Another liberal innovation: discretionary taxes

One of the mysteries of American politics has been the alacrity with which liberals rely on new taxes and increased tax rates to finance their endless catalogue of government favors and handouts to their ever-expanding list of client voters.

Now, a few weeks into the Obama administration, we have the answer: Liberals treat taxes as discretionary.

The first deadbeat to come forward was Timothy Geithner, an economist, who nevertheless was confirmed as President Barack Obama's Treasury secretary.

The second was Tom Daschle, a Washington lobbyist whom Obama nominated for secretary of Health and Human Services, who withdrew today because of controversy over his untimely tax payments.

Now we have Nancy Killefer, who failed for a year and a half to pay employment taxes on household help, and has withdrawn her candidacy to be the first chief performance officer for the federal government..

"Nancy Killefer has decided to withdraw her nomination, and we accepted her withdrawal," Tommy Vietor, a White House spokesman, said Tuesday. The 55-year-old executive with consulting giant McKinsey & Co., was expected to explain her reasons for pulling out later in the day.

When her selection was announced by Obama on Jan. 7, The Associated Press disclosed that in 2005 the District of Columbia government had filed a $946.69 tax lien on her home for failure to pay unemployment compensation tax on household help.

Ironically, the current furore over tax deadbeats may be a blessing for the conservative cause. If liberals come to believe that they actually will have to pay the taxes they levy, perhaps they will be less enthusaistic about levying them.