This from AP 11 minute ago:
NBC, msnbc.com and news services
updated 11 minutes ago
WASHINGTON – Former Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle on Tuesday withdrew his nomination to oversee the Health and Human Services Department, just a few hours after another Obama nominee also withdrew.
Both had controversies with taxes and cited distractions over that as their reasons for withdrawing.
In a White House statement, President Barack Obama said he accepted Daschle's withdrawal "with sadness and regret."
Daschle has been battling for his nomination since it was disclosed he failed to pay more than $120,000 in taxes.
Daschle, in his statement, said he's withdrawing because he's not a leader who has the full faith of Congress and will be a distraction."
I'll be back with further comment.
Actually sorry about this.
Whose next in line?
Rick Lippin
The problem which Daschle highlighted is not how widespread tax issues are, but how difficult it is to have a post public service career that doesn’t trade on your prior experience.
Ex-legislators are hired exactly because they know the issues and have the contacts. The idea that a senator would retire and go back to being a country lawyer or banker went out with the buggy whip.
It would be interesting to see how many former legislators left Washington after their careers ended. Even if their bodies move, their business interests don’t.
Perhaps if people in congress and policy positions in the agencies were required to stay out of their industries for more than a nominal period of time we might not have this problem. I have no hope of such a restriction ever being passed, but the revolving door remains a big problem.
I think things are even worse in the military sector, but that’s an issue for another day (and venue).
PS
I thought Daschle had a good chance at leading real health care reform this time around. So too bad from that perspective.
But from the perspective of stopping the corrupt “revolving door” from government to lobbyist or “advisor” and back to government (one of Obama’s clear and necessary objectives) neither Daschle nor Obama had any choice here.
Health Care reform,however,is far from dead.Tom Daschle is NOT indispensible.
We have an economic and moral imperative to fix US health care as soon as feasible.
Dr. Rick Lippin
Southampton,Pa
Good help is hard to find. I nominate Dr. Elizabeth Smith, Founder of the Community Medical Foundation in Houston, TX.
Rick, Robert, Lisa, Thanks for your comments.
Robert– I think you’re right; the problem is the revolving door. See the next post I wrote on Daschle’s appointment (after reading your comment). I had realized that the speaking fees were more important than the tax problems, but what you said crytallized it–and the connection to what
Bob Laszewski said about people being in D.C. to long–swamp to warm bath.
Rick– Yes, I agree, Daschle was not indespensible. And neither Obama nor Daschle had a choice here.
If Obama is going to be the president who gives us meaningful health care reform, he will also have to be the president who stands up against conflict of interest in healthcare.
Lisa–
Thanks for the recommendation. (We could use one more woman in the cabinet)