I Just Became An Obama Fan

With all the hubub going on in Washington -- and the tendency of those within the Beltway to lose sight of life for those of us outside the Beltway -- I figured there was plenty of business as usual with the cabinet appointments of public figure after public figure who couldn't quite grasp how to pay their taxes. Mr. Obama made the right call today.

Here's the AP Video report from AkronNewsNow on President Obama and what the pundits are calling major mistakes.

For my money, and by extension yours as well since it is on our dime these people get to play in the political sandbox, the President did what few politicians are ever ready to do: took responsibility, admitted it was a snafu and noted America should expect better when it comes to the leading by example of our appointed and elected officials.

If only the other elected tax bums, including U.S. Representative Charlie Rangel of New York, would learn from Mr. Obama accepting accountability and even former South Dakota Senator Tom Daschle stepping down.

Daschle really is one of the decent fellows the Heartland has ever sent to Washington, but in his time since losing re-election the cash came rolling in because of the learning he'd been able to do under the Dome. Any one of us would have done the same thing: use our experience to benefit our lifestyle and that of our family. There's no difference for any consultant...they had to learn on someone's dime at some point, they just have the knowledge (their clients hope) now that allows them to cash in. Why would we really expect different from former public officials?

I was leaning toward giving Daschle the benefit of a doubt when the story first broke but then more details made it seem more...silly, and stupid. Not paying taxes on use of a car seems like such a little thing but these are the men and women who make a living plumbing tax loopholes, creating tax policy, and expecting the rest of us to toe the line and pay our fair share. Kinda tough to make that argument when the preacher is such a sinner to begin with...something I think Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner will have to wrestle with the first time his IRS has to crack the whip.

In the meantime...Bravo Barack for doing what no politician these days seems to grasp the American people really hunger for: admitting a screwup, paying more than lip service to what we think, and standing up like a man instead of a politician.