Sentence examples for vague authority from inspiring English sources

WASHINGTON -- Telling a Senate panel that he would not be a "hood ornament," the Obama administration's candidate to become national intelligence director pledged Tuesday that despite the job's vague authority, he would try to bring an end to turf battles and bureaucratic bloat in America's spy agencies.

PAGE A11 QUESTIONING SPYMASTER PICK Telling a Senate panel that he would not be a "hood ornament," James R. Clapper Jr., the Obama administration's candidate to become national intelligence director, pledged that despite the job's vague authority, he would try to bring an end to turf battles and bureaucratic bloat in America's spy agencies.

As illustrated by the recent Florida incident, judges have considerable but somewhat vague authority to maintain order, respect, and dignity for the judicial process.

The Defense Department's Hollywood liaison (that's a real position) said the government was concerned about the vague authority of S.H.I.E.L.D., the Samuel L. Jackson-led international peacekeeping / spy-ish organization (please don't write us letters!) that brings together the Avengers to do Avenger-y things.

But White House officials left vague the authority that the new director would wield over personnel and spending, raising doubts among some experts about the real power of the new position.

In addition, these officials said, the Palestinians would have been given vaguely defined authority, short of sovereignty, over the Muslim and Christian quarters in the Old City, control of the Dome of the Rock and other Muslim holy places, and a new bridge allowing Palestinians unhindered access to the Muslim holy places from areas under their control to the east of the city.

I know that flush because I've felt it too: that expectant oh, shit, the cops are gonna hassle me paranoia anyone who holds vague anti-authority sentiments (or a small bag of weed) feels when the boys in blue strut by.

But Mr. Abbas is resisting that approach because it leaves vague how much authority Mr. Dahlan would have.

But whether because of pride or stubbornness, Mr. Mubarak instead spoke once again as the unbowed father of the nation, barely alluding to a vague "delegation" of authority.

Since many administrative agencies operate within broad and vague grants of authority, this unexpected judicial revival of the "nondelegation" doctrine could have major consequences.

It teaches us that anecdotal evidence, vague appeals to authority and ad hominem are perfectly valid ways to win an argument.