"Change! we can believe in" (VII) When the Geithner Paradigm fails: Daschle, Killefer out.

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The lines keep on coming: "Of COURSE democrats love higher taxes... they just don't pay them!"

"Welcome to Washington, where cheering for the Redskins is mandatory, but paying your taxes is optional."

So, do you feel increasing confidence in Mr. Obama's personnel choices? How's that vetting process working for you? How's that "judgment" thing shaking out?

You do remember that "judgment" was all Mr. Obama HAD to run on... right?

First, we have our own criminal Treasury Secretary, Tim Geithner. He had just the tiniest tax problems (as well as hiring an illegal alien) and HIS penalty? Why, he gets to take over the Treasury.

Wow. Tough gig.

Then, one of the dimmer bulbs on the Senate tree, Former DEMOCRAT Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle ponies up tens of thousands of dollars in taxes... his penalty? An abortive effort to fill yet ANOTHER Cabinet position with yet ANOTHER criminal.

Up until this morning, I had never heard of Nancy Killefer. But she joined the herd of democrats who seem to view taxes as mere suggestions, and she was tossed under the Obama Appointment Bus this morning, and will NOT be appointed "Chief Performance Officer."

Perhaps, the heretofore and increasingly legendary tone deafness of the Obama Administration has been pierced... and maybe the New York Times should get the credit, because when the NYT comes after you in an editorial and you're a democrat... you are in serious trouble, indeed.

The widening splash of reality as people are asking themselves: "Have we elected a moron?" is something that the Administration cannot afford to be answering.

The answer, by the way, is "yes."

Editorial The Travails of Tom Daschle

Published: February 2, 2009

When President Obama nominated former Senator Tom Daschle to be his secretary of health and human services, it seemed to be a good choice. Mr. Daschle, as the co-author of a book on health care reform, knew a lot about one of the president’s signature issues. As a former Senate majority leader, he also knew a lot about guiding controversial bills through Congress, where he remains liked and respected by former colleagues.

Unfortunately, new facts have come to light — involving his failure to pay substantial taxes that were owed and his sizable income from health-related companies while he worked in the private sector — that call into question his suitability for the job. We believe that Mr. Daschle ought to step aside and let the president choose a less-blemished successor.

Mr. Daschle’s tax shortfall is particularly troubling because it comes on the heels of another nominee’s failure to pay taxes due. We were not pleased when the president’s Treasury secretary, Timothy Geithner, admitted that he had failed to pay tens of thousands of dollars in federal self-employment taxes while working for the International Monetary Fund despite having signed paperwork acknowledging the obligation.

Now we are confronted with an even larger lapse by Mr. Daschle, who failed to pay $128,000 in taxes, primarily for personal use of a car and driver provided to him by a private equity firm for which he consulted. Although the firm — headed by a major Democratic donor — had not issued a form 1099 for the value of the car service, Mr. Daschle said he became concerned last June that he might owe taxes on it and instructed his accountant to investigate. Neither was concerned enough to actually pay the taxes.

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"Change we can believe in" (V) The Geithner Paradigm in action: Daschle apologizes...

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...For breaking criminal laws that would have seen any of the rest of us being "Wesley Sniped."

As predictable as sunrise, the continued lowering of the bar by the Corrupt Obama Administration goes on with the exorcism of those pesky legal demons from Sen. Tom Daschles' closet skeleton collection. And today, we moved from Geithner's "honest mistake" to the more (Duh, dun, duuuuuuuuuun) sober "serious mistake" level.

Lacking even a pretense of requiring integrity and character from any of his nominees, Mr. Obama continues to show the same honor that made him so identified with stellar characters like Ayers, Wright and Rezco.

The left fails to utter a peep. The slime of the Senate will dutifully go along with the selection of this criminally and ethically-challenged waste of skin; the BOR's will most likely vote for him because to this point, backbone and Senate Republicans have rarely been seen in the same room together at the same time.

The deafening silence from those same elements who so loudly and passionately condemned President Bush and his Cabinet for 8 years for doing far less... the rank, reeking hypocrisy of it all.

Clearly, we'll be here no more of this "most ethical Administration in history" nonsense from Mr. Obama or any of those shilling for him.

My government disgusts me. All this "Hope!" and "Change!" crap... when our president is acting like Al Capone. Even the story headline reeks of cynicism: Obama considers Daschle issue "serious."

I put the word "serious" within quotes, because the headline is an obvious lie.

Good God... if this man had even lived up to a quarter of the promise... and now? He's a thug just like the thugs he wants on his Cabinet, a place where honor, integrity and ethics have no room at the table; a place where massive payoffs are the order of the day... a place where this man will put us so far into debt that generations from now, our children will be paying for his folly.

Originally published Monday, February 2, 2009 at 11:25 AM

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White House: Obama considers Daschle issue serious

The White House says President Barack Obama considers Tom Daschle's tax troubles to be a "very serious" matter. But the president's spokesman says Daschle remains the right person to lead the Health and Human Services Department.

By KEVIN FREKING

Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON —

The White House says President Barack Obama considers Tom Daschle's tax troubles to be a "very serious" matter. But the president's spokesman says Daschle remains the right person to lead the Health and Human Services Department.

Daschle expressed remorse on Monday about failing to pay more than $120,000 in back taxes. And Obama says he "absolutely" stands by him.

But White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said that Daschle had made a "serious mistake" that he then fixed. Gibbs said the White House is "not insensitive" to the news of the unpaid taxes by a potential Cabinet secretary.

Gibbs said that if Daschle is confirmed he will closely follow the ethical guidelines and rules of the administration.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Trying to salvage his nomination, Tom Daschle apologized Monday for delinquent tax payments as President Barack Obama and a top Senate chairman stood by him as the choice to lead the Health and Human Services Department.

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"Change we can believe in" (III) The Geithner Paradigm - Daschle continues to get leftist support.

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As I've pointed out the last two days, the confirmation of sleazeball Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner has set the bar to new lows for appointments... and President Obama hasn't failed to deliver on the new Paradigm with Senate Scumbag Tom Daschle, nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Yesterday, I stated :

I expect that as soon as tomorrow, we will again see the shillers for the Obama Administration, including some of the more misguided Republican colleagues of Sen. Daschle, begin to come out and rise to Daschle's defense.

So, today's effort?

The White House said Saturday that Obama remains committed to Daschle’s nomination. A West Wing official twice stressed that Obama is dedicated to enduring the fallout—now the second politically embarrassing case of a high-level appointee failing to pay taxes.

“Every nomination has bumps along the road but they handle it,” said this official.

Sources close to Daschle said they’ve gotten reassurances from the White House that Obama was not wavering.

You know, I've got to ask:

Exactly what the hell would it take for these people to kick someone? What, for example, did Gov. Bill Richardson do.... molest a child? Kill a prostitute? Run over a Nun?

Good God... how serious does the crime against the people of this country and against our government have to be before you're disqualified from benefiting from our tax dollars?

Can our government not see... can our new President not see the damage these nominations do to the confidence level we're supposed to have in our government to get us out of this and to protect us?

The fact of the matter is this:

To me, if Geithner had a magic wand and got us out of this economic malaise BY HIMSELF TOMORROW, his violations of integrity and criminal activity would STILL disqualify him from getting confirmed.

If Daschle could cure cancer by himself, tomorrow, HIS criminal activity in failing to pay tens of thousands of dollars in taxes, a failure that might see you or I locked up in prison, disqualifies HIM from getting confirmed.

Contrary to what local leftist and failed state senate candidate David Carrier sniveled here, Mr. Obama is putting together the cabinet version of the Portland Trailblazers of old, where one of the assistant coaches SHOULD have been a probation officer.

"Don't blame me, I voted for McCain" could soon become the biggest selling bumper sticker in history.

Daschle brings NOTHING to the table that makes his egregious criminal violation suddenly disappear in the face of his ability to fill this position. There are, in fact, many people of merit with spotless records who struggled like the rest of us to find a way to meet our responsibilities, as increasingly complicated and complex as they are.

But Daschle, a democrat former United States Senator Majority Leader didn't. And Geithner, a former president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York didn't.

But we have to.

This is the "Change we can believe in?"

Hardly.

But this IS "Corruption we can see."

'A bad first-day hit' for Daschle

By JONATHAN MARTIN & CRAIG GORDON 1/31/09 5:36 PM EST


The White House said Saturday that Obama remains committed to Daschle’s nomination. A West Wing official reiterating twice that Obama is dedicated to enduring the fallout – now the second politically embarrassing case of a high-level appointee failing to pay taxes.
Photo: AP

With President Barack Obama’s talking like the new sheriff of Wall Street this week, it seems like just the kind of thing he’d rail against – a rich political insider who doesn’t pay taxes on his limousine.

Except that in this case, it’s Obama’s nominee for health and human services secretary, Tom Daschle.

The White House said Saturday that Obama remains committed to Daschle’s nomination. A West Wing official twice stressed that Obama is dedicated to enduring the fallout—now the second politically embarrassing case of a high-level appointee failing to pay taxes.

“Every nomination has bumps along the road but they handle it,” said this official.

Sources close to Daschle said they’ve gotten reassurances from the White House that Obama was not wavering.

“They knew it was coming and they’d have to take a hit”—and in this case, “a bad first-day hit”—said a person familiar with Daschle’s thinking.

For now anyway, there is little evidence that Daschle’s tax delinquency is fatal to his nomination. Democrats have called a Senate Finance Committee meeting for Monday to discuss the impact on his prospects. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) endorsed him yesterday, saying, "I believe Tom's reputation for integrity will assure that he will be confirmed by the Senate Finance Committee and the full Senate."

While Republican response has been muted, party members are signaling that the case of not one but two tax scofflaws on Obama’s staff is just too good to pass up — a chance to puncture Obama’s squeaky-clean image, particularly at a time when he is scolding Wall Street for about the need for greater personal responsibility.

See Also
Health care groups paid Daschle $220K
Back taxes stumbling block for Daschle
WH official: Gregg a leading contender

In his radio address on Saturday, Obama railed against “arrogance and greed” in the markets, and he’s attacked “shameful” bonuses as evidence that financial titans are out of touch with how regular people live.

Daschle’s back-tax problem, though, centered on more than $255,000 worth of free limo rides around Washington, not exactly the working-class blues.

The car and driver were given to Daschle by a friend and Democratic mega-donor whose company also employed the ex-Senate Democratic leader at the rate of $1 million a year. Daschle supplemented his income with $200,000 in speeches to the same health groups he’d regulate as HHS secretary


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"Change we can believe in!" The first contestant for the Application of the Geithner Paradigm.

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Yesterday, I coined the phrase "Geithner Paradigm."

The Cliff Notes version is this: Our newly confirmed Treasury Secretary, Tim Geithner, violated a half dozen laws concerning income tax, fraud, and hiring an illegal alien. His subsequent confirmation as the boss of the agency who's laws he violated, combined with the complete pass he received (all in the guise of the "honest mistake" defense) for violations of law that would cost most people their jobs and result in probable prison time has resulted in the Geithner Paradigm, a new set of rules that has dramatically lowered the bar in matters of criminality among our elected and appointed officials and will continue to do so in the future.

I posited that this violation of the public trust will be used like all successful violations of integrity in the future by all politicians... and, eventually, it will leak down to every level.

Our first opportunity to observe the Geithner Paradigm in action will be the case of former Sen. Tom Dashcle, former Senate Majority Leader and democrat... and nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services.

I expect that as soon as tomorrow, we will again see the shillers for the Obama Administration, including some of the more misguided Republican colleagues of Sen. Daschle, begin to come out and rise to Daschle's defense.

We've already seen the White House start the process, with the release of this information.

The White House acknowledged Friday that "some tax issues" had emerged in connection with the nomination, but a spokesman said the president is confident the Former Senate Democratic leader will be confirmed as the new health secretary.

We can all expect the "innocent mistake" defense to be trotted out directly. The end result?

Most likely, Sen. Daschle will also become the new Secretary of Health and Human Services.

The Geithner Paradigm in action, as once again, a government politician/appointee is given special privileges and his integrity violations go unpunished... for crimes that would see any of us locked up.

And as much as I try, I don't see this as any kind of Change! at all.



Tax issues emerge in Daschle nomination

Former Sen. Tom Daschle, picked by President Barack Obama to lead his health reform efforts, recently filed amended tax returns to report $128,203 in back taxes and $11,964 in interest, according to a Senate document obtained by The Associated Press.

By KEVIN FREKING

Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON —

Former Sen. Tom Daschle, picked by President Barack Obama to lead his health reform efforts, recently filed amended tax returns to report $128,203 in back taxes and $11,964 in interest, according to a Senate document obtained by The Associated Press.

The White House acknowledged Friday that "some tax issues" had emerged in connection with the nomination, but a spokesman said the president is confident the former Senate Democratic leader will be confirmed as the new health secretary.

Daschle filed amended tax returns for 2005, 2006 and 2007 to reflect additional income for consulting work, the use of a car service and reduced deductions for charitable contributions. He filed the returns after Obama announced he intended to nominate Daschle to head the Health and Human Services Department.

Most of the additional taxes resulted from unreported income from the use of a car service provided him by a close friend and business associate, Leo Hindery Jr. The unreported income for that service totaled more than $250,000 over three years.

Daschle also had unreported consulting income of $88,333, in 2007. He also had reductions to charitable contributions totaling about $15,000 over the three years covered, according to the Senate Finance Committee document. The document, marked "Confidential Draft," is a committee statement concerning Daschle's nomination.

The car service and the consulting income were received in connection with Daschle's business relationship with InterMedia Partners of Englewood, Colo. Daschle is a limited partner and chairman of its executive advisory board. Daschle is also an independent consultant to InterMedia Advisors LLP of New York City.

Hindery founded InterMedia Partners, a private equity firm, in 1988. Daschle was paid $1 million annually for his services, the committee said. Daschle's 2007 tax return did not include one of his monthly payments of $88,333.

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