Looks Like The Fix Is In And Daschle Will Be Confirmed.......

[global1]

every Senator - both Repug and Dem - are sticking up for Daschle - slapping his back - that he is a great guy. If you listen to the talking heads on the cable news channels - they are also bucking up Daschle.

Looks to me like the fix is in. I guess old Washington will win out here. Unfortunately - President Obama is going to lose a lot of luster in this one. He said he'd change D.C. and what we are getting with Daschle is just more of the same. I'm sorry - I just lost a little respect for the Pres on this one. I'm still hoping that the Pres is just standing behind Daschle because he has some of his staff putting pressure on Daschle to withdraw from the post. This is the only way I see both of these guys saving face.

If President Obama still wants to use Daschle as a consultant - he still could - but Daschle shouldn't be elevated to the Cabinet - because that will just tarnish Obama.

It really is surprising that the Repugs aren't out in numbers trying to get Dashle out. Wouldn't you think that this would be a great platform for them to jump on? Why aren't they? What do they know? Why are they content with Daschle? Is it because they know that Daschle won't make the reforms in healthcare that we really need or is it because they want a weakened Daschle and Obama so they can obstruct healthcare reform as well.

[Autumn]

1. All of the answers are in your last

paragraph.

[ClarkUSA]

3. Um, Republicans acted the same way towards Hillary. Senators stick up for each other.

[Autumn]

4. Um ,So what does Hillary

have to do with a thread on Daschle?

[ClarkUSA]

6. Both are Senators who received the same confirmation treatment by their Senate colleagues.

Despite controversies with both Cabinet appointees, both confirmations were/are not in doubt.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

20. At least Daschle apologized for his mistake which was less aggregious than ones others have made. . ...

Hey, at least no one died as a result, so I think we should cut the guy some slack.

[ClarkUSA]

34. Good points.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

46. he's just sorry he got caught

I used to really like Daschle, but he must be highly narcistic to
pull crap like this.

Clearly he's very wealthy, he could have paid his taxes.

This is another clunker for the Democrats.

This is the kind of shit that causes us to lose the majority -
it gets the party as a whole labeled corrupt.

[Occam Bandage]

12. Daschle's far to the left of Obama on health-care reform.

He's a huge proponent of universal health care. I highly doubt the Republicans are slapping him on the back because they like his policies.

[Autumn]

15. Could it be Daschle has always

bent over for the Republicans?:shrug: I'm old but as I remember he was very ineffective.

[eridani]

22. Nonsense. He's a pro-private insurance company well-paid lobbyist n/t

[Occam Bandage]

27. Thanks for the buzzwords, but he's entirely in favor of universal healthcare.

Which is more than anyone can say about Obama.

[eridani]

29. You can't have universal health care if private insurers bleed the pool of health care dollars dry

Both Obama and Daschle are willing to live with that, unfortunately.

[NorthCarolina]

49. Links to his Pro-Universal Healthcare stance please?? n/t

[Thrill]

2. He's a former Senator. You knew this would happen. Its the old country club

[blueknight]

5. he is a admitted tax cheater

he needs to withdraw, my brother cheated on his taxes and got 12 months in a federal pen. his ass should go as well. and my brother didnt owe near as much as daschle. repubs or dems, im sick of the high and mighty getting away with shit

[ClarkUSA]

7. The story is he didn't know that he had to pay his driver's taxes.

He's also paid up with penalties. I have friends who've made tax mistakes and they didn't go to jail.
Every case is different. Did your brother may have knowingly cheated on his taxes?

In Daschle's case, a friend of his lent him a car and driver, so Daschle thought his friend was paying
the driver's taxes or that the driver was paying his own taxes. I can see myself making the same
mistake, so I'm inclined to cut him slack.

[Celebration]

25. If he didn't know that, he is not intelligent enough

I thought he turned himself in. He had to have known. I don't think he should go to jail for it but he shouldn't be in the Cabinet.

[ClarkUSA]

36. It's an easy mistake to make. It's a stretch to think otherwise, in fact.

Most people other than tax accountants would think the driver would pay his own taxes. Obviously, when he went to his
accountant prior to being publicly announced as a Cabinet appointee, he found out and paid up with penalties. I don't
see this as a big deal. Like it or not, he will be in the Cabinet, and because of his good will contacts in the Senate, he's
going to be a prime mover in bringing about national healthcare for this country.

[Celebration]

41. you are MISUNDERSTANDING the ISSUE

This is not a payroll tax issue at all. He failed to declare the FREE USE OF THE CAR AND DRIVER AS ORDINARY INCOME. It was provided to him free of charge, and he failed to count it as income.

It is not a nanny tax issue at all.

[ClarkUSA]

44. No, I am not. He believed that his friend or the driver himself was taking care of the taxes.

He corrected his mistake way back in June 2008, before he was even a Cabinet nominee. I don't see the problem.
People do this all the time. I know I have family who've self-corrected tax mistakes to the tune of $70K and it was
not a big deal.

[Celebration]

51. what you are saying is literally impossible

There is no method by which one person can pay INCOME TAXES for another.

[Abq_Sarah]

28. The car and driver

Count as income. That's why Daschle got busted and I don't believe for a second he didn't know that. Additionally, he under reported his income by leaving off a 83K "consulting" gig and he over reported his charitable contributions by 15K.

[ClarkUSA]

39. I'd probably make the same mistake if a buddy of mine supplied his car and driver.

As for the rest, I'd like links as proof of what you're saying. That said, if what you're saying is true, those are
common mistakes, I would bet. Forgetting 83K in consulting fee when you've grossed $4M isn't a big red
flag nor is over reporting charitable contributions. I'm sure his total charitable contributions were substantial
compared to mine. None of what you said will make a difference, because he did nothing illegal, as far as I
know. People make mistakes on their tax forms all the time. Most people do not do it deleiberately.

[Celebration]

42. This is baloney

People have gone to jail for less. "Forgetting" ordinary income is a big no no. Sure he turned himself in and is off the hook criminally because of it. But if he turned himself in, then he knew about it all along.

[ClarkUSA]

45. What's baloney is the current circular firing squad doing the corporate media's job for them.

Sure he turned himself in and is off the hook criminally because of it.

That's the way the I.R.S. rewards people who fix their own mistakes.

But if he turned himself in, then he knew about it all along.

You're quite the judge, jury and executioner, aren't you? HTF do you know how he found out? :eyes:

[Celebration]

50. Anyone with an average IQ knows you have to report INCOME n/t

[ClarkUSA]

57. Not when you think someone else is reporting it.

[phleshdef]

8. If you catch an error before the IRS does and you pay it, it isn't cheating.

[greguganus]

10. Want to get everyone to pay their back taxes? Have Obama give them all cabinet positions. n/t

[phleshdef]

11. Whatever, all I'm saying is that its simply not a case of someone committing tax evasion.

[laugle]

26. Yeah.....if he hadn't been chosen for HHS, he would have paid his taxes, NOT!!

The guy is a slime and should WITHDRAW!

But of course.........only the LITTLE PEOPLE PAY TAXES..............the other's just cheat or use loopholes..............

[phleshdef]

35. I can't take anyone that uses "Not!!" as an argument the least bit serious.

And if you would pull your head out for 1 minute and think about it, Daschle has BEEN paying a LOT in taxes ever since he left Washington and went to work in private industry. Daschle is the one that caught the unpaid taxes on the limo, Daschle is the one that made it known to the transition team. Daschle and the transition team are the ones that told the Senate finance committee about it in the first place.

There are many reasons to perhaps oppose Daschle taking this position. But this tax cheat stuff is complete and utter bullshit of the highest degree. The guy has been paying a whole lot more out every year than the 128,000 he owed in back taxes. This shit happens all the time with people that make a lot of money in what basically amounts to a self employed situation.

Grow the fuck up and think about the details before you start mindlessly foaming at the mouth over nonissues such as this. You make yourself look foolish.

[laugle]

53. Who looks

foolish now, in case your haven't heard, Daschle withdrew!

Geez.....at 56, I hope I'm grown-up. You should learn how to converse in a more civil way without insults!

Now take your toys and go home......your not worth my time......

End of story.......Ignore

[cherokeeprogressive]

24. It's called "Senatorial Privilege" n/t

[laugle]

9. Of course they will confirm him since they are all or most of them

guilty of the same/similar actions.

Same old bullshit in Washington!! It stinks.....................

[Occam Bandage]

13. No shit. Nobody in DC really cares if someone didn't pay a certain tax for a while.

Given how complex all of their finances end up being--and given how many of them know they're doing things that are unambiguously bad under the table--nobody is going to put up a serious fight over some dude who screwed up his taxes (and noticed the problem before the IRS did.)

[phleshdef]

37. Not to mention that he has been paying a truck load in taxes with or without the limo stuff.

[onenote]

14. Cabinet officials are rarely rejected

Only 20 cabninet nominees have been rejected or withdrawn in over 200 years. While the pace has picked up, there still have only been 6 nominations withdrawn since 1900 and 3 rejected. ANd of those only one was a former senator -- John Tower.

[karynnj]

16. Thanks - this really does put it in perspective

I guess the vast majority of Senators feel the President should get his/her team.

[Jennicut]

23. That really shocked me. I guess the person needs to be a murdered or something.

Or Zoe Baird.

[Clear Blue Sky]

17. Of course...

They are all part of the most exclusive club in the world. They look after each other in a true bipartisan fashion.

So much for change...

[Life Long Dem]

18. The fix is the keyword.

The keyword Obama has an Ace.

[spanone]

19. the senate is a mighty small club, they protect their own.

[ShortnFiery]

21. These "elitist" club members best remember who they represent lest they LOSE their seats.

They are OUR representatives not "little kings and queens." :thumbsdown:

[Political Tiger]

30. "The Fix Is In." Where have I heard that before?

Oh! Now I remember!
   

[DCBob]

31. Because Daschle's overall career of outstanding public service outweighs his tax problems.

He will be confirmed and this will all be forgotten in a few weeks. Time to move on and fix healthcare.

[JCMach1]

33. Explain to me Dashcle's brilliant insights on the subject... umm wait a second

he needs to phone his healthcare friends...

Oh yeah, that brilliant career included being one of chief Democratic enablers of MR. Bush.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

47. then why don't we ALL just not pay our taxes?

we're all nice people.

Surely the govt will understand.

Oh thats right, its only ok if you are insanely wealthy.

[JCMach1]

32. 140,000 in back taxes for me or you= trip to jail

For Dashle= slight problem to explain away in a hearing... What's wrong with that picture?

Not to mention the lobbying! This deserves a serious :wtf:

This is OFFICIALLY Obama's first mistake.

[phleshdef]

38. BS. If I caught the same error and went to the IRS with the $ they would take it. No jail. No nothin

[WinkyDink]

40. Well, sure, for $145,000. Now try to get out of paying $1450.

[phleshdef]

43. Finding the error yourself and going to the IRS with the money is not "trying to get out of paying".

Thats the point everyone wants to ignore. Daschle did not commit tax evasion. No matter how bad you may want to spin it that he did, he simply didn't.

I can understand many reasons for opposing Daschle's appointment, but this is just silly stuff. People do this sort of thing all the time. As long as you go to the IRS with the good will to make it right, they WILL work with you. I've been in similar situations when I was a freelance contractor and I was able to remedy it with no problems, no threats, no nothing. And I'm certainly not wealthy.

[WinkyDink]

48. I don't do "spin"; I do "consistent, whether Democrat or Republican."

[quiller4]

54. actually the IRS didn't assess Daschle any tax

he reported the change to his return himself and paid the additional tax. I've talked to several tax attorneys that say Daschle's original report complied with code. How you value and report non-cash compensation is no simple matter. Daschle originally reported the valuation supplied by his employer. If your employer noted on your W-2 or 1099 that the value of your car allowance was $5,000, would you challenge that and say, "wait a minute you provided two cars and a driver, shouldn't the figure be more like $155,000?"

Tax code is confusing. Some areas are very open to different interpretations and in an area like non-cash compensation, you could present the same situation to five tax professionals in the same tax practice and get five different answers.

I'm sorry Daschel has withdrawn. I'm sorrier still that so much has been made of tax issues. What a great was to discourage capable people from entering public service.

[tekisui]

52. Fix nixed.

Daschle is out.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

55. Whoops.

[Teaser]

56. THANK YOU, NOSTRADAMUS!