I pay my taxes. Period. No excuses. If I screw up, I pay for that too.

[Raven]

As they say, ignorance is no excuse. Tom, you fucked up and you paid for it. Let's move on. The man was no bargain anyway. There has to be somebody out there, qualified for the job, who has played by the rules.

[Cleita]

1. There is Howard Dean but from the comments I've seen both here and

else where, we will be throwing snow balls in Hell before that. It's too bad. He's an honest man who knows how to deal with the insurance companies and for profit health care industry when he was Governor of Vermont. I suspect they are behind keeping him out of the running. Tom Daschle was their sweetheart candidate. Howard isn't. He's the guy we need.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

3. I agree

When you consider all the Obama Cabinet appointees who have already been vetted and confirmed and sworn in, it makes Daschle look really shabby.

Frankly, I'm relieved that he withdrew, but I rather suspect he got the word from the White House telling him to jump. And President Obama took the rap: "I screwed up," he said, and I fell in love all over again.

Howard Dean is made for that job. There would be lots of happy people if Dr. Dean were chosen. I've already called the White House and made my preference known. He is a great man who could do great things at HHS.

[cynatnite]

2. Better add Geitner to that, too. n/t

[stillcool]

4. Why do people assume that if someone..

gets audited and is found to owe back taxes they 'don't play by the rules', or are 'tax-cheats'? You'd think the IRS was some wonderful agency that only went after crooks, and only 'cheats' make mistakes.

[donco6]

5. Sorry, but Daschle should have known this one.

So, yeah, I guess he is a tax cheat.

I've done taxes for YEARS, and you just don't "forget" that kind of benefit.

[stillcool]

6. I wouldn't think that if one of the companies..

I worked for provided me with a car and driver it would count as added income. But then again we only got audited once, and were found to owe back taxes. I guess I don't feel like the tax cheat I should.

[donco6]

14. It absolutely would.

It's a taxable benefit, plain as the nose on your face. Sorry, but this one wouldn't fool anyone who knows about taxes. It just wouldn't. Daschle did the right thing in bowing out.

[katandmoon]

7. Daschle knew MONTHS AGO that he owed back taxes. When did he pay them? Last month.

And he still owes some money.

That's why he's a cheat. He only paid anything up now because he knew all eyes were about to be on him.

Another massively rich massively entitled fucker who got rich off being in the Senate and doesn't think the rules apply to him.

[stillcool]

10. We worked out a payment plan...

The IRS doesn't mess around when they find you owing. I don't get this.

[riderinthestorm]

8. I got audited. We used a cheap tax preparer and paid for it.

I think we got a bum deal, and I'm absolutely sure the IRS fucked us over but it's done and we paid our debt. Since then, we have a tax attorney file our taxes. Yep, it's expensive but we won't ever be investigated again. I work in a "high crime" tax shelter business (horses) so I'm "red-flagged". I know my tax returns are going to get a fine tooth comb. So I know that and pay to deal with it. Those costs are more than worth it.

On the other hand Daschle wanted a job that DEMANDS high scrutiny, and payment of taxes (or the lack thereof) is part and parcel of that. Paying through the nose for tax prep just has to go along with $200k retainer fees (plus any other number of perks we haven't heard about yet....)

He fucked up. I pay through the nose for high quality legal advice to ensure I never fuck up on my taxes. Ever. People who harbor even one iota of ambition for public office surely MUST know this. If I can afford it (and I make a miniscule fraction of Daschle), then he can.

This was a purposeful shaft to the IRS. He got caught. Tough shit. Kick him to the side of the road and Obama is lucky it got caught now.

[Cleita]

13. I got audited too. I used a cheap tax preparer, me, but when I went

to someone who knew what he was doing to resubmit my taxes, it turns out I paid too much and got money back. Hehe, that backfired on the IRS.

[Lex]

9. Obama really wanted Daschle.

nt

[deaniac21]

11. yep

[Raven]

12. I have been audited twice. The first time was in the early '70's and

it was over a child care deduction for Will. Will's father had just returned from Vietnam. The IRS wanted proof that Will existed and that I worked. The next time was because of an accountant's screw up. I remember going into the IRS headquarters in Boston and only seeing poor people waiting to be audited. I have absolutely no sympathy for Tom. None, nada.