The Hound knows a few folks who happened to run afoul of the taxman, aka the IRS, and they certainly didn't get to write letters of apology to the U.S. Senate. They had to pay like, immediately, and if not, their pay checks were bricked by the G-men. The same should happen to former U.S. Sen. Tom Daschle of South Dakota, who has been nominated by the Obama administration to head the Health and Human Services Department.
Daschle is the second Obama cabinet official to run afoul of the taxman. The first was Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, who failed to file taxes for two years and owed about $30,000 in back taxes. Daschle owes more than $120,000. Whatever happened to the good scandals involving Democrats? Like Wilbert Mills and Wayne Hays and Gary Hart, you know, the ones involving women? Since when do Democrats have enough money that they don't have to pay taxes?
Seems Republicans always used to have those monetary lapses, or at least failed to report they employed illegal aliens or similar monkey business. Dems always had the sex scandals.
Ah, but this is part of the new Democrats, apparently. Seems not only that Daschle failed to pay his tax bill, but also made more than $200,000 the past two years speaking to members of the health-care industry that President Obama wants him to reform. Who's vetting these guys for the new administration?
The Hound thinks Daschle, who probably will be approved for the cabinet post, should be brought face-to-face with the taxman and have his future earnings, with interest, bricked. That should teach future cabinet secretaries that when the taxman cometh, you must payeth.
Well, so much for that ban of lobbyists. It seems as if Obama is trying to appoint one lobbyist every day of his administration. He is credited for being such a great organizer and detail man regarding his campaign, yet in all this time he couldn't figure out that the people he wanted in the White House had tax problems.
But then, this is just the tip of the iceberg. There are other appointees coming up which will require a 'suspension of belief' (to quote the Secretary of State Clinton, whose financial conflicts of interest got a pass from the 'Club').
So much for 'Hopeandchange'.
THE HOUND SAYS: One has to agree, Hermie. There is a sense of disappointment here. But then again, this also is a symptom of a party being out of power for eight years.
Sorry. It's not like these people were living in a vacuum. people like Clinton, Daschle, Holder, etc, were still part of the system in Washington (Heck, they helped make the 'system'). Rahm Emmanuel was certainly not a wallflower when it came to knowing the ins and outs of government. There is no excuse.
Obama brought Chicago-style government to DC.
Hopeandchange...hopeandchange.
THE HOUND SAYS: Keeping repeating those words...hopeandchange...and soon you will believe them.
Well, the Democrats were in charge of both the House and Senate for two years, and the GOP lead in the previous 6 was slim (Remember the power-sharing deal in 2002 when it was basically 50-50?). The Dems stalled and filibustered legislation and appointments, so that instead of calling them on their obstruction the GOP 'leadership' caved in; making the Dems the real controlling party for 8 years.
THE HOUND SAYS: What else would you expect GOP leadership to do? They've been so effective in Illinois so far.