taxes again

Too Good For Their Own Taxes

11/23/2009

By Justin Williams

With the Bush tax cuts set to expire at the end of 2010 and both health care reform bills calling for increased tax revenue, the Obama Administration and Congress are about to saddle the American people one of the largest tax increases in history. The standard liberal litany for such a raid on taxpayers’ pockets is that working Americans have a “moral obligation” to “feed the poor” -- or in the case of health care, pay their medical bills.

This is ironic as, once again, yet another appointed member of the Obama Administration has come up short on paying their own taxes in a timely and orderly fashion.

Lael Brainard, former Senior Fellow at the Brooking Institute, has been nominated to the position of undersecretary of the Treasury for International Affairs. But she like Tim Geithner, Tom Daschle, Ron Kirk, and Nancy Killfer before her, has proven to be what the IRS calls “tax cheats.” Which, of course, does not augur well for the “poor,” looking to have their bills paid with tax dollars.

A recent report from the Senate Finance Committee found that Ms. Brainard was late paying her real estate taxes in 2005, in 2006, and again in 2007. And the Associated Press reports that when asked about it, the delinquent Ms. Brainard went into a cover up mode. In fact according to AP, “the committee staff had to submit 10 sets of questions to Brainard before getting complete information about the discrepancies.”

Americans for Limited Government this past Thursday called upon the Senate Finance Committee to reject any Obama appointees with clear record as tax violators. And it asks that holds be put on such nominees, especially the latest, Lael Brainard.

ALG President Bill Wilson noted that “Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner’s nomination was nearly derailed because of his tax dodges. Trade Representative Ron Kirk failed to pay $10,000 in taxes and only filed an amended return after the Finance Committee caught him cheating. And yet, Obama continues trying to put the foxes in charge of the hen house.”

The famous colonial founder of Pennsylvania, William Penn, put it best when he said, “No man is fit to command another that cannot command himself.” The Obama administration and its appointees have shown the American people that they are not fit to demand higher taxes on others, when they, themselves are not even willing to pay their own taxes in a timely fashion.

Justin Williams is the Senior Commentary Editor for ALG News.

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Tax Tips:

Keep all receipts for range fees, cleaning supplies, etc. Firearms may be claimed as dependants on your tax return if you can prove that you provided more than 50 percent of their living expenses.

Dues and donations to right-wing militia groups qualify as charitable donations.

Pay your taxes with a credit card. The current administration may not last another 30 days.