To hear it told by members of Congress and cable commentators, an outbreak of autocrats has hit Washington.

Wags call it Czar Wars.

In a sideshow to health care discussions and the "you lie" rebuke, lawmakers, including those from Missouri, have weighed in on the number of "czar" positions in place as part of the Obama administration.

Some contend the executive-branch positions circumvent the constitutionally intended system of checks and balances. Others call the appointments a time-honored prerogative of presidents.

In truth, the rosters of federal employment list no such job title as "czar." (The age of the Romanovs has passed.) It is a casual name attached to executive appointees charged with overseeing specific programs.

By some counts, there are 32 czars. They include a border czar, a car czar, a climate czar, a Guantanamo czar and so on.

At town hall meetings in Northwest Missouri and Northeast Kansas last month, questions arose about czars at most stops. This week, Congressman Steve King, who represents southwest Iowa, used the word "czar-issioner" on the House floor.

On Tuesday, Sens. Kit Bond of Missouri and Pat Roberts of Kansas co-signed a letter to President Obama raising questions about job duplication and the ill-defined role of some in these positions.

"Many of these new 'czars' appear to occupy positions of greater responsibility and authority than many of the officials who have been confirmed by the Senate to fill positions within your administration," said the letter, also signed by four other Republican senators.

Sen. Claire McCaskill, a Missouri Democrat, on Wednesday held up the example of Earl Devaney, the accountability czar for the economic stimulus program. He has served as a police officer, 20 years as a Secret Service agent and later as an aggressive and non-political inspector general. The nation is lucky Mr. Devaney agreed to serve, she said.

"Shame on anyone who questions him and his background," the senator said. "It really is a tempest in a teapot."

Mobile office visits

Staff members of Congressman Sam Graves plan mobile-office visits throughout the region in the coming weeks.

Next Friday, stops are planned at city halls in Savannah at 9 a.m., Maryville at 10:30 a.m., Tarkio at 2 p.m., and Mound City at 3:30 p.m.

On Sept. 29, staffers stop at the Bethany courthouse at 8 a.m., the Trenton courthouse at 10 a.m., and the St. Joseph City Hall at 10 a.m.

On Sept. 30, stops include city halls in Weston at 8 a.m., Lathrop at 9 a.m., Platte City at 9:30 a.m., Maysville at 10:30 a.m., King City at 1:30 p.m.. and Grant City at 3:30 p.m.

Residents with questions about federal policies and programs are encouraged to attend.

Ken Newton can be reached

at kenn@npgco.com.