Posted on 02/07/2009 1:46:49 PM PST by jessduntno
Taxes trouble some payers
By PHILIP JANKOWSKI
Tax season is here, and for prospective appointees to President Barack Obama’s cabinet, it couldn’t be clearer that sometimes taxes go unpaid.
With the announcement that Secretary of Labor appointee Hilda Solis’ husband has $6,400 of unpaid taxes from his business, the tally is now four would-be cabinet members with issues regarding their tax returns. Solis joins Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, former chief performance officer nominee Nancy Killefer and former health secretary nominee Tom Daschle as the latest member of the Obama administration with issues.
It begs the question: If these appointees who, as a University of Texas tax law expert put it, represent the best moral character of the U.S. population, do not pay their taxes, then who does?
Calvin Johnson, a professor from UT’s School of Law, said no one should have these issues with paying their taxes. Most of these nominees’ unpaid taxes now being aired in the public arena would have been accounted for by using basic tax preparation software, Johnson said.
“I think they ought to be ashamed of themselves,” he said.
That some of the most civic-minded people in the country would fail to pay their entire tax bill is symptomatic of a greater problem, Johnson said.
“There’s a tendency not to look for more tax (owed). A lot of this is little self serving errors — looking out for yourself,” he said.
And given that these nominees are likely more law abiding than typical citizens of the same income level, the odds are that the federal government is missing out on a lot of revenue due to feigned ignorance, he said.
For those who are afraid they may inadvertently miss out on paying portions of their tax bill, Taylor Public Library hosts a free tax assistance program every Wednesday from noon to 4 p.m. with trained volunteers who can prepare tax returns for people with limited incomes.
Though the program is sponsored by the AARP, it is open to the public. Many questions can also be easily answered at the federal IRS Web site, www.irs.gov.
I am for a taxpayer strike. Screw these communist taxtakers.
Taxation is something Commie DemocRATS do to Republicans.
Craig Ferguson of CBS’s Late Late Show was discussing Obama coming down on Corporate executives.
“Finally some accountability in Washington.....But I’m thinkin’ if they’re going to introduce accountability, shouldn’t Obama start with making his own people pay their taxes?
WHAT is going on??
These people he’s picking for the cabinet... they’ve all gone to the Willie Nelson school of taxes......
Step one.....roll a joint
Step two....forget about your taxes!
Craig Ferguson Feb. 4, 2009
He went on with a skit about our ‘foot in mouth’ VP, Joe (Stand up Chuck!) Biden. Maybe some of our homegrown comedian enablers will get the message...finally!
So, Solis is going down?
We'd have to go to the wall for the people made an example of.
JR’s going to Washington on Monday......
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2180555/posts
Join him if you can???
When the Clintons stole White House furniture and silverware, did they pay taxes on it? And if I recall correctly, didn’t Bill Clinton use a piece of underwear as a tax write-off?
Maybe Zero should appoint Byrd to some post. He could claim that the KKK is a tax exempt organization.
Yes...which is why it would have to be well organized and massive in scope. They can't put us ALL in jail.
We'd have to go to the wall for the people made an example of.
Yes, we would.....and even be willing to face imprisonment. On a large enough scale, society would break down fairly quickly. No tax money, no law enforcement....
My response would be "where are the harsh measures for Geithner, and Daschle, and etc."? Are they SPECIAL, better than me, not accountable to the same law I must obey?
“So, Solis is going down?”
After Tiny Tom, I don’t see how they can get away with this in confirmation....but I guess ANYTHING is possible...
Suckers.
Kind of like we saw with Randy Weaver and at Waco.
Hey! My, we’ve had our Big Bowl of Cynic for dinner tonight, haven’t we? ;-)
Who me? I was just trying to embrace the mindset of our new overlords. Those who pay taxes must be the ones who cling to their Bibles, guns and outmoded work ethic. Good for taxing but not good for high level positions in DC.
Do you get the regular Cynic or the Low fat Cynic?
I like the leaded, not the unleaded. ;-)
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