Obama's chief performance officer quits

Why this isn't good. I think the democrats should try a new approach. Honesty and openess is certainly not working as seen by the outrage of the republicans, we should use their playbook and have them quit "to spend more time with their families".

At least she had the common sense to withdraw unlike Tom Daschle and the Treasury Secretary who think you can aplogize [but only if caught] and all will be forgiven. Sounds like Bill Clinton---though it took him a LONG time.
The administrations policy seems to be all is "o.k." [like campaign funding] if you think your are divinely appointed to save the country.

Change we can beleive in ! The eliest Dumbocrats come down hard on Walmart, when they employ domestic help, and don't even pay social security tax on them. Hypocrites. Change we can belive in ! yaeh right, another multi millionair who does not pay taxes. Send them to jail

No wonder Dems oppose Bush tax cuts. Since none of them pay their taxes the tax cuts aren't doing them any good. How the F do you appoint 3 people who don't pay their taxes?

I recall a big ethics discussion on how intrusive his screening process was. Must have went out the window when Hillary failed to turn her questioner in. Don't worry she will still release the rest of the stuff just don't hold your breath.

Obama does not seem to care or be able to follow through with anything he says, but then again being from Illinois we knew that.

Shouldn't these people be foisted as heroes in the conservative anti-tax community? They took stands against illegal seizure of income according to the ultra-conservative libertarian wing of the Republican party. After all they hailed as a hero a New Hampshire man who refused to pay taxes and booby trapped his yard with improvised explosive devices and built up an arsenal in anticipation of a shoot out with federal authorities. He was captured when an agent posed as a delivery person.

What a sad comment this is. Is there noone out there who is honest with their taxes? They are cheating all of America by not paying their taxes so that tells you these people think they are better then the middle class and lower class and we should continue to carry the financial burden of this country.

I am so disappointed in Obama so far. This is not good.

I assume that the fact that there was a lien is evidence that this was not a mere oversight that was quickly corrected once it was discovered. It seems that however different the parties are on the surface, at some level they share form of petty corruption. Surely it is time to do something to create third and fourth parties. I now regret voting for Obama and wish that I had voted for Nader.

No wonder democrats love to pass tax increases, they don't pay taxes.

Makes you wonder how many Tax Cheats are involved in the Obama Administration.
Looks like Obama first 100 days will be cleaning out tax cheats..
Ttheir excuses sound like eigth grade.

Remember the gag on SNL by Steve Martin in the 70's about making a million dollars and not paying taxes? So far, Daschle has given us two of the punch lines and now I'm waiting for, "Well, excuuuuuuuse me!"

It's too late to get a new Treasury Secretary, but not too late for Obama to show some guts for change and toss out Daschle. Otherwise, the ony true change in DC is that a different political party is in control.

Leona Helmsly was right "Only the little people pay taxes". The smartest man ever to occupy the Oval Office can't seem to find anyone who has EVER paid all of their taxes. He's so smart he doesn't ANY experience at all.

The typical liberal double standard. AND by the way I'm sorry. Mea culpa. I was going to do the right thing but I was too busy saving the country.

Pocket-stuffing and lack OF THE SMALLEST AMOUNT OF PERSONAL INTEGRITY.

So this is what "CHANGE" looks like.

I anxiously await Bill R.'s explanation of how cheating on your taxes and then calling it "a mistake" when you're caught is "honesty and openness." Geithner (a tax expert and economist) actually blamed turbotax for his tax misdeeds and wasn't it Daschle, himself, who allowed the US senate under his leadership to call hearings about tax shelters used by KPMG accountants? Now we know he was cheating on his taxes while simultaneously calling for the government to crack down on tax shelters. Hypocrisy thy name is Daschle.
Daschle's excuse is "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."
That just speaks volumes. He "didn't think to report" a perk on his taxes. Even the New York Times is calling for Daschle to withdraw.
To date the Obama administration has 17 lobbyists either working directly for it via waivers or simply not reporting lobbying activities (both Daschle and David Axelrod are lobbyists who simply never registered as federal lobbyists, the companies they represent include ComEd/Exelon and big pharma). That's open and transparent? That's not a clear violation of Obama's own "no lobbyist" rule? C'mon, Bill Hussein. Even you aren't capable of the mental gymnastics required to justify such cozy lobbyist relationships and still call it "clean government."
I guess, in that light, it's not surprising that a person like you would actually call the travesty going on in front of us "honesty and openness," though. After all, you're one of the people that reelect Daley, Stroger, and Madigan every four years and probably voted twice for Blagojevich. Illinois democrat partisans are singularly qualified to justify the exact opposite as "honesty."

No wonder the Democrats want to raise taxes, they don't pay them.

If you can afford housekeepers you can afford to pay someone to comply with all the red tape involved.

Also, didn't Joe Biden tell us that "paying taxes is patriotic?" If it's such a patriotic duty why didn't Geithner, Daschle, Franken, Rangel, and now Killefer double-check and proudly make sure they were doing their patriotic duty?

And lest we forget, Obama failed to pay HIS Massachusetts state taxes and parking fines for 17 years.

What's astounding is the lack of `loud outrage by the media. Substitute Sarah Palin for the names of Daschle, Charlie Rangel, Geithner,or Killefer and the media would be pouring over their phone records, their video rentals, and their kids' health records. And crying SCANDAL! No, Daschle is the much loved fuzz ball among the media, his fellow libs and even his Senate Republican colleagues, so tax evasion-- that got Al Capone in Alcatraz -- is just an "honest mistake.

In response to Bill R. You call this honest? These people did not openly disclose this. They were caught and now are trying to cover it up with Daschle being the biggest crook of them all. You don't overlook $120k in taxes. You ignore $120k in taxes hoping you don't ever have to pay them. And the word crook, or criminal, is accurate because if that was any of us middle class citizens, the goverment would be ruining our lives. My God, I am a Democrat and I am not blinded by this endless crap about not being held accountable. The only change Obama is making is his mind. He is changing his mind about what he promised us and if you can't see it, then you all are blind. We trusted this man and he is turning his back on us just like any true Illinois Politician would do.

Thou shalt not steal. Your sin shall find you out. Kick a jackass in the ass enough and will he find that out?

Now we have to wonder. Did Obama pay his taxes? How about Hill and Bill? And why hasn't the IRS cracked down on these tax cheats long ago?

Posted by: Jeff | February 3, 2009 11:25 AM

Ah Jeff......again you wait with bait on your breath. Well never one to turn down an opportunity, Let me ask you a question. When the IRS itself says that 30-40% of Americans try and cheat the government and that small business owners are by far the worst. Why would your suggestion to straighten out the economy be to give "these" very same "tax cheat" in your words be the answer?

This should make us look at our tax code. Most Americans view the tax laws regarding hiring domestic workers as a nuisance. On the other hand, these people legislate these tax laws, they should abide by them.

Good riddance to her; she must be an idiot.

Try fact checking yourself, Jeff. Or is exaggeration just the norm with you?

Great job there obammy in vetting thos appointments. Change you can believe in, oh yea, go obammy, just GO!

As a Libertarian, it is shameful to see the leftist camp making excuses and creating 'neo-con' conspiracy theories. The failure to pay taxes is unacceptable regardless of party affliation. Obama has defintely shown very poor judgement in picking corrupt politicians who openly skate the system. He should make it a priority to research whom he is dealing with. The failure to do so do not instill confidence in Americans over his ability to choose people to stand beside him. These people need to not only withdraw for consideration, but to spend time in jail. How deep does the corruption really go in our political system?

Wow, apparently for Bill R. it all depends on what the definition of "honesty and openness" is...and after all the ranting you have done on these boards the last few years, it would appear your definitions began to change 180 degrees about 2 weeks ago.

all hypocritical pigs being hired by an incredibly naive lifetime politician--we are in for a very problematic presidency

Bill R., So let's use the IRS as an excuse in order for someone to break the law. Elected officials or those who intend to run for office, should know that they now live in a fishbowl. But based on your logic, we should look past those who get caught cheating because the IRS says other people do it. Obama is cashing in favors with these appointments. Tell me the last time so many other prior Presidential Hopefuls were appointed to cabinet position whether existing or created? There is no other reason to explain why anyone would support someone who was caught cheating

We would be in jail right now on tax evasion if we did what they did. What is the deal? And it is amazing that the liberal media: ABC, NBC, MSNBC, CBS is not reporting this. Objectivity is dead except for Fox News and conservative talk radio.

At this rate I'd like to see those in charge of the vetting process during the transition step down too.

Answer my question before you pose your own, Hussein. Your "estimate" is not the same as Daschle, Rangel, Franken, Killefer, or Geithner being caught REDHANDED as they all were. Remember, Joe Biden says it's patriotic to pay your taxes. What a bunch of non-patriots! Looking at the responses it seems like I've got backup on this one.
If Obama was really about change, too, then his first major piece of legislation wouldn't be a massive pork bill, while we're at it.

It's really hard to believe that they couldn't have vetted the first and easiest thing on the list of things to check before going forward with these nominations. And it doesn't bode well.
It's equally hard to believe that the people who play at this level, who have reason to expect to be nominated for such posts don't see paying their proper taxes (honesty aside) as simply the membership dues to the club they've worked so hard to join. Can they have sat through and participated in hearings for so many other nominees and still thought they would be miraculously immune? Just ridiculous. What worse, is that by and large they are talented people whose service might well actually benefit the country.

Obama (and the Dems) are building quite a record for themselves. Looks like the shoe is on the other foot concerning the "culture of corruption crowd."

No wonder France is laughing at the "buy American first" clause in the stimulus package.

Wow, apparently for Bill R. it all depends on what the definition of "honesty and openness" is...
Posted by: Bob | February 3, 2009 11:43 AM

While it is true I have carried more water than Gunga Din for this party, I am not prepared to throw the baby out with the bath water. 2 of these "3" people have disclosed before hand that these issues existed. That was for Obama to decide how to continue. The honest and open I refer to is that had this been a republican issue, the answer would have been "I can't recal" or "to spend more time with the family". Again, while these 3 incidents are extremely dissapointing and discouraging, it will not make me lose my core values anymore than corruption made the republicans lose theirs.

"But based on your logic, we should look past those who get caught cheating because the IRS says other people do it."
Exactly, Steve, moral relativism, thy name is Bill Hussein R.

My family were early supporters of Obama. However, we are getting concerned that the "Change We Can Believe In" is turning out to be more of the same old way things are done in Washington. He needs to stop this process, remove those in question and set a standard we believed would be in place from the start. If he sticks with them it will look like there are other considerations at play, i.e. politics as usual. He's losing credibility fast with us.

Bill, you're really going for "core values?" Please say you're joking. The party of Rod Blagojevich, Charlie Rangel, Chris Dodd, Portland Mayor Sam Adams, Geithner, Daschle, Franken, and now Killefer IS the party of corruption. Are you even surprised at all that Obama brought in the political heirs of Dan Rostenkowski to create supposed "openness and honesty."
You have a man who lied about a sexual relationship with a male teenager trying to hold onto his office. You have Blagojevich screaming at the top of his lungs "I was denied the rule of law" while not commenting on the recording of him trying to sell a US senate seat.
We have an illegitimate senator in Roland Burris appointed by Blagojevich in an act of political spite.
In the middle of it all we have Obama who either endorsed or picked all these people.
Look around you, Bill, and understand the company you keep. The culture of corruption that Nancy Pelosi spoke of is now your culture. It's the culture that protects itself before the people (just ask Burris) and understand that it's devoted to one thing only: keeping itself in power. THAT is the core value of any politician, especially the ones running our country now. You said you wanted to take down the evil empire. Well guess what, Bill R., now you're the evil empire. Your lobbyists and spin doctors are at your side. You control all the pork and are already doling it out to your groups. The only thing that surprises me about how quickly the democrats began to gorge is that it didn't happen even faster.

All of these stupid politicians all get busted for the same thing, DUI or unpaid taxes on "household help". I would order an immediate investigation into every politicians "household help" (they all have them) and start firing people, then we'll see what we are left with.

For the first time in my life I wrote my senator. And I am loudly complaining to everyone I know about these appointments of tax cheats.

It makes me feel very sad.

The 'housekeeper' tax thing has become so well known, nobody can use use ignorance as an excuse for that one. She should have known better. As for Daschle, each time Bob Dole pats him on the back and endorses him, the more we should realize how these ex-Senators are all one and the same if they stick around Washington making millions. It's better to let them go Bill r. If the righties want to gloat, we'll go back and name the Reagan cabinet members who were indicted.

"The honest and open I refer to is that had this been a republican issue, the answer would have been "I can't recal" or "to spend more time with the family".
Can you even kid yourself, anymore? John Tower admitted his tax errors and was bounced quicker than you can say Robert Bork. You realize you've just said that "it was my error but Turbotax was the program" is a better explanation than "I'm resigning to spend more time with family."
As for only republican political appointees saying they're resigning or withdrawing "to spend more time with family," you CLEARLY don't remember Henry Cisneros, Web Hubbell or Mike Espy. That there's a bipartisan cop-out. And President Clinton, himself, was quite famous for not recalling certain things and his particular conjugation of the verb phrase to be.

The amount of corruption, lies and crooks being brought into the Obama Administration is amazing. Anyone else would be in jail. It seems like there are two sets of laws. I expected much more from Obama. We knew he was gree but this is crazy. Who is pulling his strings to bring in these criminals?

People, pay your taxes! Jez. I bet Cindy McCain pays her taxes.

Look people, we all know that many of these politicians have been getting away with this kind of stuff for years, both Republican/Democrat. Stop it with this fake outrage! If anything, The Obama administration's new policy of transparency is going to uncover more of this kind of stuff so just brace yourself. I say expose all these people now so that the new administration can start with a clean slate and get down to the business of turning this country around. People are so quick to criticize rather than support, the guy is trying to get both parties to work together, stop tryin to tear him down for once!

Who cares. Everyone in Washington is a crook and does this. What amazes me is how appalled they all act when they catch someone doing it like they have never done it before. Reminds me of the outrage over the Michael Phelps bong incident. You know half the people reporting on it and crying foul over it have smoked in the past but yet they are in a position where they can let on that they did the same thing.

1) Nancy Killefer, nominee for Deputy Dir. of the office of management and budget: Failed for a year and a half to pay employment taxes on household help

2) Tim Geithner, Treasury Secretary: Failed to pay Social Security and Medicare Taxes from 2001-2003

3) Bill Richardson (aka former presidential candidate): Withdrew from consideration as Commerce Secretary in the midst of an investigation into state contracting (replaced by a Republican)

4) Former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, nominated as Secretary of Health and Human Services: Just recently paid more than $120,000 in back taxes.

Just the facts, ma'am, just the facts.

CHOICE.& CHANGE.....think about it. This is the best this guy can come up with? Just another example of a failing sad sad America. The "Unexcuseable Elite" elected or apointed should go to jail for their actions past or present This 44th president is a big joke, like the crooked slimey elite players in his cabinate. Crooks should go to jail, not be honored in Washington. Kiss BO's skinny slimey behind and get special treatment, not even fair treatmen. This is the same as Pay to Play? As each day passes the country and the quality of the folks running her just keep failing...Will it ever end? Where are the Good people of America? From CEO's to the President of the United States....NO accountability in either case.
Dashel just pulled out

DASCHLE HAS WITHDRAWN.

just keep importing illinois style politics to dc, hobama. what a croc. i hope you are upset if you were duped into voting for this (race card) playa.

Maybe time to simplify and change tax laws? If these bigwigs and elected leaders cannot keep up with the endless red tape and tax laws, how can all of the little people?

Is it time for a flat tax?

Now Daschle has withdrawn his nomination. Another Democrat who doesn't pay his taxes.

I wonder if Al Franken will withdraw in Minnesota. He's another one who "had an oversight" that his accountant didn't catch. LMFAO!

Chief Performance Officer - what a joke.

Maybe there are more Stroger's out there who can help?

If Daschle removing himself is true, what "all" these people who have cheated on their taxes, and the people who made excuses for them, from the voter to the President, tells me there are to many people willing to make excuses on a Party line instead of looking at the entire Country.

At least with Daschle's removal is one less to kick around for a min' 4 years. The unfortunate part there are still to many people looking the other way.

Is there nobody in Washington, D.C., who pays taxes honestly? I voted for Obama and don't regret it, but I'm beginning to think the pickin's are slim for his cabinet posts. At least if he wants somebody who doesn't cheat on their taxes.

I'd love to survey all of Congress and find out what percentage actually paid the correct level of taxes. I suspect you'd find the same level of dishonesty among both Dems and Republicans.

So sickening and annoying...

Bill r, Boy how we become sanctimonious now that your guy is in the WH. As for your core values, I don't recall the Republican Party having a lock on corruption. Perhaps you forgot Operation Greylord or Silver Shovel? Seems to me, absolute power corrupts absolutely regardless of wether its an R or a D. The guy promised to clean up Washington but can't seem to ask his potential employees whether they have anything to disclose, like not paying taxes. Your guy said he wouldn't bow to lobbyists, but he has already made 17 exceptions to his campaign promise. And don't get me started on the welfare package disguised as a Stimulus bill. You seem to have forgotten which party has controled the legislature for the last two years, but did nothing. If the Democrats are so great, why do more of my Democrat friends drive foreign cars? My wife and I have owned 6 cars, all US nameplates.

It looks like we have to choose between sex-offender republicans or tax-evader democrats....hummmm?

Her "personal tax issue of D.C. unemployment tax could be used to create exactly the kind of distraction and delay those duties" is the issue.

So the fact that it could be used to create a distraction is the issue? She created the distraction by accepting a nomination knowing she had broken the law..

The non-apology - the 21st century's "greatest" invention.

Nope....we the Dems have the sex thing covered too.

Bill R. -

You are absolutely correct in you admission that you "have carried more water than Gunga Din for this party..." it might be advisable for you to stop using it to make the Dem Kool-Aid that you apparently seem to enjoy so much. It is clouding your "sound" judgement.

Your answer to everything now is of the "yeah, but they did this" variety...is this more of your "honesty?" Are you even being honest with yourself?

That said, you are getting killed on here today, and with good reason. Nice to see it directed toward such a deserving individual. Your guys ran on a platform of "change we can believe in - not more of the same!" Remove your blinders just long enough to consider that you got "more of the same" from the very guys who told you otherwise.

Change? Is this what Obama calls change? Please, Keep the Change and help these guys pay their taxes.

Borked! http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/02/03/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry4772563.shtml

I guess I should have listened to my parents when they said don't swim when there is blood in the water. While I believe mistakes certainly can be made during tax time, I won't waste my time defending those that have made them. But I will say lets have the same scrutiny on all government officials. Any found with mistakes made, lets let them go. That would seem a fair way to proceed.

I'm a Texas Republican, and I just have to say that this issue doesn't belong just to Democrats.It seems to pervade all professional politicians. They don't think of themselves as 'the common man'. They don't pay Social Security, they don't have to work more than aday to be vested in a VERY generous pension. We have basically sat back and allowed Congress to legislate themselves into an elite class who doesn't have to follow any rules.

Katie, it's called the protected political class and it's what makes guys like Daschle and Ray LaHood always land on their feet. Will Daschle be prosecuted as a small business owner no doubt would be by the IRS for his more than $100,000 in late taxes? No. He'll go back to his lobbyist job and make millions more. He'll probably lobby Obama on behalf of his pharmaceutical and healthcare clients.

"But I will say lets have the same scrutiny on all government officials. Any found with mistakes made, lets let them go. That would seem a fair way to proceed.

Posted by: bill r. | February 3, 2009 2:23 PM"
Agreed, Hussein, let's start with tax cheat Charlie Rangel and sweetheart mortgage recipient Chris Dodd. Are you enjoying the culture of corruption yet?

Did any one actually think a dem pol from Cook County was going to foster openess and honesty in government. Are you really surprised that pols are liars and cheats. That's what pols do to succeed. BHO is no different.

Barry O. sure has brought us the "change we can believe in".

pay up your taxes y'all, you get enough perks from the gov't already!

pay up your taxes y'all, you get enough perks from the gov't already!

Kind of wonder if we should just stop and audit everyone in Congress before we go any further. I wouldn't mind looking into Kennedy, Dobbs, Frank, Rangel, Pelozzi, Reid as a start. Obama's batting average isn't doing too well. What's this say about Congress?

Are you enjoying the culture of corruption yet?

Posted by: Jeff | February 3, 2009 3:36 PM

No more than you did. I realize that this has given you quite the chubb today, but seriosly...lets hold all to the same scrutiny. Let the chips fall as they may and any having made any mistakes...remove them.

No more than you did. I realize that this has given you quite the chubb today, but seriosly...lets hold all to the same scrutiny. Let the chips fall as they may and any having made any mistakes...remove them.

Posted by: bill r. | February 3, 2009 4:31 PM

Well since we're throwing the rules of decorum out in favor of school yard insults, has the "chubb" you've had for Obama for the past two years deflated a little in the last 48 hours? Or two weeks?

"I realize that this has given you quite the chubb today
Posted by: bill r. | February 3, 2009 4:31 PM
Please remove the obscenity and over-the-top personal attack by Bill R. against me. It's sadly typical of someone like him. Please be more vigilant in screening him in the future.

Well the election is over and the president is making an identation in the oval office chair. Hey Pres where is the change. Same old clowns not paying their taxes and the legislature filling an important economics bill with more pork than a loau. When I heard our Mr. Change president putting his backing on a bill that is so typical of washington B S it made me wonder where is the truth.

So let me get this these people avoided paying their taxes and are free. Now if the common person were not to pay taxes we would be in jail already. Disgraceful.

Holy cow! We can hardly keep up with all the criminals in this administration!

Al Franken is next...

Jeff, it's time for your nap, boy.
Culture of corruption? Chill out.
When they start corrupting the Bill of Rights as Bush/Cheney did, let me know.

It's time for your nap, girl, you don't have Bush and Cheney to blame, anymore. Chill out. As for the new admin's human rights violations, ask and you shall receive: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/barackobama/4425135/Barack-Obama-to-allow-anti-terror-rendition-to-continue.html

It's time for your nap, girl, you don't have Bush and Cheney to blame, anymore. Chill out.
Posted by: Jeff | February 3, 2009 6:27 PM

Is that the sound of a grayhound bus I hear? Mister "It's Clintons fault" has alzhiemers after a short month. Being elected the "hall moniter" isn't all it's wrapped up to be is it?

It's is quite obvious why you never served this country...they would tear a mammas boy like you apart.

Oh, Jeff. You know that rendition story is false. Give me a break.

"The L.A. Times, Obama & renditions
A new report, celebrated by the Right, claims that Obama has ordered the Bush rendition program to continue. That report is wildly inaccurate."

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/02/02/renditions/index.html

Jeff/Bubba says: ' you don't have Bush and Cheney to blame, anymore. '

Until the wars are over, the economic crisis is fixed, and all the other messes cleaned up-- we certainly do have Bush and Cheney to blame. Who are you kidding?

All you bleeding heart liberals just don't get it. These guys were going to and still are trying to kill as many Americans as possible. Mr Bush had the right idea and the guts to do it. You would stand by and let this happen. Personally I don't feel anything for these guys. RENDITION you better beleive it.

Hussein, you're very good at hurling insults and calling people names, but you're obviously not very good at winning an actual argument. Go talk to your spin doctors and the other liars you work with to help you with that. Try and come up with something better than "mamma's boy" or "hall monitor" for an adult debate, okay? If I ever need to steal lunch money I'll come to you, but you'll need to come to someone like me for real debate. Enjoy the rest of your day with the other children grown old.
Flo, since you know how to have a civil discussion, I'll show you the same respect you showed me. I believe the LA Times. In their article, the actual executive orders Obama signed are linked. It's a paper of record. The Salon story you linked is an opinion piece by Glenn Greenwald, a clear partisan. The LA Times piece was written by actual reporters and these guys weren't Judith Miller or Jayson Blair. I believe them for those reasons. But you are entitled to your opinion. Have a good night, Flo.

Oh WACKY....... such a funny guy..... hahaha

Man are we proud of our angry pawn Yoders.

Keep up the good work lad.