Dear Diary

What a day it has been. Timothy Geithner, Barack Obama’s newly appointed Secretary of the Treasury, failed to pay $34,000.00 in self-employment taxes between 2001 and 2004 while working for the International Monetary Fund. It seems he was self-employed. Self-employed while employed by an organization that that, “oversees the global financial system by following the macroeconomic policies of its member countries, in particular those with an impact on exchange rates and the balance of payments? {sic}.” Sounds like a full time job to me. Needless to say its discovery presented a quizzical paradox for the United States Congress. Shortly before Obama made the appointment, Geithner paid the majority of the taxes. How could a financial guru with such reputable credentials mistakenly falter on his income taxes? All of America does knowing full well that paying taxes in America is like going to the dentist. The tax codes in America are steeped in red tape, politics, and deception. The issue is so severe that not long ago reformation of America’s tax policies was a prime issue in presidential campaigns. With daily newly emerging crises in America, this priority fell by the wayside. It seems the “flat tax” has fallen from grace, at least for the moment. It could be surprising that former House Majority Leader Dick Armey’s legislation for a flat tax was supported by current President George Bush, Steve Forbes, and John Edwards. If this consortium had been successful maybe Timothy Geithner would not be in hot water today. The United States tax code is confusing, and that is why passing scores on all five parts of the Certified Public Accountant’s exam usually are reserved for newly emerging graduates from college. There is no other way to learn the intricacies of the American tax code except from academia. It seems the high wages earned by C.P.A.’s may be merited if they go to bat for you. The same is true for attorneys. The same is true for judges. If they go to bat for you, the American citizen, then their credentials and accolades are well deserved. If their credentials are used for corruption, then the popular joke holds true. “The world is better off with them on the bottom of the ocean.” It is surprising the majority of United States lawmakers are attorneys. In other countries leaders come from many professions. The diversity is embraced so to give a balanced aesthetic to the practice of law-making. Republicans it seems are not embracing Senator-Elect Al Franken. A career in comedy doesn’t seem to coincide with the conservative policies of the United States Congress. Reflecting upon the success of the federal government in the last decade, it seems a class clown might be just the ticket to lighten the mood of a particularly stubborn, partisan, and stalemated political body. All of that aside can it be as severe as the team of Roller Derby lesbians I encountered at the local roller skating rink today? While Tuesday usually is gospel music night at Round-a-bout, the heavy metal music was crunching and the dykes were munching. There was not much place for the fluid arcs of figure skating, only seek and destroy in true hockey fashion. Secondly a woman for whom I wrote a beautiful piano piece de-friended me on Facebook. Is Jerry Seinfeld in the house?