Once again, Dole rides to rescue of embattled Cabinet nominee; calls Daschle tax issue "innocent"

...but paying your taxes seems fundamental. Not paying your taxes while a lobbyist, seems really dumb.
Tom needs to step aside so the important work of the Obama administration can proceed without distraction.

But By God, they sure can pass 'em, they just can't seem to pay 'em! Uh, Charlie no penalties, no interest? Can the rest of us get the same deal?? NOT!!

I have some tax problems. Bob, can you help me out? I'm even a Democrat, so that should sweeten the pot for you.

Bob Dole is out of his [expleting] mind calling this an innocent mistake.

Do we really want these dorks who make innocent mistakes leading multi--tiered, complex organizations like HHS and Treasury?

An "innocent mistake" there could be costly and this country can't afford any more innocent mistakes. Geithner should have never been confirmed and neither should Daschle.

A child spilling his milk is an innocent mistake.

...there may not be much consequence for Daschle's failure to pay his taxes. Republican Senators say they'll ask him about it, but say it may not derail the nomination.
I'm suspicious.
This sounds a bit "cozy".
Like, maybe, these guys have some issues in their own closet that they don't want to expose to the light of investigation.

That's a plausible explanation that explains why they aren't challenging Daschle's nomination more aggressively. Tom may know more about them than they want us to know.

Otherwise, these guys would leap at this opportunity to get rid of him before he spearheads Health Care reform.

money or work sweeetheart deals that make them big bucks while in office -
And I'll show you my magic unicorn.

They all turn thei "service" into a profit generating enterprise.

They all do it. Why do you think we are in this mess? If they all did what was best for the country as a whole, and not to line their re-election coffers and personal wealth, none of this would have happened.

The system is rotten to the core, and the "change" is going to have to go far beyond stimulus packages and redirected spending. The actual structure of how business is done in Wahington must fundamentally change.

that most (if not all) politicians see their office as an opportunity to get rich quick.
The rub, as they say, is how to fix this...
It takes money to wage a campaign against these guys. Where will we get the money to campaign against the incumbent people and system?
And once we get into the money business, how do we insure we aren't syphoned into the same cesspool as the folks we abhor?
Money is a neutral commodity. It destroys ethics equally.
I hate to be dismal, but we need to be realistic. Right now, Pelosi and Reid would be good examples if we ridded ourselves of them.

the phrase over-the-hill keeps jumping in to my mind whenever Bob's name is mentioned?

once again you're right on target. The essence of the problem is that we have made it inappropriate to utter the word morality in the same sentence as politics, and the array of scumbags in both parties is the logical conclusion.

Herbert Spencer said:

The essence of the problem is that we have made it inappropriate to utter the word morality in the same sentence as politics...

Thank you, Herbert Spencer. And for those of you who don't like him or what he says...

...up yours. (smile)

That was for you Herbert Spencer.

Go Cardinal! ...as for the Steelers? Up yours!

Troy Aloha (I can't pronounce his last name) for the Steelers -- get a haircut.

Larry Fitzgerald for the Cardinals -- you look like an upstanding young man.

Morality, it seems to me, excludes politics as we see it practiced in America today.
The nature of needing to raise enormous amounts of money in order to get and stay elected is a Faustian act in which the soul of the office holder is sold to the devil for campaign funds.
Think I'm wrong?
Look at the angst and manipulations from one end of this country to the other over Campaign Reform and Campaign Ethics.

Lawrence Lessig and Joe Trippi started an organization called Change Congress: On Strike

Right now, special interests have more influence over our political system than regular folks because of our broken campaign finance laws. These special interests pump millions of dollars into congressional campaigns each cycle, and as a result, they block real change on issue after issue.
Here at Change Congress, we believe that politicians should work for the people, not special interests. But it’s not enough to push politicians to stay out of the system of corruption—we have to reform the system itself. That’s why we support a hybrid of small-dollar donations and public financing, to keep big money out of politics.

Love him or hate him, President Obama's election campaign proves that a grass roots effort, using such tools as the internet, can bring real change, and counter balance the so called Washington elite and power brokers.

The Democratic elites wanted Hillary. She was groomed to be the next president.
But we all know what happened. The internet and an engaged and motivated electorate brought him in over the heads of the power dealers. I don't care what they say, you can tell from the totality that Bill and Hillary were pissed, and that this took them by surprise.

Guess what fellow citizens? We can do it again. Stay informed and stay engaged. Instead of sitting slack jawed watching the "Bread and Circuses" the Corporate Media serves us as digital Xanax, write emails and write letters. Organize. Whatever your political persuasion, push for what you believe in. We can fill the vacuum of good ideas and a level playing field that we have abdicated in the past through complacency and apathy.

So even as dim as things are right now, I do see a glimmer of hope. We need to be involved and demand that our voices be heard. And for the tone deaf pols that want to go business as usual, call them out. When they are up for reelection, fire them.

Politics used to be a bigger deal to everyday people than professional athletics in the old days. People were involved and did things like read newspapers. The old Ward politics seemed to take care of the Middle Class, as they were the people who turned out. Now DC has insulated itself from the rest of us, and it is strictly big money and international politics and economics. We are no longer the participants; we are the pawns.

But that can change if we stay involved, and not lapse back into our old ways. We need to become like the citizens of old, but now with much more capability to inform ourselves, network and become educated on the issues. And most importantly, we have the power to elect or fire the folks we put in office.

That idea probably scares the crap out of them down in DC.

...only a handful of very naive people believe the mythology that Obama won on the money raised by small contributors.
Sure, that made a great story. Just like the Cherry Tree worked for George Washington.
But a simple and cursory examination of the financial records demonstrate Obama won based on PAC and other mega-donors bringing in the big bucks.
I contributed to Obama after McCain chose Palin. But I'm pretty sure my contribution didn't bring him over the top.
Just like every other politician has won when the war chest is full of money from big contributors and enablers...Obama succeeded to get this money and he won.
Just like every other politican will in future contests...

Remember the flap over Obama refusing public financing and knocked the wind out of McCain? You don't do that on fives and tens.

PM,
KCLaw has a good point.
Obama may not have raised his money on small donations, but his campaign was more or less a large grass roots effort. Somewhat by design.
Look locally at Jolie Justice (sp?) to see another example of that. It can be done.

that Obama won because of his grass-roots campaign.
Did you see any of his local campaign offices?
Computers. Phone Banks. The whole nine yards.
Those "grass-roots" organizations were fueled by paid workers.

But how?
Money. Money. Money.

And not my paltry contribution. Big, big money.

Look, I'm certainly not saying this was wrong. I just want us to understand the money is and will continue to be the mother's milk of politics.

grassroots volunteers.

I understand that Obama spent a boatload of money on his way to the POTUS, but I like KCLaws idea of change coming from the grassroots.

If We the People held our representatives up to the light, the flaws would be mirrored in our choices.
Until the change we voted for is enforced at the top, those at the bottom will continue to live in their shadows.
Expectations and purpose must become one, like the words of a song.
BOBZILLA

Of course there were volunteers in those offices. But they (we) were directed by paid workers.
It's important to demythologizes Obama. Or there are going to be a lot of disappointed people when they realize he has feet of clay.

I'm all for grassroots reform.
I'm all for Santa Claus, too.

A State or the Federal Government borrows your money for free and you are put at the end of line.

February 2, 2009, Reuters out of San Francisco:

The payments [tax refunds] were due to start on Monday but State Controller John Chiang has said he will hold back the refunds for at least 30 days because the state must close a $15 billion shortfall in its current budget and needs its dwindling cash for more pressing payments, including debt service.

...government of the the people, by the people and for the rich.

so I understand the new administration
intends cutting the defense budget by
11%. Why would we do this, but fund those
ATV trails, in a nation at war with
Islamic terrorists?

There was maybe ONE or TWO paid staff members and the rest of the literally hundreds of people who ran that office were volunteers. And that is just the one office here that I know about.

Yes it takes money to get elected. But Obama built an amazing grassroots network. Howard Dean deserves credit for the work he did mobilizing the volunteers before Obama even began his campaign. The internet was also a critical tool for the first time in history.

So I think you are all correct here. It took money (a lot of it) but all those people knocking on doors and making phone calls and organizing at the local level all over the country (unpaid volunteers) were essential in winning this election.

The campaign also deserves credit for the efficient organizing that utilized these volunteers. And paid staff did most of that work.

It was evident the weekend before the election when Obama had so many more feet on the street than McCain did. You can't win with money alone.

Why do we want to cut defense spending?

Because a lot of defense spending is unnecessary or useless.

For example, we do not need to build a missile defense shield that does not work.

Su-weet! Daschle dodges $140,000 in income taxes and penalties, doesn't pay his Medicare taxes, claims more charitable deductions than he made, looks really dirty for some of his "advisor fees" and payments from health ins. companies, but the "democrats" don't see any problems with any of that, nothing to disqualify him for the Health and Human Services job. Oops, I forgot, they're democrats, no ethics, morality, honesty, or honor to get in their way! Daschle probably doesn't have a clue why there is any uproar about it! Don't expect Sharpton or Geithner think he did anything wrong! The Messiah doesn't see any problem! There's your "Change", allright! The jackals are breaking into the henhouse! (Ya think maybe Geithner will go after him for tax evasion?)