A New Tax Haven - Presidential appointments

The focus of the confirmation hearings has been the unpaid tax issues of Tim Geithner, recently confirmed as the 75^th United States Secretary of the Treasury.

Geithner’s problem deals with his tenure at the International Monetary Fund as director of the Policy Development and Review Department. As I understand it, Geithner was considered to be an independent contractor and was therefore responsible for filing his own tax estimates and paying his own payroll taxes (or more accurately self-employment taxes). Geithner described his non-payment as unintentional and careless. When audited, he had paid the taxes for years 2003 and 2004. He was assessed interest – but appears not to have been charged penalties. Also – he did not willingly pay the tax for years 2001 and 2002 which were not the subject of the audit (until he was nominated for high political office in the Obama Administration). Further, documents displayed at his confirmation hearing indicate that he received a written notice at IMF reminding him of his obligation to pay the taxes and an additional document where he requested AN ADDITIONAL ALLOWANCE FROM IMF TO COVER PART OF HIS TAXES WHICH HE PROMISED TO PAY.

Mr Geithner, of course, was confirmed to serve at Treasury Secretary.

Now we can turn to Former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, picked by the President to oversee the administrations health reform efforts. Mr Daschle has recently filed amended tax returns for tax years 2005–2007 reporting $128,000 in unpaid taxes. (Clearly only filed because of his return to the public trough).

In this political climate, he will probably be promptly confirmed to high office as well.

Somebody needs to remind these folks that not getting caught in a lie is not the same as telling the truth. I am appalled and disappointed at some of the Obama appointees – not because of ideology but some are clearly just not morally qualified for public service in positions of trust.

May I have this Dance

A remarkable bit of theater played out at the first inaugural ball.  The President and the First Lady took the stage for their first dance as the First family.  They were introduced by Denzel and danced to the lovely voice of Beyonce covering the Etta James classic hit “At Last”.

Whether you agree with the politics of the President or not, this was a special moment.  They danced sweetly,  Beyonce’s voice is spectacular and the song is one of my favorites.

Enjoy

my source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGrq1SzkHs0

 

Chief Justice Roberts at the Capitol Today

There is a little bit of irony on display today as Barack Obama takes his oath of office from Chief Justice Roberts to become the 44^th President of the United States. 

Senator Obama voted against the confirmation of the Chief Justice in the Senate.  So Justice Roberts may be the first Chief Justice to administer the oath to a man who voted against him at his confirmation.  Additional discussion may be found in Robert Barnes article for the Washington Post today.  <link>

But, as I read the article, I felt the stirrings of prophecy and potential.  President Obama is 47 years old and if he is wildly successful, he can only serve as President for 8 years.  When the President-Elect visited the Supreme Court last week, I wonder what he was thinking.

It is conceivable that Barack Obama may continue to make his mark on history in the future as a member of the Supreme Court. 

We’ll see, said the zen master.

 

Thank You, President Bush

Now this is a pleasure.  I have featured articles from younger conservative columnists from time to time because I enjoy their point of view and I appreciate how long they will be around to bother the liberal media.

This week, I commend the work of Guy Benson.  Guy has his own radio program in the Chicago market on AM 560 WIND (Sunday nights).  As far as I know, Guy may be the youngest conservative talk radio personality around.  He is 23.  According to his WikiPedia entry, Guy interned for two summers with Fox News program Hannity and Colmes. He is a graduate of Northwestern University with a degree in Journalism

But of particular interest to me today, Guy interned at the White House during President Bush’s second term.  In a TownHall.com article (he is a regular contributor) he offers some personal observations about the Leader of the Free World, George W Bush, the 43^rd President of the United States. 

These comments are excerpted from TownHall.com.  Read the complete article as written by Guy Benson <here>

“…I had the extraordinary opportunity to serve as a White House intern during Bush's second term. During my short time there, I was struck by the profound decency of the President, as well as the professionalism, dedication, patriotism and sacrifice displayed by his staff. When I would pass through security each morning around 7:45, the President and his top advisers had already been on the job for hours. Every single day. Rain or shine. Although the administration had been battered and bruised from all sides, morale remained surprisingly high due, in large measure, to the President's determined optimism and work ethic. Every day he lived out a passion for protecting this country, and doing so honorably. This outlook commanded enormous respect and affection from his staff, the overwhelming majority of whom remain loyal to their boss, despite all the negative attention paid to a disgruntled few.

Perhaps the most frustrating element of Bush hatred is the widely held perception that he is an unintelligent, uncaring, intellectually incurious man. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Many people unfairly dismiss his degrees from both Yale and Harvard as the benefits of a famous last name. Even fewer people are aware of his voracious reading habits. And only a small handful of people have ever experienced President Bush unplugged, pouring out his heart in an off-the-record conversation without a microphone in sight. I had the honor of witnessing such an event.

In the fall of 2007, my office helped coordinate a bill-signing on the third floor of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, a stately edifice standing directly west of the White House itself. The invited guests included a small group of young business leaders from around the country. Right before President Bush made his entrance, a pack of reporters and photographers were herded into the back of the room, only to be hustled away shortly after the official event had concluded. Believing that the event was over, I made a move for a side exit to head back to my office. One of my superiors caught my eye as I approached the door, and mouthed the word "stay." Needless to say, I did.

Moments later, an aide requested that everyone put away any cameras or other potential recording devices because the President was about to entertain some off-the-record questions from the remaining guests. The next 40 minutes were breathtaking. In this relatively intimate setting, President Bush answered a wide range of questions — many of which were far from sycophantic — with a degree of confidence, ease, self-deprecation, and intensity that I had never seen from him. He spoke movingly about his relationship with his father. He joked cheekily about his own malapropisms and his critics. He lightly pounded his fist on the podium while mounting a stirring defense of the Iraq war. His deep understanding of a myriad of intricate issues was undeniable, and he utterly captivated the room…”

… “Beyond the political and policy legacy President Bush will leave behind, I am grateful that for the last eight years, the country has been led by a man with enormous respect for the office he's held, and who made it his primary mission to keep my friends and family safe from those who seek our destruction. He endured countless indignities — from mean-spirited critics to humiliating betrayal — with grace and class, and without resorting to vindictive or petty retaliation. And although quite a few of Bush's decisions have angered and disappointed me through the years, I never once doubted his motives or his character. For those reasons alone, I say: Thank you, President Bush.”

 

 

 

Clemency, if not Justice

In the closing days of his Presidency, George Bush commuted the prison sentences of Ignacio Ramos and Jose Campean – two former US Border Patrol Agents who were arrested in an incident involving the shooting of a Mexican drug dealer in 2005. 

This is a controversial case arising from a pursuit by multiple Border Patrol Agents along the Rio Grande River near El Paso. 

In an amazing case which has drawn the ire of talk radio personalities around the country as an example of bureaucratic prosecution gone mad, the two veteran Border Patrol Agents were charged with violating the civil rights of the fleeing suspect who happened to have 800 pounds of Marijuana in his van.

The agents, who admit that they did not report the discharge of their firearms in violation of policy were sentenced to more than ten years in prison. 

Additional discussion of the facts of the case may be found < here > and <here>.  Members of Congress of both parties had called for the release of Ramos and Campean. 

President Bush did not pardon the two, merely commuted their sentences, in effect to time served.  Both are expected to be released from federal custody within 60 days.  The President believes that their conviction had been reviewed by the courts and met the standards for due process, but that he felt that the sentences had been too harsh. 

Additional information on the actions of the President in these cases may be found <here>

 

 

 

Farewell President Bush

It has been eight long years filled with strife and discord for President Bush and Vice President Cheney. Conditions and events which are almost unprecedented in our history have been met and dealt with in a professional manner with strength and resolve. I have been generally supportive of the administration – particularly on the War on Terror of which the Iraq conflict is a major part.

I was disappointed with the manner in which then candidate Obama demonized the President during the campaign as a way to discredit candidate McCain. But the real dismay has been the manner that the liberal media has continued to personally attack the President and Vice-President since the election when there was no further purpose to justify their venom.

So it has been with some pleasure that I have finally seen President Bush speak in his own defense on some of the controversial points of his administration. It has been too long in coming, but was refreshing to hear. He has spoken of the events of 9–11–01 and the necessity for military and diplomatic response to take on the world terror networks. He has discussed the Afghanistan and Iraq campaigns, the challenges of electronic surveillance, aggressive interrogation techniques and enemy combatant detention. And he has spoken of the necessity for placing fine young men and women of the military services of our country and our allies in harms way. He has spoken about his solemn obligation to protect the homeland from further attack and how he is a changed man for it all. The President has talked about the unprecedented measures taken in response to world wide economic pressures and the challenges that will be faced by the man who will follow him as the 44^th President of the United States next Tuesday.

The small minds of the media have continued to carp and attack, calling for the criminal arrest of the President and the Vice-President. I am repulsed at the vicious and false actions of the media and some of the Congressional leadership who have, in my opinion, been willing to damage our country in pursuit of their political and social agendas. In the center of the storm stands President Obama who, after the rhetoric of the campaign, is now receiving the same daily threat briefings as President Bush. The extent to which the new President finds it expedient or essential to continue certain of the Bush-Cheney policies for the protection of America will be instructive and will determine how soon the American public begins to finally understand that they have been misled by the media and the reputation and the judgment of our political leaders for the last eight years will begin to improve in the minds of the public they served so well.

Charles Krauthammer has begun to speak of the rehabilitation of Bush and Cheney. And he cites the foremost element of the new respect for the leadership of the last eight years: President-Elect Obama. In a fascinating editorial, Krauthammer describes the new realities that are coming to the man who stands on the brink of his own administration and the power and awesome responsibilities of his office. In his editorial, Krauthammer speaks of “startling early signs of a newly respectful consideration of the Bush–Cheney legacy…”

“Not from any change of heart. But from simple reality. The beauty of democratic rotations of power is that when the opposition takes office, cheap criticism and calumny will no longer do. The Democrats now own Iraq. They own the war on al-Qaeda. And they own the panoply of anti-terror measures with which the Bush administration kept us safe these last seven years.

Which is why Obama is consciously creating a gulf between what he now dismissively calls "campaign rhetoric" and the policy choices he must now make as president. Accordingly, Newsweek -- Obama acolyte and scourge of everything Bush/Cheney -- has on the eve of the Democratic restoration miraculously discovered the arguments for warrantless wiretaps, enhanced interrogation and detention without trial. Indeed, Newsweek's neck-snapping cover declares, "Why Obama May Soon Find Virtue in Cheney's Vision of Power."

Obama will be loath to throw away the tools that have kept the homeland safe. Just as he will be loath to jeopardize the remarkable turnaround in American fortunes in Iraq.”

The entire Krauthammer article may be viewed < here >; at WashingtonPost.com.

George Bush and Dick Cheney are leaving Washington in that most American of traditions – a peaceful transfer of political power to the new Administration – with grace, integrity and strength. I salute them both as the great Americans that they are. As the new President evaluates their legacy and their policies in relation to the challenges and decisions he will face, I hope he will realize that the structure that they leave in place for the conduct of the war on terror and the response to our economic emergencies can serve him and our country well. The ultimate goals of the last administration are shared with the next administration. President Obama has my best wishes for his personal success and that of my Country. I hope that we can all rise above the partisan destructiveness of recent years to channel and direct the potential of America against the problems we all face together.

John Mortimer, British author, dies at 85

The world is a slightly less happy place with today’s announcement of the death of very British writer Sir John Mortimer, QC at the age of 85.

Mortimer had a successful career as a British barrister and as an author of numerous books, screen plays and radio productions.

But my favorite Mortimer creation was the crusty caraciture of the British barrister, Horace Rumpole. In addition to Mortimer’s written stories about Rumpole, the character was brought to life for me by the Rumpole of the Bailey series on PBS starring Leo McKern in the title role. Rumpole brought us 44 episodes in the tv series – all of which, I believe, reside in my DVD collection. McKern also narrated a number of Rumpole audio books.

The title derives from the London central criminal court often called The Old Bailey. The British legal system distinguishes between transactional lawyers called solicitors and lawyers who actually appear in court called barristers. Rumpole was decidedly the latter – happiest in the Courtroom, with a fascination with crime and an affection for the minor criminal classes. He (almost) never pleads guilty and is a master at cross-examination of witnesses and confronting judges. Rumpole was a self-described “Old Bailey hack” – getting on in years but true to his principles at all times.

Mortimer was a master wordsmith who created his own view of the legal profession with vivid characters and marvelous verbal imagery.

He brought many hours of enjoyment to me and his many readers and watchers of his creations on the small screen.

Google tightens its Belt

Even Google is aware of the economy these days. 

Google is trimming its recruiting staff and pruning some of its less popular or redundant services.   Information for this post came from Jeremy Kirk’s article for PCWorld linked <here>.

Google Video is changing its focus.  Particularly since Google has purchased You-Tube, a competitive product. Google Video will become more of a search service as it can search for video clips across platforms.

Development on Jaiku is halting.  Jaiku is a microblogging engine which offers functions similar to its competitor, Twitter.

Several offices are closing with engineers relocating to other offices.

Google has an official blog with product information and interesting background linked <here>

 

 

 

 

In Real Estate it is Location, Location location.

There have been some discussions in the news media about the apparent slight to the Obama family when they were not allowed to spend the early days of January at Blair House. No slight was intended, but the facility had previously been reserved for former Australian Prime Minister John Howard. Mr Howard is scheduled to received the Medal of Freedom from President Bush on January 12.

Apparently the Obama family wanted to come to Washington earlier than previous Presidents-Elect because their children were beginning to attend their new school. It is noted that George W Bush stayed at Blair House in advance of his inauguration for three days. The Obama Family will stay at Blair House from January 15^th until President-Elect Obama takes the oath of office on January 20 – after which He and his family will occupy the White House as the 44^th President of the United States.

What caught my eye in the news reports was the statement that Blair House was, in fact, larger than the White House.

It turns out that the White House is approximately 65,000 square feet while Blair House is 75,000 square feet with 119 rooms. The Blair House complex is made up of four separate but now joined residences across from the White House at 1651 Pennsylvania Avenue. The facility is the official guest house of the President and has been the temporary residence of many notable figures of history and heads of state. It is also the site of an attempt to assassinate Harry Truman by Pureto Rico nationalists resulting in the death of a White House Police Officer. Mr Truman was in residence while President because of structural repairs being done in the White House.

Additional information about Blair House may be found < here >

Illinois still in the Spotlight

The political theater that is the Senate convened today with the official swearing in of the membership (by Vice-President Dick Cheney in a note of irony).

On Schedule, Roland Burris, appointed junior Senator from the State of Illinois, appeared at the Senate chamber.  I have discussed the events leading to this moment in my previous post about Illinois in the Spotlight.

Senator-designee Burris was escorted to the office of the Secretary of the Senate where his credentials were found to be incomplete and he was turned away by the Secretary.  I expect the actions to this point were proper.  The Secretary of State of Illinois has refused to sign Mr. Burris’s Certificate of Appointment.  So Mr Burris’s credentials were not in order.  Presumptive Senator Franken of Minnesota was also refused pending issuance of his Certificate of Election (currently in dispute).

Fox talk radio coverage of the events talked about Mr. Burris’s appointment being “tainted” by the controversy surrounding Illinois Governor Blagojevich.  The commentator said he was not able to grasp the connection between the taint and appointment.  Fox misses a wonderful opportunity to explain the problem.

The liberals actually have a history of this sort of problem.  I understand that they feel the smell coming out of the Illinois Governor’s office might make their constituents uncomfortable.  But the facts are these: Blagojevich is the lawfully elected Governor of Illinois – Despite controversy and allegations, he has not been indicted or convicted of any crime.  He continues to act with full authority as the Governor of Illinois who has lawfully and correctly appointed a qualified individual who is not connected to any scandal to the vacant Senate seat caused by the resignation of the President-Elect.

The liberals want to govern based upon their feelings.  They are not constrained by rules or laws.  So they have taken the position that any appointment by Blagojevich just would not feel right.  Tainted, you know. 

Horsepuckey.

The Illinois Courts will order the Secretary of State to sign the Certificate.  It is his job.  The duty is ministerial and without discretion.  He is not given a veto right over the actions of the Governor. 

When Senator-designee Burris returns to the Senate chamber with the Certificate of Appointment, I hope he will be seated according to law.  This now appears to be the likely outcome – Majority Reid has climbed back down from his ridiculous previous position – no way, no how.  The Senate should never have become involved.  This is a policy problem within the State of Illinois.

There is one other possibility.  The Illinois legislature may try to rush articles of Impeachment out of their committees.  Then there would be a trial in the Illinois Senate.  If they could successfully complete these processes, the Governor could be removed.  If the Lt Governor came into office and Burris had not been seated in Washington DC – the new Governor could issue a conflicting appointment to another designee.  It isn’t over – even in Illinois – until the fat lady sings.

Film at eleven.

Watch This (famous last words in redneck South)

In all of the insanity driving the bailout farce now playing at a Congressional office near you, there is nothing which approaches the heretical nonsense I heard today.

I keep trying to remind myself that this is America where entrepreneurship and independence are prized and the capitalistic spirit of economic adventurism is rewarded. Not by government but in the arena of ideas and in the marketplace so near and dear to the hearts of the American System. This is. in my memory, the ideal that has driven Enterprise America during my lifetime and for the preceding two centuries.

I have watched in the past three months my government pursue a course of conduct which would make any socialist blush. I have watched trillions of dollars being placed in the unaccountable hands of the Secretary of the Treasury who, in his previous life as an investment banker and in his present exalted position may have sown the seeds of the destruction we now see visited upon our nation. And the best solution our treasury secretary and Congress can devise is to accelerate the very problems that brought us to this point.

And now in the bizarre next exciting chapter of this soap opera, I see the beginnings of the end of life as we know it as lawmakers may be moving toward government bail outs of <> the news media. Connecticut lawmake Frank Nicastro is suggesting that the state government do something to salvage the Bristol Press and the Harold, local newspapers in his district.

Aside from the obvious arguments that the government funding of the media would effectively destroy the independence of the press once so highly prized by the First Amendment, I also submit for your consideration that the news media and the trial lawyers are the two groups that have done more to destroy our culture than any other identifiable groups. As a group, major segments of the media have betrayed their sacred trust in the furtherance of their own private political agendas and for those of you who are not dismayed at the partisanship, you must agree that, at a minimum, all of the media are guilty of creating news instead of reporting it. And now they seek public funding. Phooey ! This way madness lies.

Of course that is just my opinion.

Who could make this Up - Illinois in the spotlight

The news is filled with cries from the Senate leadership and from the President-Elect to refuse to seat former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris as the new Senator from Illinois pursuant to the appointment by Governor Rod Blagojevich of Burris to fill the seat vacated by President-Elect Obama. 

This has been great political theater (and comic relief) for weeks since Governor Blagojevich was arrested December 9^th at his official residence by Federal Marshals on corruption charges alleging that the Governor was trying to sell the Obama seat for personal gain.  The Feds allege that the Governor has done everything to profit by this appointment except listing the seat on Ebay.

A storm of protest has demanded the removal of the Governor from office and called for a special election to fill the Senate seat.  But nothing has been done and the Governor announced a surprise appointment of Mr Burris on December 30. 

There are a few problems for the Senate leadership.  First, Mr Burris appears to be a sober and substantial designee for the position.  He is so far appearing to be above any scandal and is a qualified designee for the appointment.  And he is the legally appointed Senator under the authority of Illinois law and the Governor.  Second, Mr Burris is Black – and as such is the only Black Senator in the Senate at the moment.  So for Harry Reid and the leadership to oppose his membership, they must oppose an apparently qualified Black appointee from joining their all-white Senate Country Club.

The Constitution provides in Article I that each house (house and Senate) shall be the judge of the Elections, Returns and Qualifications of its own Members.  That means that the Senate can refuse to seat Burris.  Surely a court challenge would follow and we would have a separation of powers problem in the courts again.  This is a clearly political question and the courts are not going to like being put in the middle of this.

It must be remembered that despite the allegations and the press feeding frenzy, Governor Blagojevich has not been indicted.  He has not be convicted of any crime.  And although some accusations have been given attention in the news media, he is the legally elected Governor of the State of Illinois.  And, according to 10 ILCS 5/25–8 (Illinois Compiled Statutes), he has the legal power to appoint Roland Burris to fill a portion of the vacant term of the junior Senator from Illinois until the next Congressional election (two years).  There is no allegation that Burris has done anything wrong or that there is any improper connection between Burris and the Governor. 

At the moment, Illinois Secretary of State, Jesse White, has refused to issue the appropriate certificate of appointment.  This function of the Secretary of State is, in my view, ministerial and not discretionary and I expect the Illinois Courts will force White’s performance of his official duty. (petition for a Writ of Mandamus has been filed) The US Senate leadership will determine their strategy for what happens next.  They may believe that they can investigate the allegations and delay any action until the Governor can be impeached.

Blagojevich gets high marks for causing consternation among his opponents and for controlling the news cycle.  I am surprised to see President– Elect Obama become involved in the controversy – he needs to stay as far away from this one as possible.  Two top Obama people have hired criminal defense attorneys for their possible involvement with the Governor.  There is more to come of this farce. 

Film at Eleven.