Tom Daschle Should Become an Advocate for Tax Reform

Tuesday, February 3rd at 3:54PM EST

12 Comments

In a just world, this experience — having to withdraw his name from consideration for the White House position of de facto national health care czar due to a tax-related skeleton being disinterred from his closet — would serve as an impetus for Tom Daschle to transition the focus of his lobbying and consulting efforts from health care and legislator-sweet-talking to to helping build awareness about the need to simplify our ridiculously complex and illogical tax code, and to helping effect change in our labyrinthine withholding and reporting system.

Unfortunately, he is far more likely to continue his effort to Anglicize the U.S. health care system by giving government — that master of inefficiency — all but total control over Americans’ day to day health and wellness decisions, and by ensuring equality of poor health outcome among the population as a whole.

That’s a shame, really. He would have been an excellent novus homo to have on the tax reform bandwagon.

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Wait! I have other nominations for Chief Obama Tax Advocate, Jeff

Marcus_Traianus (Diary) Tuesday, February 3rd at 4:17PM EST (link)

I nominate Geithner, err, Killefer, err, how about just one of the multitudes who don’t pay taxes, but will get a tax “cut” (read welfare payment) under Obama’s plan. No wait! I got it how about one of the ex-lobbyists Obama promised would not be in his administration. They can multi tax and save the taxpayers money!

“Both of our political parties, at least the honest portion of them, agree conscientiously in the same object—the public good; but they differ essentially in what they deem the means of promoting that good. One side believes it best done by one composition of the governing powers; the other, by a different one. One fears most the ignorance of the people; the other, the selfishness of rulers independent of them. Which is right, time and experience will prove.”.Thomas Jefferson

Do we need an advocate? Chmn. Rangel (D-NY) knows all too well...

Steve Maley (Diary) Tuesday, February 3rd at 5:06PM EST (link)

…how gosh-darn confusin’ those there tax laws can be sometimes.

The blogger formerly known as ‘Vladimir’.

That would be Chairman of Ways and Means.

Steve Maley (Diary) Tuesday, February 3rd at 5:10PM EST (link)

The Tax-Writer in Chief.

So which one of the two failed to report the most income?

The blogger formerly known as ‘Vladimir’.

Were you listening to Sean Hannity?

Hammer2008 (Diary) Tuesday, February 3rd at 5:12PM EST (link)

as you wrote this diary Jeff? He was (or was it Mark Steyn filling in for elRushbo?) basically saying the same thing.

My very close relative, a campaign working, sometimes koolaid drinking Obama-bot, counters me on Facebook regulary remining me that our President is “no dummy”. Well, I’m beginning to wonder what’s another definition of stupid is, aside from the President’s audacity of ignorance.

Another close relative in NJ is telling me how their property taxes are going up, despite a lower assessment. I tried to comfort her that had she been on a cabinet short list, she’d not have to worry, but otherwise to pay their taxes and move on.

For those still wondering whether there’s a fix, an economic ‘stimulus’ if you will, I direct you to the following URL:

www.FairTax.org

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Too much noise! “Noise! You’ll have noise enough before long. The Regulars are coming out.” ~ Paul Revere (April 18th, 1775′s eve…)

No, Hammer2008, I wasn't

Jeff Emanuel (Diary) Tuesday, February 3rd at 6:10PM EST (link)

But it’s good to know that more folks are beating that drum.

Do NOT get me started on the FairTax, though. You won’t like me when I do that.

Either they intentionally did not pay, or tax laws are too complex

GregInFla (Diary) Wednesday, February 4th at 12:33AM EST (link)

Yes, it was Steyn or Beck today. The situation is this: either (1) the tax law is too complex, so even the really smart people cannot understand them; or (2) they consciously performed tax evasion, which is what got Al Capone into the federal pen. Those are the only two options.

– A true evolutionist would let endangered species die off. Think about it.
– The sign outside the courthouse said no signs allowed. So I took it down.
– Atlas Shrugged is now on the non-fiction aisle at Amazon.

I'm all for simplifying the tax code.

ptort Tuesday, February 3rd at 5:30PM EST (link)

But they were not tripped up by some arcane areas of tax law, particularly Geithner. When I was fresh out of college I had no problems figuring out the social security taxes I had to pay on commissions and even how to depreciate my car.

I think an enterprising lawyer would start a class action suit against Mr. Geithner and the IRS to include anyone who has ever paid penalties on their taxes. If Mr. Geithner and Mr. Daschle can walk away with only paying interest, and no penalties, why should anyone else pay them? Let him explain that in court.

As a self-employed individual, I can attest that the code is too complex

JSobieski (Diary) Wednesday, February 4th at 1:57AM EST (link)

However, it defies credibility to think that anyone with half a brain somehow forgets about paying self-employment taxes.

Working for the IMF is the simplest form of a small business. He had no employees, no real estate, and did not charge for services. He was an indpendent contractor—like a million Joe the Plumbers out there.

My rules of the road for primary season.
Rule #1: Vote for YOUR first choice in the primaries
Rule #2: Vote for the R in the general.
Rule #3: Don’t let anyone convince you to violate Rule #1 or Rule #2
Rule #4: When in a center-right argument, reaffirm Rules #1-#3–it will help us all to get along better.
Rule #5: If you are using the language of the left, you probably aren’t furthering conservativism
Rule #6: The priority is issues first, candidates second, and supporters third. Nobody is bigger than the issues. Conversely, if you spend your time focusing on supporters, you are wasting everyone’s time.

STOP THE MADNESS!

A reduction in the rate of spending increases is NOT a cut!
In-state tuition for illegals is NOT amnesty!
Requiring someone to pay their medical bills is NOT an individual mandate!
Reducing tax rates is NOT a tax increase!