AtomicCEO Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 The person with that job should probably be fully aware of how much a new Johnson Rod for an F-18 should cost and whether or not the F-18 even needs a new Johnson Rod. The old Johnson Rod is working just fine, thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clubfoothead Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 The old Johnson Rod is working just fine, thanks. You'lll have to turn your head to the right and cough before I believe that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cre8tiff Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 thats disheartening. The procurement process is under scrutiny the likes of which has never been seen. The GAO's finding numerous faults with the Tanker selection process saw to that. You could have the anyone in there, regardless of who they lobby for, and there would be no monkey business. There is just too much light on it. I also have to wonder if having zero lobbyists was an actual promise? Would seem very hard, given the way the government is, to find well-qualified and experienced people who haven't served as lobbyists for SOMEONE. The problem with McCain was his Air Bus lobbyist pals were still being paid to be lobbyists while they worked on his campaign. It would greatly disappoint me to find out this is happening in in the Obama administration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage Beatings Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 I think that this is a pretty legitimate criticism of Obama so far... I find it hard to believe that he can't find really good, well qualified candidates for those positions (out of everyone in the United States) that don't continue to have problems like this. For the record, this doesn't really upset me much because frankly I expect it (from both partys). Regradless of what they say in the campaigns, the winners will always reward the party power players with positions like this. What does upset me, is that when these little problems get exposed, nothing comes of it. If any one of us made an innocent tax error like this we would be facing jail time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clubfoothead Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 I think that this is a pretty legitimate criticism of Obama so far... I find it hard to believe that he can't find really good, well qualified candidates for those positions (out of everyone in the United States) that don't continue to have problems like this. For the record, this doesn't really upset me much because frankly I expect it (from both partys). Regradless of what they say in the campaigns, the winners will always reward the party power players with positions like this. What does upset me, is that when these little problems get exposed, nothing comes of it. If any one of us made an innocent tax error like this we would be facing jail time. It might be, I don't know. I can tell you that when I voted for change, and I freely admit I did, I personally didn't expect that to mean Obama would fill his cabinet with a bunch of people who had never been invloved in the political process before. If Obama does something I don't believe in, I will have no problem calling him out on it and even voting against him in 2012. Seems odd that everyone who is bashing Obama for not changing enough are the people who were voting against change anyways. In looking at William Lynn's resume it is hard to argue that he is not qualified for the job isn't it? Whose the outsider that is equally qualified that got over looked? This seems like a small niche to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursa Majoris Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 It might be, I don't know. I can tell you that when I voted for change, and I freely admit I did, I personally didn't expect that to mean Obama would fill his cabinet with a bunch of people who had never been invloved in the political process before. If Obama went entirely for people with zero experience, the right would be all over him for not selecting experience. When he does, they're all over him for that. Good thing they're completely irrelevant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
borge007 Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 You seem to know me pretty well to conclude I was fooled. I had no illusions about Obama. Simply put, of all the turds before me, he had the most peanuts so I grabbed a fork. Whether he ends up changing anything or not is not an indication that he wasn't the candidate with the most potential to change things. You think rich guys do their own taxes? I know a few. They pay someone else to do them. What do they expect out of these people? That they do the work, that they minimize the tax liability and that they assume responsibility for any errors. So Daschle's homeboy does his taxes and as all tax guys do, they specialize in the gray area. Daschle signs the tax form, pays tax guy for doing them and submits them and I'm sure there's a wink-wink involved. $hit, I;'m going to be looking for some dude from H & R Block to do the same thing for me this afternoon but to kickin a debit card at a high interestrate too so I can afford the good parking at Medical City next week. I expect him to not do anything illegal but if he does how would I even know? Fast forward to now and some advisor decides whoever did Daschle's 2005-2007 taxes cutit a little close on some income and deductions so inorder topreventit frombeing an issue in the confirmation process, Daschle, out of an abundance of caution and upon the advice of his puppetmaster, decides to go make right. That ain't great. It's hardly an indictment of Obama's presidential legacy. But nice to see you expected Obama to fix everything in a week given it took the previous president 8 years to f*ck it all up. And you call my expectations of Obama unrealistic? Sounds like you were the one expecting a miracle, not me. +1 Well said! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtomicCEO Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 I think that this is a pretty legitimate criticism of Obama so far... I find it hard to believe that he can't find really good, well qualified candidates for those positions (out of everyone in the United States) that don't continue to have problems like this. If you were tapped... do you have no skeletons? I know you were almost a priest and whatnot... but are there no pictures of you funneling beer, taking a bong hit, naked tied to a tree, or molesting a dog? Do you have no ill-thought out offensive posts here at the Huddle that would surface and become a national scandal? Hell knows if Obama wanted to nominate me to a post and put me under national scrutiny, I would say "No thank you, sir. I do not wish to get Palin'ed." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage Beatings Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 You guys just tell me what the standard is so that it can be applied equally to politicians on the left and the right. As I understand it from you Atomic, the standard is now, that since we all have skeletons it's totally fine for to nominate and confirm people who have gone for years cheating on their taxes (whether by conscious decision or complete incompetence). That's fine, now I know what is acceptable. It's seems an awful lot like having no standard at all, but that's alright. We'll apply it fairly and evenly to all comers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Irish Doggy Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Daschle should just step away and save the President more embarrassment on this issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtomicCEO Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 You guys just tell me what the standard is so that it can be applied equally to politicians on the left and the right. As I understand it from you Atomic, the standard is now, that since we all have skeletons it's totally fine for to nominate and confirm people who have gone for years cheating on their taxes (whether by conscious decision or complete incompetence). That must be what I'm saying. I'm glad that your standards are suddenly so high for elected officials. I wonder what changed your mind in the last month or so? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cre8tiff Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 (edited) If you were tapped... do you have no skeletons? I know you were almost a priest and whatnot... but are there no pictures of you funneling beer, taking a bong hit, naked tied to a tree, or molesting a dog? Do you have no ill-thought out offensive posts here at the Huddle that would surface and become a national scandal? Hell knows if Obama wanted to nominate me to a post and put me under national scrutiny, I would say "No thank you, sir. I do not wish to get Palin'ed." About 10 years ago, I had the opportunity to ask Mary Matlin and James Carville this very question. It was in the heat of the Primaries for 2000 election, and folks were getting all sorts of dirt dug up on them. The question was, "Why would anyone run for the office of President, given the amount of digging that goes so deep into the past and exposes every mistake they have ever made? Do you think that is weakening the availablity of strong candidates?" Mary Matlin took the question and said, " You are absolutely right it is weakening the talent pool. Look, I don't WANT anyone in high office that has never made a mistake. That is how we humans learn, from mistakes. The current environment of finding every little thing wrong, and blowing it up in the media is a shameful and not something we should continue." (Paraphrase, I don't have an exact quote). The fact is everyone makes mistakes. Including Obama, for choosing Daschle without properly vetting him. (Hellooo Palin). However, should it keep Daschle, who is extremely qualified on the Health Care issue from serving in that capacity? Nope. Edited February 2, 2009 by cre8tiff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brewer Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 While this is something that deserves to be reviewed during his confirmation hearings, I find it hard to believe that Daschele prepared his own taxes or directed his accountant to ignore things. On a related note, I wonder how many members of congress get audited each year by the IRS? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmarc117 Posted February 2, 2009 Author Share Posted February 2, 2009 About 10 years ago, I had the opportunity to ask Mary Matlin and James Carville this very question. It was in the heat of the Primaries for 2000 election, and folks were getting all sorts of dirt dug up on them. The question was, "Why would anyone run for the office of President, given the amount of digging that goes so deep into the past and exposes every mistake they have ever made? Do you think that is weakening the availablity of strong candidates?" Mary Matlin took the question and said, " You are absolutely right it is weakening the talent pool. Look, I don't WANT anyone in high office that has never made a mistake. That is how we humans learn, from mistakes. The current environment of finding every little thing wrong, and blowing it up in the media is a shameful and not something we should continue." (Paraphrase, I don't have an exact quote). The fact is everyone makes mistakes. Including Obama, for choosing Daschle without properly vetting him. (Hellooo Palin). However, should it keep Daschle, who is extremely qualified on the Health Care issue from serving in that capacity? Nope. for you to think that these are mistakes is kinda foolish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cre8tiff Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 for you to think that these are mistakes is kinda foolish. For you automatically assume it is an intentional criminal act is equally so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westvirginia Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 “Make no mistake, tax cheaters cheat us all, and the IRS should enforce our laws to the letter. ” Sen. Tom Daschle, Congressional Record, May 7, 1998, p. S4507 Oh, snap! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage Beatings Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 For you automatically assume it is an intentional criminal act is equally so. If it's not intentional, then it's incompetent. Which is worse? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy Neutron Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 It's interesting to see the tide change so fully. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursa Majoris Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 Might as well 'fess up that I think the guy's a turd. The problem Obama has is that there just aren't enough honest people left in Washington to create an administration. The question isn't so much who to appoint now but how do we fix this going forward? Suggestion: Make it really worthwhile being a politician and a politician alone. It pays peanuts relatively speaking (the CEO of my company pulls down way more than the President) so all the politicians are looking out for lobbying opportunities and crooked deals. What if we quadrupled their pay but completely outlawed contact with the government once outside the government forever? Or something similar? And make corruption an automatic life sentence. Maybe we'd get smarter people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westvirginia Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 Might as well 'fess up that I think the guy's a turd. The problem Obama has is that there just aren't enough honest people left in Washington to create an administration. The question isn't so much who to appoint now but how do we fix this going forward? Suggestion: Make it really worthwhile being a politician and a politician alone. It pays peanuts relatively speaking (the CEO of my company pulls down way more than the President) so all the politicians are looking out for lobbying opportunities and crooked deals. What if we quadrupled their pay but completely outlawed contact with the government once outside the government forever? Or something similar? And make corruption an automatic life sentence. Maybe we'd get smarter people. I see it the other way around - reduce fedgov by about 90% and then you'd only need someone for a couple months out of the year and it wouldn't be lucrative, or so interesting... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cre8tiff Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 (edited) If it's not intentional, then it's incompetent. Which is worse? So you are of the opinion that only incompetent people (or criminals) ever make a mistake on thier taxes? Or trust thier accountant? This is a mole-hill the desperate right is making into a mountain. Edited February 3, 2009 by cre8tiff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmarc117 Posted February 3, 2009 Author Share Posted February 3, 2009 (edited) So you are of the opinion that only incompetent people (or criminals) ever make a mistake on thier taxes? Or trust thier accountant? This is a mole-hill the desperate right is making into a mountain. and it appears that you are of the opinion that those on the left only make mistakes. they could never have bad intentions. cant be criminals. never! Edited February 3, 2009 by dmarc117 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cre8tiff Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 and it appears that you are of the opinion that those on the left only make mistakes. they could never have bad intentions. cant be criminals. never! Absolutely, you got me. Vote Democratic and pardons for everyone! Oh, wait, that's a Republican thing, isn't it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cunning Runt Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 I personally could care less one way or the other. If he's the right guy for the job, then carry on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmarc117 Posted February 3, 2009 Author Share Posted February 3, 2009 Absolutely, you got me. Vote Democratic and pardons for everyone! Oh, wait, that's a Republican thing, isn't it? Bush now has issued 171 pardons, compared with Clinton's 396 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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