W Expands Power and Bureaucracy

[Brassmask]

Have you at long last had enough?  Have you on the right gotten sick to death of Bush's absolute increases in the size and scope of government, clearly flying in the face of every libertarian thought you've ever had in your head?

Here, now W has signed a direction adding yet another level of government and increasing the office of the presidency beyond its originally intended scope.

http://www.rawstory.com/news/2007/NY_Times_Bush_gives_White_House_0129.html

I join with those of you on the other side in decrying Bush's actions.

President George W. Bush has given his administration a boost in how the government regulates key issues such as civil rights and the environment, RAW STORY has learned The New York Times will report on its Tuesday front page.

The President "signed a directive that gives the White House much greater control over the rules that the federal government develops to regulate public health, safety," privacy and other issues, writes Robert Pear for the Times.

Pear reports that "in an executive order published last week in the Federal Register, Bush said that each federal agency must have a regulatory policy office run by a political appointee" who will monitor the creation of process and procedures and the associated documentation.

"The White House will thus have a gatekeeper in each agency," Pear writes, "to analyze the costs and benefits of new rules and to make sure they carry out the president's priorities."

[Amianthus]

Err, those are EXECUTIVE agencies. The White House is supposed to be in control of what they do. It's actually a dereliction of duty that they haven't been keeping tabs on those agencies until now.

Of course, I've never considered Bush (either one of 'em) a conservative or a libertarian.

[Brassmask]

Err, those are EXECUTIVE agencies. The White House is supposed to be in control of what they do. It's actually a dereliction of duty that they haven't been keeping tabs on those agencies until now.

Of course, I've never considered Bush (either one of 'em) a conservative or a libertarian.

So, you approve of the adding of another level of government?  Ok, point taken.

[sirs]

Have you at long last had enough?  Have you on the right gotten sick to death of Bush's absolute increases in the size and scope of government, clearly flying in the face of every libertarian thought you've ever had in your head?

Here, now W has signed a direction adding yet another level of government and increasing the office of the presidency beyond its originally intended scope.

[/b]

And yet everytime someone on the right brings up the point of Bush actually adding onto Government, and criticising him for it, it's routinely ignored, by folks precisely like yourself.  Why's that I wonder.  Brass, we've been criticising Bush's expansion of Government since the 1st year!!  Where the frell have you been??

[Amianthus]

So, you approve of the adding of another level of government?

I don't approve of it. Most of those agencies should be dismantled.

However, if they're going to exist, the White House should oversee them, as they are executive agencies.

Do you know which governmental agency is not (nominally) under the control of the President? (There is only one.)

[Brassmask]

Why create another layer?  Why not just oversee them like other presidents have in the past?  Laziness?

[BT]

Perhaps the headline should read "Progressives decry Bush's protection of Constitution"

[Amianthus]

Why not just oversee them like other presidents have in the past?

I think it's been pretty obvious from past administrations that they have, in many cases, failed to "oversee" them.

[Xavier_Onassis]

Do you know which governmental agency is not (nominally) under the control of the President? (There is only one.)

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Congress and the Supreme Court are not agencies. So what is left, the Special Prosecutor?

I recall Nixon fired Archibald Cox and all the would be  'Cox sackers', so perhaps not.

I know that it gives you a feeling of superiority for you to know something (other?) mortals do not, but I think you should tell us, anyway.

[Amianthus]

I know that it gives you a feeling of superiority for you to know something (other?) mortals do not, but I think you should tell us, anyway.

Do you react the same way when someone gets a correct answer that you do not know while playing Trivial Pursuit?

Can't you wait until Brass gets a shot at answering?

[Lanya]

Bush said that each federal agency must have a regulatory policy office run by a political appointee"

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Sounds very Soviet to me.

[Amianthus]

Sounds very Soviet to me.

Every agency (except one) is part of a cabinet position. Every cabinet position is a political appointee. The head of every agency is a political appointee. In most cases, the top three levels of every agency are staffed by political appointees.

It's been this way for most of the 20th century.

Still sound "very Soviet" to you?

Sounds like the "same old, same old" in DC to me. Bush just opened a few new political appointee positions, as every President does.

[sirs]

Sounds very Soviet to me.

Every agency (except one) is part of a cabinet position. Every cabinet position is a political appointee. The head of every agency is a political appointee. In most cases, the top three levels of every agency are staffed by political appointees.  It's been this way for most of the 20th century.  Still sound "very Soviet" to you?  Sounds like the "same old, same old" in DC to me. Bush just opened a few new political appointee positions, as every President does.

But...but...but Ami, Bush is evil.  Doncha get it yet?

[Amianthus]

No bites yet.

The only Federal agency that is not part of the executive branch (and therefore not under the President's control) is NASA. NASA is directly under the control of Congress.