Good Grief, not again!

[mprice.livejournal.com]

It is getting to the point where one has to wonder if ANY of the members of Congress paid their taxes. Maybe the "Rangle's Rule" bill will pass just so these characters can pay their own taxes.

Daschle apologizes for failing to pay taxes

WASHINGTON – Tom Daschle said Monday that he's "deeply embarrassed and disappointed" about his failure to pay more than $120,000 in taxes.

President Barack Obama's pick to head the Health and Human Services Department apologized for his mistake in a letter to the Senate Finance Committee released Monday. Daschle is expected to answer questions from the panel later in the day in a closed session.

Daschle said he profoundly regrets the errors that the committee has had to deal with and he is willing to answer any questions.

The committee reported that Daschle recently filed amended tax returns to reflect $128,203 in back taxes and $11,964 in interest.

It remains to be seen whether the tax issue will stall or derail Daschle's nomination. But Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mon., chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, issued a statement supporting Daschle's confirmation.

"I have applauded Senator Daschle's nomination to the post of HHS secretary, and my faith in his dedication and qualifications has only been bolstered in recent weeks by our numerous conversations about the pressing need for comprehensive health care reform," Baucus said in the statement Monday. "The ability to advance meaningful health reform is my top priority in confirming a Secretary of Health and Human Services, and I remain convinced that Senator Daschle would be an invaluable and expert partner in this effort. I am eager to move forward together."

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Awesome: GOP congressman introduces “the Rangel rule”

I love it. If we’re destined to be stuck in the minority for the foreseeable future, we might as well have fun with it.

The legislation calls for the creation of what [Rep. John Carter, R-Texas] calls the, “Rangel Rule,” — drawing attention to the recent legal issues of House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charlie Rangel, D-N.Y., enabling citizens who fail to pay taxes on time to do so later with no additional fees.

Rangel, who writes the country’s tax policies, acknowledged last fall that he failed to pay thousands in real estate taxes for rental income he earned from a property in the Dominican Republic.

As of September 2008 the Harlem Democrat reportedly paid back more than $10,000 in taxes but that did not include any IRS penalties.

“As Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, I believe you set an example for all American taxpayers in your dealings with the IRS, and that you must do so in a way that enforces blind justice without regard to wealth or status,” he wrote in the January 6th missive.

The sweetest part of this? When it comes to legislative stunts aimed at redressing supposed economic inequality, Carter obviously learned from the master. Exit question: Can we add an amendment to the bill for taxpayer-paid Cadillacs and rent-controlled apartments, too?

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How soon before someone calls "Rangel's Rule" racist?

Emphasis mine.