Paul Schiffer on intruducing Non-Czar Legislation

Schiffer promises to introduce this legislation in Congress after election to Congress. Schiffer explained:

“I believe ‘Czars’ are un-American. It started out as almost an inside-the-Beltway joke under Republican Administrations—calling a Presidential adviser a ‘Czar.’ But the idea of Presidential ‘Czars’ has become a worrying trend. If we continue on this path, Presidential over-use of White House ‘Czars’ threatens to weaken America’s democratic system.”

Schiffer stated:

“Placing the authority for Executive Branch business under unelected, unaccountable ‘Czars’ confuses and undermines our American system. The U.S. Constitution establishes the idea of Departments whose heads must be confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Concentrating more and more power in the hands of ‘Czars’ has the effect of setting up a whole new, alternative ‘shadow government’ outside of our American system. This is creating worry among some patriots that at a time of national crisis and confusion, these Czars could serve as a power center outside of our established American system of Departments, with Secretaries confirmed by the United States Senate.”

Paul Schiffer further clarified:

“My legislation allows Presidents to have any advisors they want, and call them anything they want. However, White House advisors like ‘Czars’ will have no authority over any part of the U.S. Government. My legislation would prohibit any White House advisor from exercising authority over any Federal or State government official, employee, office or department, and would protect every government official and employee from not obeying any White House advisor other than the President himself. The President, of course, is the Chief Executive of the Executive Branch and the President may always act under his own authority in his own name. Obviously, my legislation creates exceptions for any special chain of command established by statute that might be agreed to between the Congress and the President, such as with national security matters.”