Obama's first failed appointment

[classicman]

Wow, all good points. Is it actually achieving the desired result or is it just eliminating more candidates. I would love to get rid of about 80% of the current members in the house and senate too. Wonder if there is some way.... hmmm

[Happy Monkey]

Originally Posted by classicman

Wow, all good points. Is it actually achieving the desired result or is it just eliminating more candidates.

It achieves results. I think it is a good thing for government officials to be up to date on their taxes, and it is a good thing for people who hope to eventually get those positions to have extra incentives to be squeaky clean. Those are good results in themselves.

From a strictly utilitarian standpoint, however, it probably does some harm. Someone can be extremely effective in a position, even if their past isn't pristine - sometimes in politics they can be more effective (not necessarily in tax issues, but in general). "Do as I say and not as I do" isn't an admirable position, but it's the rare parent who never has to take it.

[classicman]

I agree with your reference to parenting. Thats been a difficult one for me on several occasions (ok, more). I still think we need to hold our representatives to a higher standard though. Especially those doing the legislating. I'm still having issues with business or industries "donating" money to certain representatives, especially the representatives who are supposed to be overseeing those same businesses. It makes no logical sense.

[classicman]

Not a failed appointment ... yet. But certainly a rather interesting one in light of all the outrage.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- One of the people named this week to President Obama's new Task Force on Tax Reform is a member of the AIG board of directors.

Martin Feldstein, a professor of economics at Harvard University, has been on the board of American International Group since 1988. He also was a prominent economic adviser to Presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush.

Asked about the AIG connection - the White House declined to comment on the story.

[sugarpop]

uhhh, really? WTF?

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by Happy Monkey

...and it is a good thing for people who hope to eventually get those positions to have extra incentives to be squeaky clean.
From a strictly utilitarian standpoint, however, it probably does some harm.

I have to agree on both counts. The whole process of election/selection for public service has gotten intense. I mean we're told if the candidate/nominee forgot to feed their goldfish on a Thursday 30 years ago.

The problem is we might end up candidates/nominees that have been raised in a bubble, never made a mistake. How in hell can we relate to that kind of person? More importantly, how can they relate to us? How can they connect with the people they have to direct, motivate, or persuade, when the have no mutual life experiences?

[sugarpop]

That's a good point Bruce, but the tax issue is just ridiculous. It seems like almost everyone cheats on their taxes. And it's more infuriating when it's someone who has money and can afford to pay them.

[xoxoxoBruce]

How do you think they got so rich?

I doubt if any of these people "do" their own taxes. As Lookout well knows, the people that handle that stuff can stick it right up your kazoo.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

I have to agree on both counts. The whole process of election/selection for public service has gotten intense. I mean we're told if the candidate/nominee forgot to feed their goldfish on a Thursday 30 years ago.

The problem is we might end up candidates/nominees that have been raised in a bubble, never made a mistake. How in hell can we relate to that kind of person? More importantly, how can they relate to us? How can they connect with the people they have to direct, motivate, or persuade, when the have no mutual life experiences?

I doubt we will have such a canidate. We will never be able to relate to them and for the fast majority we can't relate to them now. They have very few mutual life experience now so how is it different? The choosen ones are selected by other people to represent us, we get to choose from their limited choice. Hence we have consecutive election cycles where we are not choosing the best person just the best of the two or three very bad choices.

[classicman]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

The problem is we might end up candidates/nominees that have been raised in a bubble.
... no mutual life experiences?

To some extent, thats what we have now - isn't it?

[lookout123]

No, no, no. Obama is one of us. He organized communities. and smoked rock. and had to get normal loan approval for an appropriately priced house... just like all of us.

[TGRR]

Originally Posted by lookout123

No, no, no. Obama is one of us. He organized communities. and smoked rock. and had to get normal loan approval for an appropriately priced house... just like all of us.

Smoked rock? Really?

You won't have any trouble posting a link to a credible source concerning the president smoking crack, I assume.

[Clodfobble]

Obama wrote about it in his own memoirs, genius.

[lookout123]

I guess that depends on what level of credibility you believe Obama to have, I suppose.

[TGRR]

Originally Posted by Clodfobble

Obama wrote about it in his own memoirs, genius.

Your link says nothing of the kind.

Obama admits to having smoked the reefer back in his youth in his book. In fact, he admits to a little cocaine. Please point out where he talks about smoking crack, which is another order of magnitude as far as drugs go.

Please try to be a little more honest about this sort of thing.

TGRR,
Genius or something.