Timothy Geithner Tax Cheat American Hero
President Obama’s choice for Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner has been taking some heat for tax evasion, but I have a different take on his tax fraud. In this political editorial I will explain why I applaud President Obama for choosing Timothy Geithner to head the Treasury Department.
According to reports, Geithner “failed to pay self-employment taxes for money he earned from 2001 to 2004 while working for the International Monetary Fund.” Although many have criticized his minor oversight, I believe that Geithner is just the kind of person that we need in charge of our money. President Obama has made a shrewd choice in selecting this American Patriot to this important government office.
Although Obama said that campaign slogans “need to be more than just election sloganeering,” (campaign slogans also make great post-election merchandise), it is clear that with his nod toward Geithner that President Obama does not, in fact, plan to spread the wealth around. And Timothy Geithner is the hired gun to make damn sure that doesn’t happen. The Treasury Secretary in waiting understands that his money is HIS money and not the government’s money. This is one of the core principles of conservatism. In fact, our country was founded upon a stubborn refusal to pay taxes.
Sure, you have to pay your taxes, but Geithner is rich and privileged and you’re not.. As this nation’s Presidential lineage has shown, we as a people like to be led by the rich and privileged. In fact, it is often the only real standard we hold our elected representative to.
Vice President Joe Biden once declared that paying higher taxes is patriotic. I find that as a general measuring stick, looking at what Democrats declare to be patriotic, and reversing it is a good rule of thumb for determining what is actually patriotic. So if the Vice President thinks that paying higher taxes is patriotic, we can logically assume that paying lower taxes is actually patriotic. Ergo, paying no taxes is Super Duper Patriotic™. This puts Timothy Geithner in an exclusive class of Super Duper Patriotic™ Americans.
To be fair, I do have one little beef with Geithner. He paid two of the four years worth of taxes he refused to pay, and that makes me feel a little sour about his leadership abilities. That’s OK. It was merely a moment of weakness. I understand that he is only human, unlike Obama, and therefore flawed, unlike Obama. However, I can still respect the man, because he managed to weasel his way into getting reimbursed for the taxes he refused to pay.
I salute Timothy Geithner, and I salute President Obama on his choice for Secretary of the Treasury.
Vic W has a poll asking whether tax cheat Timothy Geithner should be US Treasury Secretary. The poll is in the sidebar. I’m sure he would appreciate if you clicked through and took the poll.
Category: Political Humor Tags: Editorial Satire, Humour, Political Humor, President Obama, Tax Evasion, Tax Fraud
2004–2012
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
[John Philip Sousa plays in the background]
Finally, leadership I can believe in. Inspired, I’m headed out right now, to find a job that pays under the table. I want to show my patriotism too!
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
I think I’ll give up law enforcement and go into lawn care. Cash only, bitches. No more taxes for me!
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
When I file my taxes I’m taking a tax deduction for sending my children to summer camp just like Geithner did.
And I don’t even have kids!
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Here’s a guy whose résumé lists the presidency of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, and whose attendant credentials—we are to assume—make him competent to be the titular guardian of our national treasure.
Yet, we’re to believe that he forgot about Social Security and Medicare taxes when he filled out the old 1040, which are intimately, affectionately, and collectively known as the Self Employment, or SE tax, by the 11 million or so people in America who don’t earn their living working for somebody else.
The SE tax is extremely straightforward to understand, even if you’ve only graduated from Dartmouth and have an M.A. in International Economics from John Hopkins. As a matter of fact, just type “Self Employment Tax” into Google, and handy & helpful Web page will appear at the very tippy-top of the listings to tell you all about it, which is the kind of search engine result that tells you 11 million or so others have visited here before you.
Call me a cynic. But I think Timothy saying he just forgot about the SE tax—from 2001 to last fall—stretches the parameters of credulity. Or more prosaically, he’s full of bull. You know it. I know it. He knows it.
But since when is being notoriously feculent in spirit and morality a detriment to one’s suitability for government service? Actually, it’s a credential. The Senate has vetted Timothy Geithner, and they have found his ethical predilections to be totally reasonable by their own standards.
No surprise there.
read more at http://www.halfjoking.net
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
You’re supposed to pay self-employment taxes for money earned while working for the International Monetary Fund?
Oh, crap.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
A drop in the bucket compared to what “real” fiends (AKA Joe The Taxpayer) manage to rip the government off for every year. Maybe he needed a “bailout” all his own and just getting a head start. Or spreading the wealth to someone behind him (like an illegal immigrant nanny/chef/gardener). I’m sure he had a good excuse – other than greed, deceit, and contempt for an obsolete and oftentimes spastic-colon tax code.
It’s just one more item in the junk drawer of life to pull out and laugh at from time to time before tossing back in, right?
PS: I finally got off my rump and opened my site back up (my first visitor my “friend,” of course – although she didn’t bother to spew gobs of bile on me this time….). Stop by, if you like (please don’t mind the “dust” as I’m still “renovating”).
OH, oh, oh! AND, last night I was all puffy with pride, when one of my mentors asked me to be a co-contributor to his site! How totally awesome is that? I needed something good to finish off this monstrously horrid week.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Hey, that Stephen guy knows a lot of big words, so I figure he must be smart. That or he’s trying to make fools out of us.
I don’t like it when people try to make me look stupid. I can do that all on my own.
Yeah, he’s smart alright, a smart ass, and there’s just one thing to do with smart asses, kick ‘em in the nuts!
You just gotta turn ‘em around first.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
[...] relatively certain that a cure for cancer and an appointment to Barack Obama’s cabinet were forthcoming, but he was cut down way too [...]
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Yeah but Les at least this Steven is on OUR side
Nice write-up Steven.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Oh… Well, that’s very different, isn’t it?
Never mind.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Stephen – Sorry. I hope no one’s kicked you in the nuts yet.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
I’m saddened to think that the best candidate for the job of Treasury Secretary, and to oversee the IRS, is a tax cheat.
I would like to get away with “overlooking” $30+K of taxes.
I’m still excited about the O presidency but this nomination disappoints me.
This is not witty or funny but, since I’ve bashed other opinions, I must fess up when my guy bombs. That’s just how I roll.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Augusto, there’s a bigger issue then morality here. Geithner is needed to perpetuate the mess that is the banking system.
He allowed the problem to get worse under his watch as head of the NY central bank, despite the fact he told Congress he had everything under control.
This doesn’t look like change to me, it looks like more of the same shady politics.
Augusto wait until you read the details of Obama’s “economic” plan. It is a doozy.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
See, Chris, most people just don’t understand that nail you hit right on the head: He needs to perpetuate the “crisis.” The more beholden we are to our “government” the more easily we will allow them to strip us of further rights, liberties, and freedoms. They need us to give them up “willingly” so as not to appear the dictators they are.
That aside, why is it people cannot come to this site and see SATIRE – even when clearly stated to be a HUMOR site?
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Hi Fiar,
I must admit I hadn’t seen things from that angle, I must thank you for helping me see the light. Allelujah. If I ever make any money I too shall refuse to pay my taxes! But you missed out any mention of Tom Daschle – he didn’t pay $128,000 in taxes , he is of course only Health Secretary so he can’t be expected to know anything about finance.
Thanks for the plug for my pollm anybody reading this comment should find the link and vote ! It is your civic duty.
- I have likewise put up a link to your post from my excellent finance blog – sharescity –
I shall leave the last words to that other great American, Homer Simpson
“Marge, don’t discourage the boy! Weaseling out of things is important to learn. It’s what separates us from the animals! Except the weasel. ”
And, when Marge found out Homer had been seeing another woman : “Marge I swear, I never thought you would find out. “
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
[...] -Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner [...]
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
[...] hired you to make me look even more brilliant. Why do you think I keep bringing on people like Geithner, Emanuel, or Panetta . That was a good one…Panetta for the CIA. Anyway, you get the idea, [...]
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
[...] 9. We had to pay off Tim Geithner’s tax debts. [...]
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
[...] Cpt Obama: “You do that sparky.” (Pressing a button on the arm rest) “Mr. Geithner.” [...]