DASCHLE WITHDRAWS HIS NOMINATION FOR HHS POST

I applaud Tom Daschle for taking himself out of consideration for nomination as head of the department of health and human services. His tax failings have seriously destroyed his credibility, and his continuing to want the HHS post would do more and more damage to Obama's pledge to employ higher levels of ethics in government.

How Obama decided to pick Daschle after his team trumpeted the 50-page vetting required of all nominees is anyone's guess. Surely Obama or someone on the team who drew up the pretentious 50 pages remembered to put a question about paying taxes!

Why Obama picked Timothy Geithner to be Treasury Secretary is also another question for historians. Geithner conveniently did not pay FICA tax for his self-employment with the World Bank for two or three years. And by the way, why Geithner agreed to be considered an "independent contractor" with the World Bank raises other questions that IRS should investigate. Incidentally now that he is confirmed, Geithner is in charge of the IRS!