२ फेब्रुवारी, २००९

What the sidewalk is to you, a limousine and chauffeur is to Tom Daschle.

You need to understand that if you want to know why it never occurred to him that he needed to report it as taxable income:
As a legal tax matter, this isn't even a close call. Mr. Daschle says he used the car service about 80% for personal use, and 20% for business. But his spokeswoman says it only dawned on the Senator last June that this might be taxable income. Mr. Daschle's excuse? According to a Journal report Friday, "he told committee staff he had grown used to having a car and driver as majority leader and did not think to report the perk on his taxes, according to staff members."
So... I infer that the Senators — or Senate leaders — have their cars and drivers that are excluded from taxable income even when used for personal things. I'm not outraged by that, actually — because they are underpaid — but it is delusional to continue to see yourself as above the law after you've been ousted from the government. Once you take your government reputation and sell it in the private market for big bucks, you must bend to the normal law that binds the rest of us peons.

ADDED: In 1998, Tom said: "Make no mistake, tax cheaters cheat us all, and the IRS should enforce our laws to the letter." I take it that means Tom would like to be thrown in prison for quite a few years. It's especially appropriate for someone who is responsible for making the laws what they are.

४४ टिप्पण्या:

Simon म्हणाले...

"Never lecture me again about global warming, Tom Daschle"?

Methadras म्हणाले...

This is the new age of bullshit and ignorance is now an excuse to break the law if you want to attain higher office. If any one of us did this, we would be in jail. I wonder now if Geitner (sp?) is going to prosecute Tom 'The Insidious' Daschle?

Meade म्हणाले...

"...after you've been ousted from the government"

Don't you mean even after you've been ousted from the government?

Tax deductible car and driver for me but not for thee.

dannyboy म्हणाले...

This is why I don't bother voting. It's pointless. Standing in line for 3 hours I'll never get back and for what? A new President that is as incompetent as the last one? I 'forget' to pay my fair share and the IRS would be jumping my ass faster than a priest at a Boy Scout jamboree.

Same shit, different party.

dannyboy म्हणाले...

His wife ain't a bad looking bird though. Wouldn't mind seeing her in some black leather and heels.

traditionalguy म्हणाले...

You don't mean to say that the Dem. leadership expects perks and free everything as their cut of the pie they are constantly re-cutting to the highest bidder. I'm shocked, really shocked to learn this goes on in our votes-credits cap and trade system.

traditionalguy म्हणाले...

Now who can we trust to save the planet at the last second of CRISIS? SuperObamaMan to the rescue!

ricpic म्हणाले...

Tom Daschle's one of those quiet talkers. Never do business with a man you have to lean into to hear.

SteveR म्हणाले...

If Charlie Rangel can't understand the tax code, how do you expect Tom Daschle to?

Titusiseatingaquesadilla म्हणाले...

They are underpaid. Only rich people can take those jobs because most citizens would never be able to afford a home in DC and another home in their district for that salary.

Titusiseatingaquesadilla म्हणाले...

Can I just tell you there are gay people walking around everywhere. I don't mean you run of the mill out and proud gay. I mean your under the radar gay.

I just went to get a hot chocolate. The guy at the coffee shop with the Gilligan hat, who I want, gay, and looks longingly at me. He is very young but I would do him. The walk to the coffee shop was all of one block and there was a black african gay, a gay cab driver and a gay bus driver.

Should I do the coffee shop gay?

Titusiseatingaquesadilla म्हणाले...

The coffee shop gay would require conversation though and I don't know if I am up for that.

bearbee म्हणाले...

The ethics, competency bar keeps ratching down.

Kennedy statement on Daschle nomination:

Tom Daschle is a leader of great integrity and strong dedication

Don't these jokers use professional tax preparers or TurboTax?

Cedarford म्हणाले...

One good thing that might come out of a complete collapse of America is that the tax code would go like the Wall Streeters and DC lawyer-powerbrokers sent to firing squads.

What else but Revolution will end the insane, byzantine tax code?

Or we could wait for China to take over our finances and tell us what we must do.

Meade म्हणाले...

" He is very young but I would do him"

By very young I take it you don't mean 14.

Titusiseatingaquesadilla म्हणाले...

By very young I mean early 20's. I am not a pedophile Meade.

Titusiseatingaquesadilla म्हणाले...

The sidewalk to me is a runway. The opportunities are endless. Hogs are swaying all around me. Temptation calls. Eyes are darting. Contact is being made.

Meade म्हणाले...

What about your job? Does your job ever call you?

Like, say, on a Monday morning?

traditionalguy म्हणाले...

Titus... to get this thread back on the topic, please tell us if you would do Tom Daschle in a Limousine, and if not, why not?

Titusiseatingaquesadilla म्हणाले...

I am a multi-tasker Meade. I am on a call right now.

Meade म्हणाले...

Early twenties and you are, what, 60? Are there such things as gay cougars? Tradman is right... could Tom Daschle be a gay cougar?

अनामित म्हणाले...

Yes, they don't make much salary. Funny how they all leave as millionaires, though.

http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2009/01/022690.php

Titusiseatingaquesadilla म्हणाले...

I wouldn't do Daschle in a limousine or anywhere but I would do his son who is pretty hot.

There back on topic.

Titusiseatingaquesadilla म्हणाले...

Bitch I am 38.

Simon म्हणाले...

38 and you're saying that someone else is "very young"?

Titusiseatingaquesadilla म्हणाले...

Daschle looks and sound pretty gay.

Sofa King म्हणाले...

The quintessential limousine liberal.

Original Mike म्हणाले...

Where's DTL to explain to us all how complicated taxes are?

hawkeyedjb म्हणाले...

When I was unemployed I got accustomed to the perk of not paying taxes. So when I got a job I didn't think that part had to change. But maybe that's only true if being unemployed includes having your own limo.

MayBee म्हणाले...

I'm not outraged by that, actually — because they are underpaid

They are underpaid.
They could be doing so much more for themselves, but they sacrifice for us.
Obama could have gone to work on Wall Street, you know. Geithner too. And Daschle could have done...something...other than be a Senator.

We, the non-government people, make the money we deserve (unless one is a greedy ceo or wall streeter). We should pay our taxes because there is no better, more enriching option waiting for us. Not like there is for our selfless, selfless leaders.

AlphaLiberal म्हणाले...

I hope Tom Daschle will withdraw his nomination today.

Palladian म्हणाले...

Daschle: Wait, I thought every American got a free limousine and chauffeur!? Isn't it in the Stimulus Package?

The Dude म्हणाले...

I hope Tom Daschle is confirmed, which, for the rest of us, will confirm that Obama will have the most corrupt administration in history. Rules are for little people.

Let's review - there are still 2 wars going on, Gitmo is still open, renditions are still occurring and Obama is responsible for civilian deaths. IMPEACH NOW!!!

Oh yeah, break out the bumperstickers...

KCFleming म्हणाले...

What's there to say?

The corrupt are ejected and replaced with the corrupt.

So where are über-democratic defenders Doyle and hdhouse and DTL to tell us why these little things are small change compared to the big change it portends.

I'm glad I quit reading newspapers and watching TV. It's pointless to be informed. Yeah, I'm informed that Obama's administration is full of tax cheats and that Congress just voted itself a $4,700 raise in the midst of a financial meltdown.
That helps how exactly?

Me? I'm shrugging.

Jeremy म्हणाले...

Alpha,
Man, that is so disarming. Well played.

Methadras म्हणाले...

Oh yeah, it's the rules for radicals in full swing right now baby. You know Alinski is clapping at Mr. Barely from hell as we speak.

अनामित म्हणाले...

We can call Obama "W" now, for Waiver. I guess he was all for hope and change, with a few exceptions here and there.

John Stodder म्हणाले...

It's time to get real and teach this stuff in school. What's going to be important in this century is to become a member of the American nomeklatura. Once you're in, you're protected from the laws you impose on other people.

Pretty soon, the Daschles of this world will have their own shopping malls, places where the riff-raff who have to follow the rules aren't allowed.

Original Mike म्हणाले...

I just read that Chris Dodd is refinancing his Countrywide mortgages "to avoid the appearance that he had received a sweetheart deal." Daschle could try this approach. He could announce that for the next two years, he'll be walking everywhere he goes.

John Stodder म्हणाले...

I love Daschle's explanation, that he "mistakenly thought it was a gift from a friend of 15 years."

Is there an exemption to the Gift Tax if the gift comes from...a friend? Well, there certainly should be!

Cue the theme song from "Friends." Cue Dionne Warwick's "That's What Friends are For." What is wrong with these Rethuglicans, are they going to try to ban friendship now? Leave Daschle and his friend alone! Please! They were just friends!

I'm Full of Soup म्हणाले...

Titus is the only here who accepts gifts from strangers. He limits it to non-taxable gifts. Heh.

Bushman of the Kohlrabi म्हणाले...

DON'T YOU JERKS GET IT?

WE WON.

Now move along. Nothing to see here...

weffiewonj म्हणाले...

From the AP story: Daschle spokeswoman said he will tell Finance Committee members Monday: “I made a mistake. I mistakenly thought this was a gift from someone who I have been friends with for 15 years.”
A gift I did not receive until after I was being paid a million a year by my dear friend of fifteen years.
I'd like him to describe how this conversation about the gift came out: "Will you be giving me this gift that dare not speak its name every day, or might your generosity expire tomorrow so that I should be sure to get my car back from the shop? Perhaps I shouldn't ask any questions, and just hope the limo comes again tomorrow."
Is he under oath at these committee hearings? Oy.

AlphaLiberal म्हणाले...

Glenn Greenwald rips Tom Daschle a new one.