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Originally posted by The17sss Given the major failure that was "Hillarycare" when she was the first lady, why would you think she was best qualified for that position?

Because she's moderated the plan and has the lessons that come from past failure.

And because it's an issue that she's unquestionably passionate about.

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Originally posted by Lebezniatnikov Because she's moderated the plan and has the lessons that come from past failure. And because it's an issue that she's unquestionably passionate about.

fair enough... although, I'm unquestionably passionate about music but I don't expect a phone call from Rolling Stone to write a think piece any time soon. I'd like to think someone who has spent decades in the health care industry who is an acutal medical doctor would be a better conslut. But, yeah your answer makes sense at least when comparing Hillary with Daschle.

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Originally posted by The17sss conslut.

lol.

I don't think a doctor makes a good HHS Secretary - you want an administrator, not a practitioner.

And if your passion for music led you to study and meticulously analyze it, maybe Rolling Stone would call.

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I'm talking about a doctor who has also worked in the administrative side, like the CEO of the Moffet Cancer Center or the chairman of the CDC... someone who was a practicing doctor at one point and has actual real world experience dealing with the medical industry from all perspectives.

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Originally posted by The17sss I'm talking about a doctor who has also worked in the administrative side, like the CEO of the Moffet Cancer Center or the chairman of the CDC... someone who was a practicing doctor at one point and has actual real world experience dealing with the medical industry from all perspectives.

I don't know. Is it necessary for the Secretary of the Treasury to have been a banker or the Secretary of State to have been an Ambassador?

I think it's a qualification, but definitely not a litmus test.

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I'm glad the double standard is getting attention.

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February 3, 2009 Obama’s Pledge to Reform Ethics Faces an Early Test By PETER BAKER WASHINGTON — During almost two years on the campaign trail, Barack Obama vowed to slay the demons of Washington, bar lobbyists from his administration and usher in what he would later call in his Inaugural Address a “new era of responsibility.” What he did not talk much about were the asterisks. The exceptions that went unmentioned now include a pair of cabinet nominees who did not pay all of their taxes. Then there is the lobbyist for a military contractor who is now slated to become the No. 2 official in the Pentagon. And there are the others brought into government from the influence industry even if not formally registered as lobbyists. President Obama said Monday that he was “absolutely” standing behind former Senator Tom Daschle, his nominee for health and human services secretary, and Mr. Daschle, who met late in the day with leading senators in an effort to keep his confirmation on track, said he had “no excuse” and wanted to “deeply apologize” for his failure to pay $128,000 in federal taxes. But the episode has already shown how, when faced with the perennial clash between campaign rhetoric and Washington reality, Mr. Obama has proved willing to compromise. Every four or eight years a new president arrives in town, declares his determination to cleanse a dirty process and invariably winds up trying to reconcile the clear ideals of electioneering with the muddy business of governing. Mr. Obama on his first day in office imposed perhaps the toughest ethics rules of any president in modern times, and since then he and his advisers have been trying to explain why they do not cover this case or that case. “This is a big problem for Obama, especially because it was such a major, major promise,” said Melanie Sloan, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. “He harped on it, time after time, and he created a sense of expectation around the country. This is exactly why people are skeptical of politicians, because change we can believe in is not the same thing as business as usual.” And so in these opening days of the administration, the Obama team finds itself being criticized by bloggers on the left and the right, mocked by television comics and questioned by reporters about whether Mr. Obama is really changing the way Washington works or just changing which political party works it. Some Republicans saw a double standard. “What would it be like if Hank Paulson had come in without paying his taxes, or any other member of the cabinet?” asked Terry Nelson, a political strategist who worked for President George W. Bush and Senator John McCain, referring to Mr. Bush’s Treasury secretary. “It would be roundly attacked and roundly criticized.” Several Democrats, including some who have advised Mr. Obama, said privately that he had only himself to blame for delivering such an uncompromising message as a candidate without recognizing how it would complicate his ability to assemble an administration. In the campaign, Mr. Obama assailed Washington’s “entire culture” in which “our leaders have thrown open the doors of Congress and the White House to an army of Washington lobbyists who have turned our government into a game only they can afford to play.” He vowed to “close the revolving door” and “clean up both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue” with “the most sweeping ethics reform in history.” The language, however, was always more sweeping than the specifics. He spoke of refusing campaign money from lobbyists but took it from the people who hired them. The ethics plan he outlined, and eventually imposed on his administration, did not ban all lobbyists outright but set conditions for their employment and did not cover many who were lobbyists in everything but name. Mr. Daschle, for instance, is not a registered lobbyist, but he made a handsome living advising clients seeking influence with the government, including some in the health industry. Mr. Obama also gave himself the right to grant waivers in cases he deemed exceptional, most prominently to William J. Lynn III, an ex-Raytheon lobbyist he nominated as deputy defense secretary. Others were lobbyists more than two years ago, and therefore not covered by the Obama rules. Some who worked as lobbyists have found places in the administration, including Mark Patterson, who represented Goldman Sachs and is now chief of staff to Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner. William V. Corr, who lobbied for the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, has been selected as deputy health and human services secretary. Obama advisers said that the exceptions were minimal given the thousands to be hired and that appointees would be barred from work on issues they lobbied on in the last two years. The exceptions, they said, were needed for particular skills and experience. Some advocates said the rules were still more significant than any previously imposed. “This is a direct attack on the culture of Washington and in an extremely powerful way,” said Fred Wertheimer, president of Democracy 21, an advocacy group. As for Mr. Daschle and Mr. Geithner, who also failed to pay some taxes, White House officials said the errors should not obscure their records. Mr. Obama “believes that both Secretary Geithner and Secretary-Designate Daschle are the right people for very important jobs,” said Robert Gibbs, the White House press secretary, “and he does not believe that that will undercut their ability to move forward on an agenda that makes sense for the American people.” That argument has drawn sharp criticism from left and right. “Is this really the message he wants to convey to voters in just his first month in office, a message that it’s O.K. to break or skirt the law just as long as you’re a good guy with a special skill set?” asked Andy Ostroy, a blogger writing on The Huffington Post, a liberal Web site. Katrina vanden Heuvel, editor of The Nation, a liberal magazine, said Mr. Obama should withdraw Mr. Daschle’s nomination to “revive the change brand he campaigned and won on.” Mr. Obama is running into crosscurrents that bedeviled his predecessors. Jimmy Carter promised a new day in Washington after Watergate but still found top associates caught up in scandal. Bill Clinton promised “the most ethical administration in history” and then endured the most independent counsel investigations in history. Mr. Bush vowed a new era of responsibility only to be accused of selling out to energy and military industries. Jody Powell, who was Mr. Carter’s press secretary and later founded a prominent lobbying firm, said it was better to establish lofty goals that might not be met than to not have any at all. “If you set standards, you’re going to fall short on occasion and you’re going to have to compromise on occasion,” Mr. Powell said. “But you’re probably also going to get more done.”

How can Obama think it is a good idea to appoint someone who is too stupid to properly file their taxes as the Secretary of Health and Human Services? This idiot is going to fix the healthcare goatfuck here in America? I don't think so.

This is the problem Obama has now, despite all his campaign rhetoric about the change we need and cleaning up Washington his biggest problem is he is still a democrat, and he needed the support of the democratic party elite to win the election. Now that he is in office he has to pay his dues to the people who helped get him there. Sadly, too many of these appointments and its going to hurt his credibility. And if he thinks the Republicans aren't building a dossier of all of his slimeball appointments to bring up during the next election he is kidding himself. Despite winning the election by a large margin, Obama is standing on the shakiest ground of any President since at least the great depression. With all of the things he has promised during the campaign along with the economy he could be setting himself up to be crucified by the Republicans in the next election. Sure he is popular now, but in 2003 even Bush enjoyed a 75% approval rating. Four short years later it was less than 30%, the American people have no problem turning on you if they don't think what you are doing is right for the country.

How about THIS! Another day, another mofukin tax cheat appointee! This is becoming a caricature of itself.

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The informal battle between members of the Obama Administration and the Taxman resulted in a casualty Tuesday, with news that President Obama's nominee to be chief performance officer, Nancy Killefer, will withdraw her nomination following the revelation that she had a $946.69 lien on her property in 2005 for failure to pay taxes. Killefer, who was announced to much fanfare by President Obama on Jan. 7 to serve in the new position to make the U.S. government "more effective, more efficient, and more transparent," is the third high-level Obama Administration official whose failure to pay taxes in recent years was disclosed in the past month. A former officer with McKinsey & Company and the past assistant secretary for management, chief financial officer and chief operating officer at Treasury during the Clinton administration, Killefer joins the ranks of Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, who failed to pay more than $40,000 in payrolltaxes when he worked for the International Monetary Fund, and Secretary of Health and Human Services nominee Tom Daschle, who -- as ABC News was first to report last Friday -- on Jan. 2 filed more than $140,000 in back taxes and interest, having failed to disclose more than $300,000 in past income, including the use of a car and driver for three years. The Associated Press broke the story of Killefer's tax lien placed against Killefer's home in Washington, D.C., for failing to pay unemployment compensation taxes on household help. The issue was resolved five months after the D.C. government took action. When President Obama announced Killefer's new post, he called Killefer "an expert in streamlining processes and wringing out inefficiencies so that taxpayers and consumers get more for their money. And during her time at Treasury, she helped bring the department into the 21st century, modernizing the IRS, and preparing systems for Y2K."

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalp...er-tax-pro.html

When you toss in Charlie Rangle and Al Franken (and Bill Richardson for other scandelous reasons), I mean.. shit! You get a pattern of people who like to raise taxes but not pay them.

Last edited by The17sss on Feb-03-2009 at 17:10

Daschle withdraws. Sianara mothafucka.

I guess the lesson here is that if you ever hope to be appointed to a high level position in a president's administration you better pay your taxes (common sense? lol not for democrats I guess)

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How many more officials are going to run into the tax buzzsaw. Just spoke to someone who is applying for a senior job in the administration. "If you haven't been preparing for public service your whole life, you're really kind of screwed," said the person. That may be a bit much, but it does raise the question of what tax indiscretion/error is now enough to derail your career in the Obama administration.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/...tom-daschle.php

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