Obama's nomination woes continue

[DinoDoc]

1.the fact that the right wing blogs that you read make note of Democrats' problems and not (more prominent) Republicans' problems isn't a persuasive argument.

I don't read blog as a rule and certainly not as often as you seem to think. I certainly didn't during the overheated 09 season. He's Bush III! He's a damned commie! etc.

2. If this is a trivial issue that passes for a joke, by definition it doesn't make sense to call for resignations or

I've doubted Geithner's competence since his nomination only to be derided by Kuci and others. Everything he's done since has only proven my assessment to be the correct one. As for the importance of the issue, allow me to quote Tom Daschle: “Make no mistake, tax cheaters cheat us all..." The joke part should have occured to you when you read the obvious exaggeration of no Dems pay taxes.

insist that this points to serious competence issues.

If it were one instance, you would have a real point and I would be forced to conceed it. But as we're well past this being one instances of failed vetting, I'm gonna have to disagree.

[Naked Gents Rut]

Really? I'm pretty sure you were calling for Geithner's head over his tax issues.

We should have gotten it; Geithner's tax evasion was the most brazen of the bunch. What you conveniently forgot, however, is that I said it was a shame that people like Killefer had to fall on their sword for what seemed like actual mistakes because real scumbags like Geithner had already been hustled through the gates, alerting the guards in the process.

If tax problems are a serious, disqualifying barrier to high office, the fact that the right wing blogs that you read make note of Democrats' problems and not (more prominent) Republicans' problems isn't a persuasive argument.

No one was talking about McCain and Palin's tax issues during the campaign. There were far juicier stories, like whether McCain was senile and dangerous or who Trig Palin's real mother was.

[Velociryx]

No one was talking about McCain and Palin's tax issues during the campaign.

In other words...it got the attention it deserved. *yawn*

-=Vel=-

[Ramo]

Yep.

[Naked Gents Rut]

You two are very sad.

[Kuciwalker]

Honestly i'm far more annoyed that someone can deduct $20,000 for baseball tickets. That's a deduction that absolutely should go away... 'entertain clients', bah humbug. Entertain them at home over a home-cooked meal, if you want, but baseball games are just a cheap way to get a deduction and watch a baseball game.

If it's a business expense, why shouldn't you be able to deduct it?

[DinoDoc]

Has this reached the category of "dog bites man" yet:

Obama needs a new car czar

Why did the Obama administration name investment banker Steven Rattner as the head of auto task force knowing that New York prosecutors were investigating whether he had a role in a kickback scheme at New York state’s pension fund?

To be bure, Rattner, co-founder of the Quadrangle Group, and the firm have not been charged with a crime. The pay-to-play scam was allegedly done through intermediaries. Nonetheless, the investment banker took some actions that, as the Wall Street Journal notes, raise some troubling questions.

“A Securities and Exchange Commission complaint says a `senior executive’ of Mr. Rattner’s investment firm met in 2004 with a politically connected consultant about a finder’s fee,” the paper said. “Later, the complaint says, the firm received an investment from the state pension fund and paid $1.1 million in fees. The `senior executive,’ not named in the complaint, is Mr. Rattner, according to the person familiar with the matter.”

An SEC complaint alleges that a meeting was arranged between the “senior Quadrangle executive” and a brother of New York’s then -deputy comptroller to discuss acquiring the DVD distribution rights to “Chooch”, a film he produced with his brothers.

Three weeks later, Quadrangle acquired the rights to the flick, and in a startling coincidence, the deputy comptroller told the senior Quadrangle executive that Quadrangle would get a $100 million investment from the pension fund, the Journal quotes the complaint as saying.

I guess they call it “pay-to-play” for a reason.

The fact that the Obama administration knew about the investigation but chose to ignore it anyway is pretty disturbing. Rattner was given an important job to save the auto industry at a critical time for the economy. The last thing the American people need is a distraction like this one.

For the good of everybody, Rattner should give up his fledgling career in government service. He certainly does not need the money.

By the way, chooch is Italian slang for dummy, moron or idiot. How ironic.

–Jonathan Berr

http://247wallst.com/2009/04/17/obama-needs-a-new-car-czar/

[Drake Tungsten]

Has this reached the category of "dog bites man" yet

Yes. It reached that stage weeks ago. These stories lost their punch after it became widely accepted that Obama's transition was the worst in history.

[Drake Tungsten]

The Obama administration declared a “public health emergency” Sunday to confront the swine flu — but is heading into its first medical outbreak without a secretary of Health and Human Services or appointees in any of the department’s 19 key posts.

President Barack Obama has not yet chosen a surgeon general or the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. His choice to run the Food and Drug Administration awaits confirmation.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0409/21719.html

This is just pathetic at this point.

[DaShi]

And he's still doing better than the last guy, Johnny Whatshisface.

[Dauphin]

If it's a business expense, why shouldn't you be able to deduct it?

That reminds of the argument for the tax-deductibility of bribes.

[Asher]

The Obama administration declared a “public health emergency” Sunday to confront the swine flu — but is heading into its first medical outbreak without a secretary of Health and Human Services or appointees in any of the department’s 19 key posts.

President Barack Obama has not yet chosen a surgeon general or the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. His choice to run the Food and Drug Administration awaits confirmation.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0409/21719.html

This is just pathetic at this point.

Worst thing he could've done is appointed some douchebag who'd rush out vaccines.

Should be glad that never happened here.

[Theben]

After Katrina it'd be suicide not to take precautionary steps in addressing a possible national dilemma. And having the vaccines in place =! using them indiscriminately.

[Drake Tungsten]

Most of Obama’s Top Appointees Are Not in Place

By PETER BAKER
Published: August 23, 2009

WASHINGTON — As President Obama tries to turn around a summer of setbacks, he finds himself still without most of his own team. Seven months into his presidency, fewer than half of his top appointees are in place advancing his agenda.

Of more than 500 senior policymaking positions requiring Senate confirmation, just 43 percent have been filled — a reflection of a White House that grew more cautious after several nominations blew up last spring, a Senate that is intensively investigating nominees and a legislative agenda that has consumed both.

While career employees fill many posts on an acting basis, Mr. Obama does not have his own people enacting programs central to his mission. He is trying to fix the financial markets but does not have an assistant treasury secretary for financial markets. He is spending more money on transportation than anyone since Dwight D. Eisenhower but does not have his own inspector general watching how the dollars are used. He is fighting two wars but does not have an Army secretary.

He sent Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to Africa to talk about international development but does not have anyone running the Agency for International Development. He has invited major powers to a summit on nuclear nonproliferation but does not have an assistant secretary of state for nonproliferation.

“If you’re running G.M. without half your senior executives in place, are you worried? I’d say your stockholders would be going nuts,” said Terry Sullivan, a professor at the University of North Carolina and executive director of the White House Transition Project, a scholarly program that tracks appointments.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/24/us/politics/24confirm.html

[Darius871]

[insert obligatory mancrush jab here]