogance.
Rick Jensen is Delaware’s award-winning conservative talk show host on 1150AM WDEL and 93.7FM HD3, Streaming live on WDEL.com from 1pm - 4pm EST. Contact Rick at rick@wdel.com, or follow him on Twitter @Jensen1150WDEL.