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Since 2008 – Progress Through Politics

BREAKING: Down Goes Daschle

What is it with Democrats and taxes?  First it was Tim Geithner, then Nancy Killefer, and now HHS pick Tom Daschle.

Former Sen. Tom Daschle has withdrawn his nomination to head the Department of Health and Human Services, according to a statement Tuesday from the White House.

Okay who’s our next choice?  Wesley Snipes?  Willie Nelson?  Come on, Democrats.  Pay your friggin’ taxes before you apply for a job with the government, okay?

Part of Daschle’s statement reads:

“But if 30 years of exposure to the challenges inherent in our system has taught me anything, it has taught me that this work will require a leader who can operate with the full faith of Congress and the American people, and without distraction,” he said.

“Right now, I am not that leader, and will not be a distraction. The focus of Congress should be on the urgent business of moving the president’s economic agenda forward, including affordable health care for every American.”

Fine, Daschle’s out.  I can see why, no sense becoming an even bigger distraction. Someone please give Howard Dean’s returns a once over, pretty please?


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/ 41 Comments

41 comments

  1. Peter Jukes

    …and though I always delight in anything that baits PUMAs, what’s the read on this?

    My only fear is that healthcare reform, because of the massive lobbying power of pharmaceuticals and professionals, managed to even derail Hillary. So it’s going to be a real uphill climb for anyone involved. They’ll have to know where all the bodies are buried.

    Though I think Dean did an outstanding job as DNC chair (here little Puma, take the bait) I’m also worried that people think because he’s a doctor, he’ll have the best view.

    The sad truth is that healthcare hasn’t/can’t/and won’t be best reformed by those too identified with part of the system. Famously, most doctors rejected the NHS at birth, and only were won round years later. You don’t expect a professional body to necessarily see its own partial interests and interested point of view – in fact it’s there job to be partial. My fear is that a doctor in charge of Healthcare reform may not actually see the various other aspects that need changing, beyond clinical care.  

  3. Benito Malito

    They don’t wanna have this fight over healthare so they are once again delaying.

    Dems do seem to have tax issues and though they aren’t alone its an easy scapegoat on the tv machine and everyone knows it.

    Maybe he should nominate Sanjay Goupta for HHS.  

  4. thatpurplestuff

    No freaking kidding!  This kind of thing is embarrassing for Democrats two-fold.  First, why in the heck are so many in our party having such a difficult time paying the taxes they owe?  Second, why is the previously thorough Obama camp not vetting these appointments properly in the first place?

    Do we need to start an ActBlue account to save up for copies of TurboTax to send around?  Maybe donate some H&R Block online tax filing services?  Should we start recruiting volunteers to hold the hands of our leaders while they file their damn taxes?  This is seriously ridiculous!

    And I, too, am bummed about the Harry Potter glasses ratio.

  5. Steve M

    Best line I’ve seen about Daschle, Geithner, et al.:

    “Apparently they spent the whole vetting budget on the Secretary of State nomination.”

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