There is legislation in Washington that would create the "Rangel Rule," which deals with the late payment of taxes for such incidences as the Democrats are having trouble with as of late. The legislation enables ordinary citizens who fail to pay taxes on time to do so later with no additional fees.
Charlie Rangel, chairman of the House Ways and Means committee failed to pay taxes for rental income he earned on a property in the Dominican Republic. As of September 2008 the Harlem Democrat reportedly paid back more than $10,000 in taxes but that did not include any IRS penalties.
The bill was introduced by Congressman John Carter, R-Texas.
Carter's comments
"Your citizens back home should have the same rights and benefits that come to you as a member of congress. You shouldn't be treated any differently under the law than your citizens back home," Carter said.
"As Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, I believe you set an example for all American taxpayers in your dealings with the IRS, and that you must do so in a way that enforces blind justice without regard to wealth or status,"Charlie Rangel is joined by fellow tax cheats Tim Geithner and Tom Daschle all of whom had problems paying taxes and who reportedly paid late without fines or penalties. This legislation probably has merit for the average citizen.
Another day and another nominee - but this one withdraws her name. BO's nominee to be chief performance officer, Nancy Killefer has withdrawn due to tax problems with a lien on her property for failure to pay taxes. Read more here.
10 comments:
This stinks. How did Rangle manage not to pay any IRS penalties for what he owed -- that is the key question.
By way of example, I had a $235.00 error on my 2006 taxes and the IRS dogged me for payment and that included about $50 in late fees and penalities and that came after nearly a year of not even knowing I had made the error . . .
Name, Fame, and Fortune = the name of the game. I guess we love it because we tolerate it and allow those who govern us to talk or weasel their way of spots average citizens can only dream of and seldom achieve.
Dan, don't be asking questions like that. We all know why Rangel didn't have to pay any penalties.
I don't know what bothers me the most, the fact that we have different laws for different folks or that the media has, and will, let Rangel get away with it. But they did with Dodd as well. You remember, that unbiased media that serves us so well.
These things happen to everyone. It's just a few hiccups.
Weren't you listening when Schumer told you how wonderful these people were?
This partisan bashing has to stop if we are to ever move this country forward.
We allow politicians to opt out of our Social Security plan. They have their own health plan. Why should they be expected to pay taxes?
Picture this: what is Social Security HAD been given to Wall Street a few years ago when they wanted it so badly?
* Dogfood comes to mind for millions of seniors...
Now, tell me I'm wrong.
I think you are wrong, Daniel. The proposal was always for a portion of persons SS to be invested in stocks. That was a PORTION. As bad as stocks have performed in the past couple years, they have done no worse than the long term performance of the US Govt. Sure, govt bonds pay, but it doesn't look like the feds can stand behind their commitments either. I suggest we see how the govt comes out of this mess before we make sweeping judgements about the private sector being outperformed by the public one. You might be correct right now, but you might be proven wrong within the next year or so.
But then again if the Feds fail, they can always call it a bailout and confiscate money from people who work. That does seem to be the fashionable practice.
Any Federal retirement check should not be taxed once the benefit is being paid (i.e., Social Security, Medicare, Military, Civil Service, Unemployment, etc.)... the vast majority of people have ALREADY paid into those programs while they were working -- it's a double tax no matter how you look at it.
If a person draws his/her military pension, and then civil service (if they qualify for that, too), Social Security and Medicare, then the Fed government should not tax those programs/checks. In NYS, for example Federal pensions are exempt from state income taxes.
The way it should be -- Federal retirees shop and pay sales taxes, pay property taxes (school taxes) AND tons of other taxes -
their pensions should be tax-free, as well as regular retirees -- tax free in my opinion.
If I were in office, I'd push for that kind of break for retirees.
Dan, that's perfectly logical thinking, and I agree.
The problem is our government is in a constant spiral. They cannot resist finding things that deserve money, thus they have to continually find a way to raise the money they so successfully give away. Its a cycle that won't end until they/govt decide, or we decide, they shouldn't be involved. With the mindset of most americans, I don't see that day coming soon, if at all. We love stuff being given to us. Therefore, we have to pay.
Some radio guy was talking today, comparing the 8 track tape player with todays analog tv receivers. The govt gave folks coupons to help pay for digital converters for old TV's. He said he couldn't remember getting a coupon to replace his 8 track with a cassette when they came out. Exactly. How is it the govt has now put itself in a position where it should finance changes in technology? If you want new stuff, budget the money and go buy it. How did govt get into every aspect of our lives like this?
Government, anon 9:36, got into every aspect of our lives 'cause we allowed it get there.
When it was needed in tough times, we accepted that it worked, but they did not back out and resume some sort of 'normalcy.'
In this race, there is reason and then there is politics ... reason is a distant second!!!
~ dmf
No Dan, I don't think we allowed it to get there, I think we encouraged it to get there. Whenever we get something, it creates a constituency, and advocacy group. If the govt gave us free toilet paper there would be a group the following year that claimed the poor had put up with dirty butts for too long, thus, free toilet paper is a right for all. It has gotten comical. And free money always gets some stupid people to vote a certain way. We can't blame the pols for seeing that.
We shouldn't gripe about taxes when we want absolutely everything given to us by government.
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