Does it bother anyone else about Daschle's "tax" problem?

[Postman]

I'm sorry. He may be a good guy but at the very least don't get caught with your pants down when it comes to the tax issue...

Because the media is a right wing tool, Democrats are going to have to be perfect when it comes to setting the example.

[rucky]

1. Yes, but the double-standard still needs to be exposed.

We can never live up to standards of perfection, and we shouldn't clam to be or be expected to be.

[Donnachaidh]

8. No one is asking for perfection. We ARE asking for someone who isn't beholding

to the corporations who are sucking the money straight from the consumer's pockets --

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/02/01/daschle/index.html

The Daschles: feeding at the Beltway trough

"In Washington there are whores and there are whores, and then there is Tom Daschle. Tom Daschle would suck off a corpse for a cheeseburger. True, he is probably only the second-biggest whore for the health care industry in American politics — the biggest being doctor/cat-torturer Bill Frist, whose visit to South Dakota on behalf of John Thune in 2004 was one of the factors in ending Daschle's tenure in the Senate."

So the 2nd biggest whore of the healthcare industry is going to manage the HHS. Do you REALLY think this guy is going to do ANYTHING to get single-payer healthCARE for the public?

[frogcycle]

2. bullshit

if you levy that requirement, we got nobody. 'cause nobody's perfect.

I don't know if I'd have realized the loan of a car from a rich friend was income. Of course, I'm not a former senator, with high-priced accountants and all, but I'm willing to accept that he was not knowingly "tax-dodging" and say get him the hell in there as HHS Secty.

[Postman]

12. Well there you go......

This is how right wing memes get spread. (and maybe I'm inadvertantly spreading the meme)

I'm not familiar with the fact that that is what the "tax" problem was...all I've seen is the teaser lead in about Daschle's tax problem....

The so-called tax dodging was based on the lending of a friends' car?

[Motown_Johnny]

3. It bothers me a little but not much.. I think Dems should put together a group to audit

prominent office holders and "pre-vet" any potential cabinet members or anyone else who might come under public scrutiny.


Of course this would be a voluntary process and completely confidential.

[dynasaw]

4. It Bothers Me A great Deal

because it erodes Obama's credibility about how is administration is supposed to be a "responsible" one. Daschle needs to step down. Period.

[Motown_Johnny]

5. he still needs to be confirmed, if it were a big problem he would not be confirmed (but he will be)

[4 t 4]

6. bothers me ,I don't think he is worth it move on

[TheCowsCameHome]

7. It bothers me. This stuff has to stop. Now.

I love that guy, but this is totally unacceptable.

[G_j]

9. I never quite got over him kissing Bush's ass

but yes, it bothers me.

[tularetom]

10. It bothers me but I never liked Daschle much anyway

I had no respect for him as a majority leader primarily because he seemed to lack a spine. Why would he be any different as a cabinet member?

Not that Harry Reid is any better.

[lamp_shade]

11. Nope n/t

[sybylla]

13. Deeply.

Daschle needs to go. That kind of glib mismanagement of personal affairs doesn't make one qualified to manage an entire governmental department.

[TacticalPeek]

14. It's a chance to instead nominate someone who might do an even better job.

How's that for diplomatic?

[sohndrsmith]

15. I'm not sure. My initial response is - this is the cost of transparency...

...and unhappy things are going to be uncovered. Is it absolutely clear that he was deliberately trying to hide something or violate the law? I don't think that's the case, but I don't know.

Where do we set the bar for mistakes? For me, deliberate mistakes that people try to cover up or refuse to admit to/rectify are pretty concerning. Mistakes that people make and do everything possible to rectify and apologize for should not necessarily be disqualifying. I think the black/white view that we've been under (at least for people that weren't in the "circle") isn't productive.

I don't think there is an adult alive today who can say they've never made a mistake, and I don't think mistakes are something to condemn people for. How they deal with their mistakes, though, can indicate more about them, I think...

I don't know enough details to condemn Daschle outright... I don't think Obama saw anything either, otherwise I don't think he'd still find the designation/nomination acceptable.

I guess I'm not ready to have a firm, decisive opinion on this yet, but my first reaction is that people ought not be disqualified for things if they take responsibility and rectify past mistakes... or something like that. : )

[elfin]

16. Bothers me quite a bit - I was lukewarm

to his selection from the start. Too much of an insider and now revealed as a savvy manipulator of life on the "outside".

I wonder how much heart he has for the truly hard work this position requires.

I sadly predict failure for universal health care - he and the administration may think they had a "cushion" to draw scarce bipartisan agreement based on his past service. That was just blown away in my opinion.

[EFerrari]

17. His lobbying activity bothers me more.

And his collusion while he was in office most of all, I guess.

It's too bad because there's something about Daschle that makes you want to like him. :(

[kestrel91316]

18. I'm pretty sure somebody like him doesn't sit down and do his own taxes.

He undoubtedly has an accountant who may not have asked the right questions or gone over things very well, and who now is looking for another client.

I've had an accountant miss stuff.