The other day, a friend reminded me of a conversation I still can’t remember. My late mother, who as far as I recall never successfully told a joke, once in indirect comment on something I’d said, asked, “Why don’t they send donkeys to school?” Answer: Nobody likes a wiseass.
All right–I begin in jubilation: We have a president who f*cks up, then gets it right, cleans up his mess, doesn’t stonewall. Incredible. The last one couldn’t think of a single mistake he’d made (though he “regretted” that they never found any WMDs; so do thousands of grieving mothers).
So Obama’s on the right path, but we’re going to have to be patient: The stable is Augean. I mean, Tom Daschle? Jeez, does no one in that town have a decent tax accountant?
Up pipes ol’ tone-deaf John Kerry with some marble-mouthed crap about how, on balance, years of public service mean more than a six-figure tax dodge. Real clever way to teach folks that taxes aren’t just some government grab, but the way we all pay for the things we all share.
There’s no ethical line between “professional” and personal. Woody Guthrie got it (at least apocryphally). Story goes, he shows up for a gig, asks as usual for his check. Promoter says, “But Woody, this is for a good cause.” “I don’t play for bad causes,” says Woody. I bet he got his estimated taxes in on time, too.