Exactly how many of these “czars” are we going to have? They don’t exactly have a perfect track record.
The troubles of the ailing auto industry are quickly becoming a major focus for President-Elect Barack Obama’s young administration. As Congress and President Bush debate an industry bailout, sources indicate that Obama may favor creating a White House office, headed by an “auto industry czar,” to oversee reforming the troubled American auto industry.
The Detroit News reports that both “Bush and Obama are signaling they may favor appointment of an auto czar to oversee the government’s efforts to funnel emergency assistance to automakers.” Congressional leaders and members of both the outgoing and incoming administrations have all said that automakers might receive federal aid only on certain dictions, including efforts “to further improve fuel efficiency and show that they have a plan to return to profitability. Automakers could also be required to give the government preferred stock in the companies and accept government representatives as board members. As in the 1979-80 Chrysler bailout, workers may have to make wage concessions.”
The press was unable to get direct confirmation of the plan yesterday. John Podesta, the former Clinton administration official heading Obama’s transition team, told the Washington Post “When we have an announcement about that, we’ll raise it.”
I’m already sick and tired of Obama and I’m thoroughly sick and tired of Bush.
Glenn Reynolds concurs:
I repeat my earlier question: When have we ever solved anything with one of these “czar” positions?
If we’re going to keep adding positions that end up accomplishing nothing, could we at least come up with spiffier names for them? “Czar” is getting old.
13. November 2008 at 2:48 am
This bail out is like being on a life boat from the Titanic with a hole in it. ENOUGH ALREADY. Our government is throwing money at these companies, and the people that drove these companies into the ground are still there. WHAT’S WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE! Break up these these companies and sell them off in pieces. This would at least mitigated some of the losses to the tax payers. Here is an idea for Washington. Pretend you were spending your own hard earned money, instead of someone else’s. I’m sure that will be a stretch for our illustrious law maker’s. Correct me if I am wrong here, they are in the public service sector right?