The tax problems of Tom Daschle and Timothy Geithner are being treated as curable issues that do not interfere with their credentials to hold positions of trust in the Obama administration. They paid their back taxes, yet I wonder about all of it.
Consider this the tip of the iceberg. These two fine, scrupulous men tried to get away with about a quarter million dollars between them. They probably would not have been caught if they had not been nominated to such high offices. Most likely, there were others who have been vetted along the way who had similar tax difficulties. There are still others who withdrew early from the running because they had issues that they did not want to come to light. We are not talking Bernie Madoffs here, just outstanding public servants who love to serve their country and uncounted others across the spectrum of American life. Tom and Tim may be peerless in their expertise, and therefore the very best persons to fill the positions for which they have been selected.
How many more scrupulous, dedicated, American, public and private servants have failed to pay their required taxes because of "honest" mistakes? (Apparently, their accountants- which most Americans do not have- are either very unscrupulous or very bad.) How much tax revenue has the federal treasury lost because of the "honest" mistakes of "decent" "law-abiding" people like Tom and Tim?
Please note that we are not talking tax loopholes that should be plugged. We are not talking about the potentially thousands of unscrupulous entrepreneurs who are deliberately ripping off the federal government with many devious schemes ranging from creative tax computation to overcharging the government for everything from nuts and bolts to airplanes and toilets.
Tom and Tim represent the responsible citizens whom President Obama has called upon to bear their share of responsibility to get America back on the right track.
How can Tom create a health care program with congress after he is confirmed when practically every vote for his confirmation is cast by a senator to whom he would then be beholden.
I would love to see a tax holiday where those who owe big like these two saintly men could pay the share they owe for say the past ten years (yes, this is beyond the IRS statute of limitations), without further penalty, or a greatly reduced penalty, or even a ten percent reduction of what is owed. I think this would help out our treasury, our deficit, our debt. It would also provide us with a list of people to watch out for so they are not nominated to positions of authority without serious rehabilitation. And then have the IRS under the direction of Tim, who knows the mistakes that people make, go after the unscrupulous characters who have truly screwed our country in many ways.
