Posted on 02/03/2009 7:53:16 AM PST by SmithL
Americans now know that the "change we can believe in," which President Obama promised, means a taxes-optional administration. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner rode out the bad news about his failure to pay $34,000 in Social Security and Medicare taxes on income he earned while working for the International Monetary Fund, and still won confirmation. The man now in charge of the IRS says it was "an innocent mistake."
Remember that line - in case you are audited.
Now come reports that Obama's pick to be both his health policy czar and secretary for health and human services - former Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle - had to amend his tax returns and pay $140,000. Among other errors, Daschle forgot to pay taxes on a car and driver supplied for three years by, as he put it in a letter to the Senate Finance Committee, "a close friend."
Daschle wrote that he is "deeply embarrassed" and "disappointed by the errors that required me to amend my tax returns." Also: "My mistakes were unintentional."
Remember those words, too.
There's just one problem with both Geithner's and Daschle's stories: If they really did not know that they were evading taxes, then they're stupid.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
They are sorry only because they got caught cheating on their taxes.
So let’s just forget about criminal proceedings. it’s ok.
My finger accidentally slipped on the trigger.
I think the American people are missing out on an opportunity here: if the geniuses hired by Obama can’t figure out the tax code, neither should the rest of us be expected to. That thing should be tossed into a bonfire and the Fair Tax should be instituted!
Taxes are not about fairness or raising revenue for government operations.
Taxes are about control - punishing those the rulers don’t like and rewarding those they do.
The dims don’t like ordinary Americans.
Obama's administration is not two weeks old
and it is already the most corrupt.It is being loaded with Tax Cheats and
UNregistered Lobbyists.This is the best it is going to get.
It will be downhill from here.
...and deeply saddened
0’s administration is shaping up to be the most corrupt one yet. What else should we expect from Chicago thuggery?
My new goal in life is to collect as little “taxable” income as humanly possible. It means downsizing my “public” lifestyle, barter, black-gray market stuff (ebay and craigslist) and, of course, my regular job.
I have a feeling a lot of people are thinking this way. It would be interesting to see what happens when taxes go up but tax revenue plummets.
The shocking point about this story is where it originated, the SF Chronicle???
My theory is that Daschle might have ridden through this storm if only he hadn't used that unbelievable line about thinking the car and driver were "a gift from a good friend" -- media mogul Leo Hindery. Nobody buys that line. If I had a good friend who gave me a car and driver, I'd be divorced.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfgate/detail?blogid=42&entry_id=35348
Wonder if his "good friend" gave him a 1099 statement?
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