Idealism is increasingly amorphous on the American political landscape. It’s harder to see, harder still to hold on to. Flagrant abuse of privilege is so commonplace in our politics that it’s hard to imagine what will bring consistency into political ethics even as opposing sides throw stones at each others’ glass houses.
It’s very difficult for me to understand how it’s possible for an expert in economics being considered for Secretary of the Treasury could have made the “honest mistake” that he did, blame it on a software package and, most importantly, be forgiven the responsibility to pay penalties. Still more incredible to me is that Secretary Geithner actually accepted the release from paying the penalties.
In one low point in my life, I made a mistake on my taxes and, over the space of two years, paid exorbitant penalties – not one dime of which was forgiven, even though my mistake was an “honest” mistake and that payment was a hardship.
Stunning to me is that in the course of filling the cabinet, we have three people surface who hadn’t cleared up their tax issues until nominated. Two of the three at least did the right thing and removed their names from consideration. But that frankly doesn’t comfort me.
How many others in the privileged class of our federal government are in similar positions? How does one hold high office, with all the scrutiny that comes with it, and not manage their tax obligation at the standards to which the rest of us are held?
Secretary Geithner – do the right thing. Set an example. Pay your penalty.
About DanDanner
I was born in Burbank, California to a mother who had been a Navy Nurse, an officer and a prisoner of war in the Philippines in World War II. My father was a sound technician working for the movie studios and later, CBS news. He too had served in the Navy in World War II. My father died covering the 1956 Republican National Convention in San Francisco, leaving a pregnant wife with two other kids to raise by herself. She was a hero to me in every sense of the word.
St Francis of Assisi was my boyhood hero and I decided to become a Franciscan priest, going off to the seminary in my freshman year of high school. Fortunately, they had other plans for me and it was off to public school. I moved to Hawaii in 1968, theoretically to attend college. I put far more energy into "Advanced Surf Studies" and "Elementary Wahineology" than the 3 "R's." But I did get introduced to Eastern thought and philosopy. Later, I did finally dedicate myself to studies and earned a bachelor's degree in Organizational Behavior from the University of San Francisco.
I worked with social programs serving ex-offenders, youth-at-risk, refugees, veterans and ultimately directed a program for homeless veterans. That career morphed into community relations in hospitals and, after a powerful encounter with my arrogance about all my wonderful good deeds, I took a job in resort marketing, which turned out to be as rewarding as any work I ever did.
Presently, I'm an executive recruiter specializing in the placement of hotel and resort executives and managers. My current life lesson is to allow my passion on subjects such as war and peace to express itself in the world. And hopefully learn to do so with authentic compassion and humility. Sounds easy, but it's not. Maybe I'll live long enough to get it!
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