What Is Going On Here??!!

I've become convinced that in order to be selected for a high-level position in the U.S. government, you must check the yes box on the candidate questionnaire (yes, I know this doesn't really exist but I think you can follow me) when it asks "Ever engaged in tax evasion?" Today, President Obama's choice for the positions of both deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget and the "chief performance officer" for the entire federal government, Nancy Killefer, withdrew herself from consideration due to personal tax issues resulting from neglecting to pay unemployment taxes for household help during 2005 and 2006. After Ms. Killifer failed to make the required payments for a year and a half, the IRS placed a lien for $946.69 on her home in Washington D.C.

Hey, I'm starting to sense a pattern here!! Now-confirmed Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner neglecting to pay $35,000 in self-employment taxes. I actually just started here to write a statement about the nominee to be the Secretary for Health and Human Services, Tom Daschle, and in the process of searching for a citation link have discovered that just about an hour ago he has also withdrawn his nomination because of his tax issues ($120,000 in unpaid taxes).

I just don't get it--am I the jerk here? I don't agree with the current U.S. system of taxation nor do I enjoy giving the government my own money so it can spend it on stupid things, but I have no interest in being charged thousands in fines and penalties or even thrown into jail for failing to do so. It seems like these high-level political functionaries have no such qualms and are content with being willfully dishonest (no, I don't believe any of their "it was an honest mistake" rubbish) up until the last possible second, when they are forced to act apologetic or else be denied their plum government position. It's really disgusting. I suppose there's something to be said for the fact that these nominees withdrew themselves but I can't help but assume that it wasn't because they truly felt unfit after some reflection but rather because they didn't want to be grilled in confirmation hearings.

This sort of blatant disrespect, along with years of similar situations, leads me to what seems a logical conclusion (if a bit of an exaggeration) that the people actually involved in our government do not take paying taxes seriously. I then begin to wonder why I even bother; why should I continue to dutifully pay my taxes so that the government can toss it immediately out the window, when so many of their own don't bother? Yeah, it's easy to cook up $900 billion "stimulus" bills using taxpayer funds when you yourself aren't putting in what you should. It's just this kind of idiocy that really makes me honestly consider tax resistance. This reminds me of a Latin quote that I heard some time back, I can't remember where: "Qui vult dare parva non debet magna rogare." Translation: "He who wishes to give little shouldn't ask for much."

I think it's kinda funny how at the very end of today's press conference announcing Judd Gregg as President Obama's choice for Commerce Secretary, a reporter shouts a question to Obama about why his nominees seem to have so much trouble paying their taxes. Check out the last 10 seconds of the video.

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