Geithner - Too stupid to fill out a 1040 - what was Obama thinking! (employment, votes)
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Seriously, the 1040 is not that tough a form. Even a guy using a CPA would know something is missing from the return. A guy not capable of adding a few large numbers in his head is not qualified to run the Treasury department. I think the tax issue speaks to other issues. Character issues. This is what we get:
Since the article you cite doesnt talk about his tax issue but instead is about the non-content of his terrible non-speech yesterday, I dont really see what you're getting at. But if you want to jeer at him on some level youre comfortable with, okay, I'll play: Do you honestly believe he doesnt know how to fill out a 1040?
Geithner knows how to fill out a 1040. He also knows how to sign the IMF form in which he acknowledged that he is responsible for paying the taxes, but then didn't pay - you know, the form Senator Bunning held up on a posterboard for everyone to see at Geithner's confirmation hearing.
Since the article you cite doesnt talk about his tax issue but instead is about the non-content of his terrible non-speech yesterday, I dont really see what you're getting at. But if you want to jeer at him on some level youre comfortable with, okay, I'll play: Do you honestly believe he doesnt know how to fill out a 1040?
I believe the OP honestly does not think Geithner is capable of filling out the 1040.
I believe the OP honestly does not think Geithner is capable of filling out the 1040.
It was slightly rhetorical. Anyone can figure out the 1040. Furthermore, he prepared his own taxes, because by his own admission, "he did not think they were that complicated." At the same time, he feigns ignorance about his employment status until audited. My point was to illustrate larger issues - character and judgment issues.
The link was not related to the 1040 directly -it was to further illustrate that despite his intelligence, he lacks judgment. In a rush to do something, he made things worse by disclosing that he really does not know what to do. The market sensed this, and was thumped a resounding 380 points.
His resume is like bulletproof armor. Yet like the mythical dragon Smog, I fear the arrow of one lone soldier will bring him down, piercing the illusion in a manner of seconds. I don't doubt he is smart. I think he lacks the wisdom and experience, along with the necessary judgment to lead the Treasury Department. As the charade unravels, I am worried his armor will crack.
Every job in the country, from garbage man to POTUS, requires a minimum level of intelligence, character, and judgment. These are independent of any education of technical skills required. A garbage man with no conscience and bad judgment could damage the environment far more than the Exxon Valdez ever could. We could train a monkey to collect trash - but only from a mechanical standpoint. We rely on humans to do the right thing, for the right reason every time. At this point in his life, we cannot teach Geithner to do the right thing simply because somebody is looking..it is too late. He is what he is.
In my mind, if you are incapable of paying your own taxes, or don't see a problem in having an illegal alien working for you, you lack the basic character skills needed to run the Treasury Department. Your opinion may vary.
True sidebar:
Years ago I was interviewing a young man for a position. He had just finished college, and was eager to start his career. I used to ask the same question all the time: "So what do you know about being an accountant?" Most candidates would tie themselves in a knot trying to answer me.
I'll paraphrase his response, since it was many years ago:
"Absolutely nothing. I'm scared that after four years that I should know more. And I got good grades."
But then he went on "I do know that accountants have to be honest, and I am always honest. And I know that work is a responsibility, and I am responsible. I took school seriously. And I worked in college and took it seriously too. If you hire me, I will take my job seriously. Other than that, I don't know anything about being an accountant."
We hired him on the spot. He went on and did very well, and is now a young Partner at a firm in Phx. Nothing that he learned in school was as valuable as the values instilled upon him as a child. The values of honesty and responsibility for his own actions cannot be taught at age 48. Sorry Mr. Geithner, you are not qualified.
Last edited by GOPATTA2D; 02-11-2009 at 09:50 AM..
It's all because he listened to a comedy album by Steve Martin in 1978.
Seriously this is change we can believe in! The Obama administration is so ripe with corruption we'll be lucky if we have a country in 4 years ... I already know we won't have any money.
It was slightly rhetorical. Anyone can figure out the 1040.
You hold he American people in very high estimation then. With my wife having a job, and some self-employment income, and me having self–employment income, and some non-wage income, and (meager) dividend income, and owing household employee taxes, I wouldn't dare try to fill out the forms on paper by myself.
Outrageous of people to expect someone to have actually followed tax laws when being proposed as Secretary of the Treasury, isn’t it?
These are the members who voted against Geithner's confirmation. At the moment, they along with the econonmists whose names appeared in major US newspapers asking the president to re-think the stimulus package, look like the smartest people in America.
You hold he American people in very high estimation then. With my wife having a job, and some self-employment income, and me having self–employment income, and some non-wage income, and (meager) dividend income, and owing household employee taxes, I wouldn't dare try to fill out the forms on paper by myself.
I do. By IRS guidelines, tax forms and instructions are written at a third grade level.
I do. By IRS guidelines, tax forms and instructions are written at a third grade level.
That may be their guidelines, but they clearly are not. Parts of it are more complex.
Not the best authority, but I placed one of the main sections of Publication 501 into Microsoft Word which reported that it was written at an eighth-grade level. And that's not even taking into account some of the math that you need to do, and most people are terrible at math. Plus, it's very easy to make a mistake when you're doing a string of calculations.
The tax code's a mess!
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