More Wierdness From Reich

First Robert Reich was suggesting, on Countdown and elsewhere, that Obama should place BP into receivership, with the government confiscating all of its income for oil spill cleanup. Now, since Obama didn't heed that wierd governmental policy advice, he is advising another bizarre plan involving the cleanup.

The President should order BP to establish a $5 billion clean-up fund, and immediately put America’s army of unemployed young people to work saving the Gulf coast. Call it the new Civilian Conservation Corps.

Emphasis mine. The man actually worked as an advisor to President Clinton, so you would think that he would have some inkling as to the limits of presidential authority, but apparently not. Of course, he is now a professor at the University of California, so that might explain a lot.

In addition to Obama having a seriously limited ability to "order" any corporation to do anything, even a domestic one let alone a foreign one, the "new Civilian Conservation Corps" would certainly need to be an act of Congress, so Obama's ability to "immediately put" anyone to work is questionable at best.

Thanks to Anne Laurie at Balloon Juice for the reference.