I don’t want to be sitting here at my computer giving President Obama advice.  But, well you can guess what’s about to happen, can’t you?  I mean, today, for the first time that I can remember (probably since Jimmy Carter – I hope this isn’t a bad omen) I saw a President say “I screwed up” on national TV. Now, I’m not exactly sure what he was referring to when he said that – ostensibly he was referring to the nomination of Tom Daschle to be Secretary of Health and Human services – Daschle withdrew his nomination because he failed to pay a substantial sum of income tax incurred when he accepted the use of a car and driver upon his departure from the US Senate a few years ago. Originally Obama stood behind him – kind of a blind loyalty, I suppose with the belief that Daschle was the best person for the job – which kind of undercut Obama’s pledge to “change” the culture of Washington (what President hasn’t made that pledge?). Obviously, Obama himself didn’t “vet” Daschle for the job, and just as obviously Daschle wasn’t totally forthcoming when offered the job – so it made it a bit interesting trying to figure out what Obama was apologizing for. Surely, it was appropriate for Daschle to apologize. Maybe, this is my optimistic self talking, President Obama is REALLY a “the buck stops here” kind of President and that’s why he took responsibility. I guess we’ll find out.

Getting back to my advice. Not only did Daschle withdraw his nomination, but another less well known person withdrew hers (I have no idea what her name is) because at some point in her life she failed to pay $900 in taxes for a person who worked for her as a nanny, or something like that. OK, I need a little more of a frame for my thoughts, so you’ll have to wait for the advice a bit longer. I see a couple problems with this tax crusade from whoever is “uncovering” these “mistakes.” Keep in mind that to change Washington’s culture, we may need some people from outside of Washington to fill some of the positions that require Senate confimation and the way it’s working back there now, I can forsee a time when they can’t get people willing to allow themselves to go through this grilling by a bunch of hypocrits (and, believe me, I fully understand that this hypocracy is one thing in Washington that is “bi-partisan”). Now, Daschle failed to pay well over a hundred thousand dollars over a period of three years (that’s taxes on the value of the gift – a car and driver – must have been some kind of car and some special driver) and he also received hundreds of thousands of dollars speaking to the very companies which he would have been dealing with in developing a national health insurance program. I think, “Upon further review,” President Obama realized Daschle represented “more of the same” and that is why he was apologizing for “screwing up.” Daschle should never have been nominated – it was done in haste and it was a mistake. The second person – who if I understand it correctly paid $900 late – are you kidding me? I mean I’d hate to go before the commitees who are approving/dispoving these nominees.

I always try to pay my taxes fairly. I’ve been homeless and jobless before. I’m thankful I “get” to pay taxes. That means I have a job and I’m actually making a liveable wage. That being said, I don’t know how accurate Turbo Tax is. I’ve never been audited (and I hope I never am) – probably because I don’t make much and it should be obvious to anyone that I’m not trying to cheat. But, if someone went over my last 10 years returns with a “fine tooth comb” I have no idea if they’d find a mistake. There can be no doubt, people like Daschle don’t figure out their own taxes either. They have high paid accountants (think of what it would be like to be Daschle’s accountant right now – yesterday I’m bragging that Daschle is my client, today I’m in the commercial that ends with “Want to get away?”) and they probably make so much money that they have no idea if all their taxes have been paid and it doesn’t seem to matter. I mean, if all of a sudden I had to come up with $140,000 to clear up a tax bill, I’d be on the phone immediately to one of those outfits on the radio who advertise that they can come up with alternate solutions which reduce the debt. I mean, that’s more than I take home from work in 4 years!

My point #1: someone is looking at the minutia and taking advantage of Obama’s pledge to clean up Washington. Now guess who this might be? What’s the old saying; “Three guesses and the first two don’t count.” OK, we know that the Republicans are about as far from squeaky clean as you can get, but they are really abusing the position they’re in right now. THEY ARE GOING TO DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO UNDERMINE BARRACK OBAMA’S PRESIDENCY! This is just a given. I guarantee you, if all the Republicans leading the charge against Daschle – and more ridiculously the lady who was late with $900 – had to submit to tax audits before they could use this as an excuse to vote against the nomination – this would not have even come up as an issue. Remember the Bible story where Jesus is at the well with the prostitute who the Pharisees wanted to stone to death – and he said “Let the man without sin throw the first stone” – which resulted in all the accusers walking away in shame – well I suspect the same would have happend here. So, has Obama backed himself into a corner with his pledge of “purity?” Well, I don’t think so, and I’ll tell you why.

Which brings me to point #2 – And this is my advice to President Obama: I’ve been writing for over two months now on the importance of allowing investigations of the Bush administration to go on on all fronts (this would undoubtedly bring in a few Republicans along the way). Insure they are run by non-partisan members of the Justice department and let the evidence speak for itself. Where people are exonerated, where laws have not been broken, just find out what happened for history’s sake and for the sake of correcting actions that we don’t want to happen again. Where there has been lawbreaking, let the judicial system that has made this the greatest nation on earth carry out fair and impartial justice. Let these Republicans flap their jaws for a few days because that’s about all they’ve got – and tell them, “You’re right, we’ve got to find out the details of what has been going on in this town – from everyone – including you.” That is the only way you’ll get their attention – DON’T BACK DOWN! You understand full well that their solution to the mess they’ve made – more of the same stupidity – TAX CUTS FOR THE WEALTHY – would get you thrown out of town quickly. Here’s the main problem, these guys have been running roughshod over the constitution, the Congress, the people, anyone and anything that gets in their way for far too long. PUT A HALT TO IT RIGHT NOW! Understand this Predident Obama; The Republicans are not going to work in a non-partisan fashion until they are convinced that you DON’T NEED THEM. At that point they will come grovelling – I guarantee it!

But for now – you’ve got to go on without them. They are trying to expose you as a weak President. You don’t have a lot of time to turn this around. I mean Mr. President – this is the party that is being led be a big fat blowhard who’s day job is to tell one lie after another on the radio airwaves – he’s perfected the art of lying – I’ll give him that. And it’s “leading” candidate to make a run for your job in 2012 is a governor of a state about the size of the county I live in (poplulation wise), who shoots wolves while hovering in a helicopter, is also a good liar,  and considers foreign policy being able to see Russia from her house (this is one of the ways she proved her incompetence).  On top of that, their new leading “front man” is another superb liar (must be a requirement to lead the Republican party – incompetence at everything but lying) Samuel Wurzelbacher, who you know as Joe the Plumber from the campaign, the unemployed plumber who gained five minutes (now hours) of fame by lying right to your face.  This is the type of “Economic expert” these Republicans rely on!  These people have no intention of cooperating with you – EVEN IF THE FUTURE OF THE COUNTRY IS AT STAKE. The only future they worry about is their own return to power – and they’ll get there any way they can at whatever expense they have to incurr. (the last eight years should make it clear what they’re made of Mr. Obama!)

Give them a chance this week to vote for the stimulus package as it’s presented. If they block it, go into attack mode. Let them know who’s running the show at this point. Take out the tax cuts, increase the spending on infrastructure, and dare them to filibuster. If they filibuster, let them talk until they’re blue in the face. Yes, if this doesn’t pass quickly we’re all going to suffer a bit more (possibly a lot more) but the long term benefits of demonstrating you are in charge and they are the minority party will be huge. And the investigations that I’ve been calling for will uncover so much corruption and lawbreaking that these guys won’t be back in power until their children are running for their seats in Congress, at the earliest. President Obama, the only thing the Republicans want from you, is your failure!