Well, we all know he'll be confirmed, but I just don't think it's fair. I mean, it's just not fair.

Maybe you could be a little more specific? What's not fair?

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Reading is Fundamental.

Just guessing but perhaps it has something to do with this:

Obama says he 'absolutely' still backs Tom Daschle - Los Angeles Times



"The president affirms his support for Daschle, his nominee for secretary of Health and Human Services. Daschle says he is 'deeply embarrassed' by 'errors' that led him to miss $128,000 in owed taxes." (emphasis mine)

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Cecilia

"We must love them both--those whose opinions we share and those whose opinions we reject. For both have labored in the search for truth, and both have helped us in the finding of it."
Saint Thomas Aquinas

I don't think he should be confirmed.

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Proud to say I haven't shopped at a Wal-Mart since Sept 2003

I agree that he should not be confirmed.

That is more money than many people earn!

How can these people forget to pay taxes? Some "error " huh?:

Bet if we forgot to back taxes we would get more than confirmed

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Sometimes the elevator often the shaft

I can't get too excited about tax problems that the guy admits to,and pays, given the secrecy and behaviors of a certain previous administration.

I don't like it, but it bugs me a whole lot less than, say, outing a CIA agent or starting a needless war or letting a city drown.

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Reading is Fundamental.

Admits to after it comes to light.....

I have a feeling, looking at some of these nominees, that it's going to be quite an interesting ride these next four years. Something tells me the love-fest is going to be pretty short-lived. I firmly believe the press leans solidly left, but I also believe that they are more in love with themselves than their principles, and as soon as they smell red meat they'll turn on their own.

How do you suppose it came to light??

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Reading is Fundamental.

I admit I haven't paid close attention. I assumed that as soon as the bright lights of the background check got flipped on that either he had to fess up himself immediately, or they found something questionable and he then shared his canned, carefully crafted explanation.

Or did O's accounting team find the error and show him the problem with the ledger, at which point Tom said "Well, gosh! How'd that happen? I thought I paid top dollar for good tax help and it looks like they missed a bunch of zeros! How embarrassing!"

Does he do his own taxes? Many people don't, and there is always a possibility that he might have honestly not known......I haven't really followed the story, so I don't know the details.

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Nicole

Ready to jump on him though, with or without facts.

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Reading is Fundamental.

I haven't either, Buckeye, and the tax code is such a crazy mess that it does seem easy for mistakes to occur, no matter who you are.

But... the IRS, from what I understand, isn't especially fond of 'regular people' saying it wasn't their fault when these things happen.

Interestingly, I just read that he has been paid many thousands of dollars from the industry he would be supposed to reform if confirmed.

From what I have read, he uses and accountant. Most of the failed taxes due were because of a car and driver he never claimed as income. It seems the presidential transition team flagged charitable contributions that were deducted in error and that's when he asked his accountant about the car and driver he's had for many years.

I got to give it to the guy that once it came out, he paid the taxes and apologized. I just don't think he should be confirmed. I mean, the tax code IS confusing but honestly, he thought the car and driver were a gift and didn't have to be claimed? Uh, even I know that isn't how it works. His accountant said he was "naive" about it and thought it was a gift from a friend. For this position, I just want a person who isn't so naive about the tax code. This doesn't seem like something that is OMG...I had no idea! I can't imagine someone at his position would think that wouldn't be deemed taxable. Hardly anything in this life is free (or taxable).

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Proud to say I haven't shopped at a Wal-Mart since Sept 2003

Smurf, what was the value of the car and driver? Must have been quite high if he owes - what was it? $128K? in taxes on that gift?

I think if a 'gift' like that was going to cost me that much that I'd just drive myself and donate the money I saved in taxes to a worthy cause.

Then again, I don't have any friends who would get me a car and driver, so.... maybe I just don't get it?

I haven't followed it closely... but I'd skimmed enough to know that failed to pay what was due for more than one year in a row and that he was pleading with those who had the power to make or break his nomination to not let that get in the way.

I've always found Tom to be a little smarmy, personally, and hope that if he is confirmed that he doesn't spend a lot of time in front of the cameras.

I also believe I read - and I am sure someone will correct me if I am wrong - that the Treasury pick has tax issues as well.

What's up there?

ABC News: White House Says Daschle's Tax Failure Was a 'Serious Mistake'

He thought some $330K in consulting including driver/car weren't taxable...at least that is what the abc story said. He only brought that up because of the problems with his charitable contributions that the transition committee found

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Proud to say I haven't shopped at a Wal-Mart since Sept 2003

Yep I hate to see someone that can't handle his own taxes in such a high position. It's nice he's paid up, etc... but excuses, excuses, excuses.......

On Jan. 21, the day after his inauguration, Obama issued an executive order barring any former lobbyists who join his administration from dealing with matters or agencies related to their lobbying work. Nor could they join agencies they had lobbied in the previous two years.

PROMISES, PROMISES: No lobbyists at WH, except ... - Yahoo! News

Well he has already gone back on that....Obama has appointed more than 17 lobbyists after talking big on anti-lobbyist Governance and rooting corruption out of the American Government
take the example of the newest exposure of doubletalk from Obama! After calling for clean Governance, he appoints a Treasury Secretary who “forgot” to pay for his ‘business tax’ for years! Tom Daschle, a top lobbyist in Washington, who has amended his U.S. tax forms to pay back taxes with interest, is now Obama’s best choice for America’s chief health official.
Would you believe, Obama had to issue 17 waivers on his own rule in less than two weeks for allowing lobbyist enter his Administration and control Governance of America

IndiaDaily - Obama appointed more than 17 lobbyists after talking big on anti-lobbyist, clean Governance

However, William J. Lynn III, his choice to become the No. 2 official at the Defense Department, recently lobbied for military contractor Raytheon. And William Corr, tapped as deputy secretary at Health and Human Services, lobbied through most of last year as an anti-tobacco advocate. Corr says he will take no part in tobacco matters in the new administration

PROMISES, PROMISES: No lobbyists at WH, except ... - Yahoo! News
Obama has only been president for two weeks and the scandals associated with his cabinet promise to make Warren Harding's cabinet look like a group of observant Franciscans by comparison. Apart from Hillary's already notorious dubious past she is being sued by Judicial Watch under Article I, Section 6, as ineligible for Secretary of State; Tim Geithner has been exposed as a tax fraud (he'll head Treasury and the IRS of all things!); Holder, the new Attorney General, has distinguished himself in the legal profession by sponsoring the Clinton pardons of FALN terrorists and defending fugitive Marc Rich; Richardson withdrew in disgrace over a home-brewed scandal in New Mexico. Now Tom Daschle joins the corrupt crew

HE already has filled his cabinet with corrupt people and went back on his word and he has been president how long???

Daschle must have forgot about this......

Daschle Pushes For No Mercy Prosecution Of Tax Cheats
Breitbart.tv » ‘98 Flashback: Daschle Pushes For No Mercy Prosecution Of Tax Cheats

Simply unbelievable but yet you dont hear a word from the liberal media or the American people for that matter.....Can you say BLIND>...Sherri

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"It isn't that liberals are ignorant, it's just that they know so much that isn't so."
- Ronald Reagan

$128,xxx tax due for a car / driver whatever that he didn't tell his tax person about so it's not his fault?

We little people drive ourselves and are responsible for doing our taxes, or providing the accountant with pertinent information.

We little people likely wouldn't have the $128,xxx so fast to cough up and hand over either.

Glad I'm not a big wheel, it must be confusing keeping all the gifts straight and deciding what to tell your accountant and what not to tell them.

dl

This has nothing to do with your self proclaimed tit for tat, or dragging in a previous administration, but I'll give you .5 for a nice try.

dl

Thank you, Mr. Daschle, for yet another reason to support the Fairtax. Oh yeah, let's not forget to thank Mr. Geithner, too.

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I want to keep ALL of my paycheck and eliminate the pyramid scheme known as Social Security (there is no lockbox ). Do you want the same thing? www.fairtax.org

There will always be comparisons between Pres. Bush and Obama. Pres. Bushs faults, in liberal eyes, are so extensive that no matter what Obama does, it won't be as bad. Therefore, Obama gets a pass.

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Melissa

Looks like Tom withdrew his name today...

Funny, I remember Bush getting a pass on everything from every conservative on the board.

Not quite sure what Obama's even done that you think he needs a pass for.

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Reading is Fundamental.

So true. But, I was glad to see on an interview on CNN today that Pres. O takes fulls responsiblity for the Daschle mess. Good for him! See, a conservative can say a nice thing about a liberal if the liberal deserves it! But can a liberal do the same????

Nice try. You know good and well people had good things to say about John McCain on the politics board before it disappeared.

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Reading is Fundamental.

Not talking about McCain at all. He has never been the President!!!!! I was referring more to the bashing of President Bush. Hope that makes more sense to you now.

I never saw anyone "bash" Bush. We sure had a lot to say about his disastrous and corrupt policies.

Oh my gosh, there was plenty of Bush bashing.

Do you even listen to yourself? I made a direct response to your comment about liberals being unable to say nice things about conservatives and you come back with this blather? WTH are you talking about??

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Reading is Fundamental.

If you don't get what I was trying to convey then I'm not going to explain it to you. Over and out!

Oh, rats, I'll miss you so much.

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Reading is Fundamental.

Thanks! I'm sure you'll be fine!

We had many discussions about the actions he took and the policies he implemented. Even you have to admit that none of them turned out well.

None??? I absolutely disagree. And there was direct Bush bashing, not only his policies.

You have got to be kidding me????? It should have been renamed the Bash Bush board.....I dont know how you can even say that???????? Sherri

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"It isn't that liberals are ignorant, it's just that they know so much that isn't so."
- Ronald Reagan

Thank you Sher!

I think she was referring to the discussions, not just the policies.

When Bush was "bashed," as you conservatives like to call any criticism of Bush, it was because of his policies and actions, not just because he's Bush.

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Reading is Fundamental.

There were many personal insults against President Bush as a person, not just his policies.

Bush is a bad person, who implemented bad policies, so there are going to be unfavorable comments about that fact.

Name them.

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Reading is Fundamental.

"Super Bowl hype was like Bushie playing flyboy in his costume on the deck of the Abraham Lincoln.

Today is a celebration of the peaceful transfer of power, a relative rarity in the world.

I promise you, those of us celebrating today would have loved to have seen Obama's inauguration take place on November 5, but I suspect Bush & Co. would have objected to that particular abuse of the Constitution. For a change."

I'm sure you were referring to him as "Bushie" in the nicest possible way, huh???

I do not get it, would you go ?

Praise to God we have a new president

posted by Jujubee2:
"I'm not seeing roses and other flowers -- give me a break! I'm relieved that someone with a brain is in office after 8 long years of being "led" by the village idiot. Free at last, free at last, free at last."

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Doing the right thing isn't always the same as doing the easy thing.

Bushie is what his wife calls him. What's your problem with it?

Not seeing any insults here, just the facts. In his case, there's a lot of overlap, unfortunately.

Might want to make your links work.

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Reading is Fundamental.

"Village idiot" sounds rather insulting.

Would the term "Bushie" coming from his wife be said in the same tone as someone vehemently opposed to him using it? A little common sense says no.

With Bush and Obama, I'm neutral. I'm wasn't "for" either one.

As far as insults, there's was plenty thrown from both camps. I never understood the "tear the other guy down" type campaigns. It makes a person look foolish. Makes me think that someone who tears another person down, has nothing with which to build themselves up. It looks just as bad as when supporters do it.

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You're right, village idiot is a little insulting. Accurate, but insulting.

If we're not allowed to call him the same name his wife -- who presumably likes him -- calls him, I guess "W" is out, too? Even "Dubya," which I seem to recall he used himself? I'm happy to call him just Bush. And happier still to call him history.

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Reading is Fundamental.

Intention, tone and attitude mean a lot. I think it's a pretty safe bet to say, his wife and folks here who don't like him mean it very differently.

I never envied him his position, but....agreed.

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Read the post before this one. Bush is a bad person. That an insult against a person.

When someone like you says it, it's highly insulting. But, I expect nothing more than that from you.


Pathetic, but, again, I expect nothing more from you.


I don't have any problem with the links. Might be operator error.

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Doing the right thing isn't always the same as doing the easy thing.

Oh, I admit---I insulted Fmr President Bush. I think he's at best a doofus, at worst dangerous.
His inability to speak halfway eloquently in public was an embarassment to himself and an extremely poor reflection on the US. Does that make me a bad person?

Maybe...but I'm expressing my opinion based on what I have seen/witnessed from Fmr President Bush. I don't ask you to agree, and my opinion of Fmr President Bush is not necessarily a reflection on how I may think or perceive his supporters.

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Mental that one, I'm telling you. ---Ron Weasley, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets"