Monday, January 26, 2009

Geithner Confirmed, Unfortunately

Timothy Geithner was confirmed this evening by the senate, 60-34, and it is not a good thing.
Worse, ten Republicans caved and voted for Mr. Geithner.
The 31 Republicans and three Democrat votes against Mr. Geithner is as follows:

Alexander (R-TN)
Barrasso (R-WY)
Bennett (R-UT)
Brownback (R-KS)
Bunning (R-KY)
Burr (R-NC)
Byrd (D-WV)
Chambliss (R-GA)
Coburn (R-OK)
Cochran (R-MS)
Collins (R-ME)
DeMint (R-SC)
Enzi (R-WY)
Feingold (D-WI)
Grassley (R-IA)
Harkin (D-IA)
Hutchison (R-TX)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Isakson (R-GA)
Johanns (R-NE)
Kyl (R-AZ)
Lugar (R-IN)
Martinez (R-FL)
McCain (R-AZ)
McConnell (R-KY)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Risch (R-ID)
Roberts (R-KS)
Sanders (I-VT)
Sessions (R-AL)
Specter (R-PA)
Thune (R-SD)
Vitter (R-LA)
Wicker (R-MS)

The 10 Republicans who gave the Obama administration cover were as follows:

Corker (R-TN)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Crapo (R-ID)
Ensign (R-NV)
Graham (R-SC)
Gregg (R-NH)
Hatch (R-UT)
Shelby (R-AL)
Snowe (R-ME)
Voinovich (R-OH)

While a lot attention has been payed to about Mr. Geithner's tax cheating, the real scandal is that Mr. Geithner is one of the Goldman Sachs architects of the $700,000,000,000 bank "bailout/rescue" plan that so far is an abysmal failure.
But, the tax issue is fascinating because of the dancing that Mr. Geithner tried to do on the issue of his owing over $47,000 of back taxes.
In rarity of rarities, I agree with the geriatric Democrat senator from West Virginia, Robert Byrd, "Had he not been nominated for treasury secretary, it's doubtful that he would have ever paid these taxes". And he is spot on.
Wyoming Republican senator Mike Enzi had some blistering criticism of Mr. Geithner in regards to the back tax issue, "Nominees for positions that do not oversee tax reporting and collection have been forced to withdraw their nomination for more minor offenses. They have been ridden out of town on a verbal rail," Enzi told the Senate. "The fact that we're in a global economic crisis is not a reason to overlook these errors.""The Senate," he scolded, "is not supposed to be a group of 'yes' men."
Again, say it brother!
The back tax issue is more ridiculous because Mr. Geithner blamed TurboTax software for his "error".
Remember, this is the man that President Obama believes can help guide the United States' financial services mess.
The man can not even figure out TurboTax software.
One of the worst acts in the waning months of the Bush administration was the overreaction and panic that led to the $700,000,000,000 bank "bailout/rescue" that has done not one thing to solve the credit crunch. And now, one of those who worked behind the scenes, Timothy Geithner, is now on his own to steer the ship right.
I have no confidence in a man that can not use simple tax software and avoids paying taxes righting the Titanic of an economic mess that the United States is now in.
Something to remember in 2010.

HT: Gateway Pundit @ www.gatewaypundit.blogpsot.com and The Corner @ www.nationalreview.com/corner

9 comments:

skeneogden said...

I got a call from the RNC this afternoon asking for a contribution and I told them until I saw some real "Reagan Republicanism" in this session of the new Congress that they could expect nothing from me.

Now all I need to do is stop paying my taxes and then invoke the Geithner defense when I'm arrested.

Rightwingsnarkle said...

Hmmm, Russ Feingold, Robert Byrd, and Tom Harkin, with Bernie Sanders joining in. That's an interesting combo in the vote against confirmation. I don't know what to make of it.

As for wingnuts getting their panties in a bunch over this nomination, or Eric Holder's...tough luck spoilsports.

Ron Simpson said...

proud to say that both my OK reps voted against this Obamistake.

Rightwingsnarkle said...

both my OK reps...

No surprise there. Members of the OK House and Senate delegations are all a very special brand of crazy.

Must be all of the petroleum solvents in the drinking water.

Righty64 said...

Mr. Snarkle if I remember correctly, you are proudly from Massachusetts, right? So can I assume the reason your congressmen and senators vote the way that they do is because of the mass quanities of alcohol they consume? Especially the senior senator?

Rightwingsnarkle said...

Massachusetts is the cradle of the American Revolution, my friend.

This is where it all started, including the first armed resistance to an insane tyrant named George.

There was a name back in those days for what we call 'wingnut' today. They were 'Torries,' and they feared change. If it had been left to them, there'd be no United States.

If George Washington was alive today, you'd be shouting to see him hanged.

Fortunately, Torries don't matter anymore. Neither do wingnuts.

As for the Massachusetts House and Senate delegations - I'm very proud of them, by and large.

Ted Kennedy is a giant. I'm glad he lived to see Obama inaugurated. He likely won't live to see much more.

Anonymous said...

I do my taxes the old fashioned way, by hand with my trusty calculator by my side, but I just might buy a copy of Turbo-Tax as cover for any future problems.

BTW, I missed how Turbo-Tax prevented him from paying what he owed once the IRS asked for the dough.

Righty64 said...

Snarkle, your response is pure lefty gold! I will have a further response. Hell, your response is almost worth a post in and of itself! Unbelievable!

Rightwingsnarkle said...

Yeah, we'll see what you choose to respond to.