President Obama gave his so-called "czars" responsibilities that might have been divided among different Cabinet secretaries in past administrations.
But by some accounts, Obama has nearly three dozen czars in his administration, managing everything from closing the Guantanamo Bay detention facility to ending the genocide in Darfur.
Obama has pledged his full support to all of them. But when you add his 15 Cabinet secretaries to his policy and political advisors and his chief of staff and throw in his military advisors and a couple dozen selected other officials, that equals a lot of officials who have Oval Office walk-in rights.
"I think the number probably is getting closer to a 100," said James Bailey, a leadership professor at George Washington University, who noted that's not the norm at most Fortune 500 companies.
Read more from source here
Like many lofty titles, e.g. Mogul, Tsar or Czar has been used as a metaphor for positions of high authority, in English since 1866 (referring to U.S. President Andrew Johnson), with a connotation of dictatorial powers and style, fitting since "Autocrat" was an official title of the Russian Emperor (informally referred to as 'the Tsar'). Similarly, Speaker of the House Thomas Brackett Reed was called "Czar Reed" for his dictatorial control of the House of Representatives in the 1880s and 1890s.
In the United States the title "czar" is an informal term for certain high-level officials, such as the "drug czar" for the head of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, "terrorism czar" for a Presidential advisor on terrorism policy, "cybersecurity czar" for the highest-ranking Department of Homeland Security official on computer security and information security policy, and "war czar" to oversee the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
On June 5th 2009, British multimillionaire businessman Sir Alan Sugar was made "enterprise tsar" of the Labour Party.
One of the earliest known usages was in "baseball czar", applied to Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis, who was named Commissioner of Baseball, with broad powers to clean up the sport after it had been dirtied by the Black Sox scandal of 1919. Although other Commissioners have been described as "czars", the term is less used than it once was, due to the Commissioner's power being made inferior to that of the owners.
Read more from the source here
Showing posts with label U.S. Consitution. Show all posts
Showing posts with label U.S. Consitution. Show all posts
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
No to the U.S. Constitution Being Given Out On the 4th of July?
Cleveland.com
Bristol, Rhode Island, claims it has the nation's oldest Fourth of July celebration
by Associated Press
Thursday July 02, 2009, 9:01 PM
BRISTOL, R.I. -- In July 1785, the citizens of the waterfront town of Bristol, R.I., assembled to heap praise on their newly minted nation and to thank God for helping them survive a fierce assault by the British during the Revolutionary War. ...
...Prayer, speeches and other such "patriotic exercises" have marked the Fourth of July in Bristol every year since 1785 -- allowing the town to lay claim to the nation's oldest Independence Day celebration. ...
...The parade has continued uninterrupted with the exception of a few years -- such as 1881, when President James Garfield was shot. Some events -- like chasing a greased pig around the Common -- have been abandoned, but modern-day fixtures include a concert series, orange crate derby, nighttime ball, a Miss (and Little Miss) Fourth of July pageant -- even a contest recognizing the person who has traveled the farthest.
"Sometimes we think we have red, white and blue running through our bloodstream because of our commitment to the celebration," said parade chairwoman Judy Squires, a lifelong Bristol resident and part of a committee of 110 volunteers that runs the event.
Topix.com
Passing out U.S. Constitutions on July 4th gets group tossed from annual celebration. The Rhode Island Tea Party group says that it has banned from future Bristol 4th of July Parades. Last Saturday's parade, which is the oldest in the country at 224 years, had included a float representing the taxpayer group, which has recently been organizing "Tea Party" type political rallys.
Tea Party spokesperson Marina Peterson says she was contacted by a parade committe member on Wednesday and was told "It is because some members of the RI Tea Party passed out U.S. Constitutions to the crowd. Apparently passing out the US Constitution on Independence Day is an egregious violation of parade rules. This is despite the fact that other floats passed out solicitations for their businesses, which is against the Parade guidelines, and these businesses have NOT been told that they are banned from participating in the future."
ProJo.com
Since the parade, which dates back to 1785, is a celebration of America and its cherished freedom, that would have to be eligible for some sort of prize for irony.
Bristol, Rhode Island, claims it has the nation's oldest Fourth of July celebration
by Associated Press
Thursday July 02, 2009, 9:01 PM
BRISTOL, R.I. -- In July 1785, the citizens of the waterfront town of Bristol, R.I., assembled to heap praise on their newly minted nation and to thank God for helping them survive a fierce assault by the British during the Revolutionary War. ...
...Prayer, speeches and other such "patriotic exercises" have marked the Fourth of July in Bristol every year since 1785 -- allowing the town to lay claim to the nation's oldest Independence Day celebration. ...
...The parade has continued uninterrupted with the exception of a few years -- such as 1881, when President James Garfield was shot. Some events -- like chasing a greased pig around the Common -- have been abandoned, but modern-day fixtures include a concert series, orange crate derby, nighttime ball, a Miss (and Little Miss) Fourth of July pageant -- even a contest recognizing the person who has traveled the farthest.
"Sometimes we think we have red, white and blue running through our bloodstream because of our commitment to the celebration," said parade chairwoman Judy Squires, a lifelong Bristol resident and part of a committee of 110 volunteers that runs the event.
Topix.com
Passing out U.S. Constitutions on July 4th gets group tossed from annual celebration. The Rhode Island Tea Party group says that it has banned from future Bristol 4th of July Parades. Last Saturday's parade, which is the oldest in the country at 224 years, had included a float representing the taxpayer group, which has recently been organizing "Tea Party" type political rallys.
Tea Party spokesperson Marina Peterson says she was contacted by a parade committe member on Wednesday and was told "It is because some members of the RI Tea Party passed out U.S. Constitutions to the crowd. Apparently passing out the US Constitution on Independence Day is an egregious violation of parade rules. This is despite the fact that other floats passed out solicitations for their businesses, which is against the Parade guidelines, and these businesses have NOT been told that they are banned from participating in the future."
ProJo.com
Since the parade, which dates back to 1785, is a celebration of America and its cherished freedom, that would have to be eligible for some sort of prize for irony.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Equality and Slavery
"Americans are so enamored of equality that they would rather be equal in slavery than unequal in freedom." -- Alexis de Tocqueville - "Democracy in America" (1835)
Monday, January 5, 2009
Reid's Not Powerful Enough to Block Burris.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, in an interview with NBC's David Gregory on Meet the Press stated, with regards to Burris being allowed to serve as a Illinois Senator that "there's clearly legal authority for us to do anything we want to do. This goes back for generations." Isn't he eloquent...not!
Obviously, Reid is out of touch with the U.S. Constitution. Article I, Section 5 of the Constitution says, "Each House shall be the Judge of the Elections, Returns and Qualifications of its own Members." The Supreme Court has ruled that in this context, "qualifications" are the criteria laid out by the Constitution itself. For example, that a Senator be at least 30 years old, that a Senator be a U.S. Citizen for at least nine years. There is no legal authority to block Burris. He is over thirty and he is a U.S. citizen and a resident of Illinois.
Sure, Burris is possibly tainted due to the deep association with Blagojevich. However, that does not, unfortunately, make him unqualified for the role of Senator.
So, what will likely happen is he will go to a Federal District Court Judge in Washington D.C., who will quickly sign an order directing the Secretary of the Senate to administer the Oath of Office to Burris.
There is only one way that Burris could be expelled after he is seated, and that is for disorderly behavior. When Burris' detractors are the disorderly ones and not him, that will not hold water in court. The Senate has standards for expulsion. Senators have committed felonies and have not been expelled. Therefore, it is likely that Burris will be in the Senate at least until 2012.
Sorry Harry. You are not more powerful than the U.S. Constitution. If you expell Burris, you'll have to expell some of your own people.
Obviously, Reid is out of touch with the U.S. Constitution. Article I, Section 5 of the Constitution says, "Each House shall be the Judge of the Elections, Returns and Qualifications of its own Members." The Supreme Court has ruled that in this context, "qualifications" are the criteria laid out by the Constitution itself. For example, that a Senator be at least 30 years old, that a Senator be a U.S. Citizen for at least nine years. There is no legal authority to block Burris. He is over thirty and he is a U.S. citizen and a resident of Illinois.
Sure, Burris is possibly tainted due to the deep association with Blagojevich. However, that does not, unfortunately, make him unqualified for the role of Senator.
So, what will likely happen is he will go to a Federal District Court Judge in Washington D.C., who will quickly sign an order directing the Secretary of the Senate to administer the Oath of Office to Burris.
There is only one way that Burris could be expelled after he is seated, and that is for disorderly behavior. When Burris' detractors are the disorderly ones and not him, that will not hold water in court. The Senate has standards for expulsion. Senators have committed felonies and have not been expelled. Therefore, it is likely that Burris will be in the Senate at least until 2012.
Sorry Harry. You are not more powerful than the U.S. Constitution. If you expell Burris, you'll have to expell some of your own people.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Take Care of the Government
"Freedom exists only where the people take care of the government." -- Woodrow Wilson
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Sabbath Day, January 27, 2008
What a great country we live in, this great United States of America, that we have the freedom to practice our religion.
"Freedom of religion is a guarantee by a government for freedom of belief for individuals and freedom of worship for individuals and groups. It is generally recognized to also include the freedom not to follow any religion. Freedom of religion is considered by many in many nations and people to be a fundamental human right."
-The freedom of religion as stated by Wikipedia
As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Sunday is a day of rest from our weekly schedule of work. Today is a day that we reserve for worshipping our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Here is a description of one of our beliefs.
Link To The Below Quoted Information
The Restoration of Truth
Heavenly Father Reveals His Gospel to All
"Why doesn't God call prophets today?
Throughout history God has revealed His gospel through prophets, such as Noah, Abraham, Moses, Peter and others, and has endowed them with divine authority, which is priesthood, to speak and act in His name (Amos 3:7). These prophets teach the people the gospel and direct His Church. They teach and testify about the character of God and the special mission of Jesus Christ, inviting all to partake of the blessings of the gospel.
You can find the testimonies of prophets in the Old Testament, the New Testament, and in the Book of Mormon.
Through revelation from God, the Old Testament prophets knew that the Savior Jesus Christ would come to the earth. These prophets knew that the Savior would come to provide the way for all of us to return to our Father in Heaven, and they recorded their witnesses for us to study and to pray about so that we can have faith in Jesus Christ.
The New Testament records the life and teachings of Jesus Christ and contains the words of prophets and apostles who were witnesses that He is the Son of God. John the Baptist was a prophet who prepared the way of the Savior ( Luke 1:76). Peter, James, John, and the other Apostles also testified of Him. As you read the accounts of these prophets and apostles, your understanding and faith in Jesus Christ will grow.
Throughout the Book of Mormon, there are examples of many prophets who testified of Jesus Christ. Among these prophets are men named Lehi, Nephi, Benjamin, Mosiah, Alma, Abinadi, Helaman, Mormon, and Moroni. Book of Mormon prophets bore fervent testimony of Christ so later generations could also develop faith in the Savior and look to Him for redemption. As the prophet Nephi wrote, "And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins" ( 2 Nephi 25:26).
Those who follow the prophets receive the blessings God has promised, while those who reject the gospel and God's prophets lose those blessings and distance themselves from God—placing them in spiritual darkness, which eventually leads to a condition called apostasy. Widespread apostasy occurs when God's priesthood authority to teach and administer the ordinances of the gospel is withdrawn.
The scriptures record the pattern wherein God repeatedly reaches out to His children by revealing His gospel through a prophet, who in turn teaches the people. Some people follow, then become disobedient; others reject it outright. The Lord then takes away His priesthood and the gospel is lost. When there are those prepared to follow Him again, the Lord reveals anew His gospel and restores His priesthood. Such periods when prophets are commanded to teach the gospel, often involving a restoration, are called dispensations?. The periods of time headed by a prophetic leader, such as Adam, Enoch, Noah, Moses and so forth, are called dispensations.
The divine truths your Heavenly Father desires you to know have been restored by God for the final time—never to be removed from the earth again—through the latter-day prophet Joseph Smith. As Moses and other biblical prophets received revelation from God, so Joseph Smith saw God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ and was chosen to testify of Them and to restore the gospel and His Church.
In June 1844, Joseph Smith, the first prophet of this dispensation, was murdered in Carthage, Illinois. The leadership of the restored Church of Jesus Christ then passed to Brigham Young, who was the senior Apostle? of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He became responsible for leading the Church under Jesus Christ's direction. Throughout the 33 years Brigham Young led the Church, he:
Led the first group of pioneers across 1,000 miles of unsettled plains, arriving in the Salt Lake Valley in 1847.
Supervised the subsequent immigration of more than 70,000 people from the U.S. and Europe.
Founded over 350 settlements, including communities in Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, California, Canada, and Mexico.
Brigham Young was called by God as the next prophet after Joseph Smith. Just as Brigham Young was called of God to succeed Joseph Smith, so this pattern of succession of prophets, as directed by Jesus Christ, continues today. The current prophet and President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is Gordon B. Hinckley. He is assisted by two counselors: Thomas S. Monson and Henry B. Eyring. Together, they make up the First Presidency of the Church (much like Peter, James, and John in Christ's time).
The current Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are:
Boyd K. Packer
L. Tom Perry
Russell M. Nelson
Dallin H. Oaks
M. Russell Ballard
Joseph B. Wirthlin
Richard G. Scott
Robert D. Hales
Jeffrey R. Holland
Dieter F. Uchtdorf
David A. Bednar
Quentin L. Cook
Just as God led the Israelites out of slavery and to a better place through His prophet Moses, He leads His children today into happier, more peaceful lives when they choose to follow Jesus Christ by following His living prophet. You are invited to read or listen to the words of living prophets and consider how knowing God's will can benefit your life."
For more information, including a short video, please click on the following link.
Mormon.org
"Freedom of religion is a guarantee by a government for freedom of belief for individuals and freedom of worship for individuals and groups. It is generally recognized to also include the freedom not to follow any religion. Freedom of religion is considered by many in many nations and people to be a fundamental human right."
-The freedom of religion as stated by Wikipedia
As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Sunday is a day of rest from our weekly schedule of work. Today is a day that we reserve for worshipping our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Here is a description of one of our beliefs.
Link To The Below Quoted Information
The Restoration of Truth
Heavenly Father Reveals His Gospel to All
"Why doesn't God call prophets today?
Throughout history God has revealed His gospel through prophets, such as Noah, Abraham, Moses, Peter and others, and has endowed them with divine authority, which is priesthood, to speak and act in His name (Amos 3:7). These prophets teach the people the gospel and direct His Church. They teach and testify about the character of God and the special mission of Jesus Christ, inviting all to partake of the blessings of the gospel.
You can find the testimonies of prophets in the Old Testament, the New Testament, and in the Book of Mormon.
Through revelation from God, the Old Testament prophets knew that the Savior Jesus Christ would come to the earth. These prophets knew that the Savior would come to provide the way for all of us to return to our Father in Heaven, and they recorded their witnesses for us to study and to pray about so that we can have faith in Jesus Christ.
The New Testament records the life and teachings of Jesus Christ and contains the words of prophets and apostles who were witnesses that He is the Son of God. John the Baptist was a prophet who prepared the way of the Savior ( Luke 1:76). Peter, James, John, and the other Apostles also testified of Him. As you read the accounts of these prophets and apostles, your understanding and faith in Jesus Christ will grow.
Throughout the Book of Mormon, there are examples of many prophets who testified of Jesus Christ. Among these prophets are men named Lehi, Nephi, Benjamin, Mosiah, Alma, Abinadi, Helaman, Mormon, and Moroni. Book of Mormon prophets bore fervent testimony of Christ so later generations could also develop faith in the Savior and look to Him for redemption. As the prophet Nephi wrote, "And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins" ( 2 Nephi 25:26).
Those who follow the prophets receive the blessings God has promised, while those who reject the gospel and God's prophets lose those blessings and distance themselves from God—placing them in spiritual darkness, which eventually leads to a condition called apostasy. Widespread apostasy occurs when God's priesthood authority to teach and administer the ordinances of the gospel is withdrawn.
The scriptures record the pattern wherein God repeatedly reaches out to His children by revealing His gospel through a prophet, who in turn teaches the people. Some people follow, then become disobedient; others reject it outright. The Lord then takes away His priesthood and the gospel is lost. When there are those prepared to follow Him again, the Lord reveals anew His gospel and restores His priesthood. Such periods when prophets are commanded to teach the gospel, often involving a restoration, are called dispensations?. The periods of time headed by a prophetic leader, such as Adam, Enoch, Noah, Moses and so forth, are called dispensations.
The divine truths your Heavenly Father desires you to know have been restored by God for the final time—never to be removed from the earth again—through the latter-day prophet Joseph Smith. As Moses and other biblical prophets received revelation from God, so Joseph Smith saw God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ and was chosen to testify of Them and to restore the gospel and His Church.
In June 1844, Joseph Smith, the first prophet of this dispensation, was murdered in Carthage, Illinois. The leadership of the restored Church of Jesus Christ then passed to Brigham Young, who was the senior Apostle? of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He became responsible for leading the Church under Jesus Christ's direction. Throughout the 33 years Brigham Young led the Church, he:
Led the first group of pioneers across 1,000 miles of unsettled plains, arriving in the Salt Lake Valley in 1847.
Supervised the subsequent immigration of more than 70,000 people from the U.S. and Europe.
Founded over 350 settlements, including communities in Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, California, Canada, and Mexico.
Brigham Young was called by God as the next prophet after Joseph Smith. Just as Brigham Young was called of God to succeed Joseph Smith, so this pattern of succession of prophets, as directed by Jesus Christ, continues today. The current prophet and President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is Gordon B. Hinckley. He is assisted by two counselors: Thomas S. Monson and Henry B. Eyring. Together, they make up the First Presidency of the Church (much like Peter, James, and John in Christ's time).
The current Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are:
Boyd K. Packer
L. Tom Perry
Russell M. Nelson
Dallin H. Oaks
M. Russell Ballard
Joseph B. Wirthlin
Richard G. Scott
Robert D. Hales
Jeffrey R. Holland
Dieter F. Uchtdorf
David A. Bednar
Quentin L. Cook
Just as God led the Israelites out of slavery and to a better place through His prophet Moses, He leads His children today into happier, more peaceful lives when they choose to follow Jesus Christ by following His living prophet. You are invited to read or listen to the words of living prophets and consider how knowing God's will can benefit your life."
For more information, including a short video, please click on the following link.
Mormon.org
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