NEW ERA

It's Jan. 17 editorial is headed "Obama nominees off on wrong foot." It goes on two address two cabinet level appointments:

Of Secretary of Treasury nominee Timothy Geithner it states: "...there is a terrible irony in having a tax scofflaw run a federal department that oversees the Internal Revenue Service."

Of Attorney General nominee Eric Holder, it says "...Holder did not do his homework in the pardon of fugitive financier Mark Rich, whose [former] wife happened to be a big financial supporter of the Democratic Party."

WATCHDOG: President-elect Obama not only is "off on the wrong foot" but he is shooting himself in the foot, ramming through appointments of two individuals that, no matter how great their talent, have knowingly acted reprehensibly and thus forfeited their right to high offices.

According to NewsMax.com: "Geithner failed to pay $34,000 in self-employment taxes from 2001 to 2004 for money he earned while he worked at the International Monetary Fund. He paid some of the taxes in 2006 after an Internal Revenue Service audit discovered the discrepancy for the years 2003 and 2004. But it wasn't until two years later, days before President Obama tapped him to head Treasury last November, that Geithner paid back taxes he owed for the years 2001and 2002."

How can this be justified, for any prospective cabinet official, let alone one in charge of the Internal Revenue Service?

Even worse, in our opinion, then Deputy Attorney General Eric Holder took his order from above at Bill Clinton's worse moment as president. Holder rammed through a pardon for Public Enemy and indeed World Enemy #1, Marc Rich. A fugitive from U. S. law, Rich earned billions by channeling goods around embargoes established by the U. S. and other nations. He even traded in selling uranium to dubious states against the law!

When queried about this sordid act by Senator Arlen Specter and others, Holder could give no feasible explanation for his failure to follow normal due dilligence and simply continued to say "I made a mistake." But it wasn't a mistake; it was purposeful. Accidents, oversights and well meaning wrong decisions can be forgiven; not wilful dereliction of duty.

Barrack Obama would be wise to withdraw these nominees. Otherwise the appointments will seriously undermine the image of probity and decency with which he has sought to cloak his leadership and which induced many of us to vote for him.

INTELLIGENCER JOURNAL

On Jan. 15, Jeff Hawkes in his column "What Donegal needs to build is a better case" reverses course at the end and states "The best answer is a shift from property taxes to a broader, fairer revenue source, such as the income tax."

WATCHDOG: We second that. Every youngster deserves a good education, no matter where he or she happens to live.

This isn't just morality, it's self preservation. Education is key to our economic well being in the international economy.

NEW ERA

The editorial on Jan. 5 states: "The Employee Free Choice Act would allow employees to indicate their desire for a union simply by signing authorization cards." (Currently, collecting cards from a majority of employees triggers a period of discussion followed by a secret ballot.)

WATCHDOG: We agree. When approached by two or three co-workers, the typical worker is likely to sign a card without being well informed and considering the full consequences. That's not the the way for such an important change to be brought about.

The problem today isn't the law, it is its lax enforcement that has permitted employers get around good faith electioneering and, if they lose, good faith contract negotiations. The new administration can put an end to such abuses.

INTELLIGENCER JOURNAL

In an article concerning the demolition of the Queen Street pedestrian bridge, the Intell quotes Rep. Mike Stura as follows: "I don't know that tearing it down first just so we can have a vacant hole there makes a whole lot of sense." He further indicated that any developer "worth his salt" could evaluate the sites potential with the bridge in place.

WATCHDOG:

If we tear it down, they will come!

INTELLIGENCER JOURNAL

On Jan.1st in what read like a press release, the Intell headlined "Weis to lower; freeze food prices. 2,400 items affected; will last 90days."

WATCHDOG: On Jan. 2nd, the Intell contains a ten page Weis insert with the front page message: "Price Freeze. Weis has lowered and frozen the price on thousands of items you purchase the most for the next 90 days."

Will we soon read about Giant and Stauffer insert specials in front page news articles?

INTELLIGENCER JOURNAL

The Jan. 2nd editorial "Won't work" pontificates "By accepting [Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich's appointment, [former Illinois attorney general Roland] Burris has sadly allowed himself to be used by an unscrupulous politician who is trying to stay out of jail, let along (sic) trying to keep his office." It also accuses the governor of "cynicism" in appointing Burris who is Black.

WATCHDOG: Since the article starts out by invoking "chutzpah", let us note that religions recognize that all sacraments, even by a corrupt clergy person, are valid.

Also, our legal system operates on the theory that a person is innocent until proven guilty. In addition, the federal prosecutor has just asked for a three months extension for filing full charges. Talk is not necessarily guilt or we would have 50 million rather than 2 million in prison.

And what is "cynical" about appointing an African-American to replace the only African-American in the Senate? It was expected.

As governor, Burris is required under law to make an appointment, otherwise the people of Illinois would be underrepresented in the Senate.

Lastly, shouldn't the issue be Burris' qualifications to be senator, rather than Blagojevich's to be governor?

We get into trouble when we ignore the law out of emotion. If Blagojevich is guilty, impeach him and / or send him to jail. But if Burris isn't more tainted than most of the other politicians who made it to the Senate, seat him and let's get on with dealing with far more serious problems.

INTELLIGENCER JOURNAL:

In a New Years column, Noble laureate economist Paul Krugman's writes: "But even as Washington tries to rescue the economy, the nation will be reeling from the actions of 50 Herbert Hoovers - state governors who are slashing spending in a time of recession, often at the expense both of their most vulnerable constituents and the nation's economic future."

WATCHDOG: Commissioners take note! This applies as much on the county as the state and federal levels.