Tuesday, February 3, 2009

An Open Letter to the Secretary of Treasury

By SouthernGirl

February 3, 2009

Dear Mr. Secretary:

I first want to offer my congratulations to you on your lofty position in our Government. I am sure it is quite a priviledge to be named The Secretary of Treasury.

On Wednesday, January 21, 2009, it was brought to America's attention that you failed to pay $34,000 in taxes. You told a panel of Senators that "These were careless mistakes. They were avoidable mistakes, but they were unintentional," Geithner told the committee. "I should have been more careful."

I have a severe problem believing that you made a careless mistake in reporting your taxes. When it is your job to know money and taxes, you should NOT make these mistakes. I suppose we can group you with the Weathermen of the Country...be wrong 90% of the time and still keep your job. If you don't feel that is a fair "grouping," I'd be happy to suggest that otherwise, we can simply group you with the Criminals.

In addition to you making a "mistake" in your taxes, you have allowed your boss to continue nominating and appointing people to key Governmental roles that have also "made mistakes" (some over $100K worth of mistakes) in their taxes.

I am not sure what kind of example you and your colleagues are trying to set for American citizens, but I am highly disappointed in the road you are taking. How come you made a mistake and get appointed to the highest office in the "tax world," yet if Joe Blow on Main Street made the mistake, he'd be sent to prison? I don't feel like the double standards that this current administration are acting on are setting a good example for Jane and Joe Blow.

With that said, I have contemplated to no longer withhold my taxes. Instead, I would open a savings account and place the money that would have been withheld in there. At year's end I would "accidentally" forget to send in the money I owe the Government.

When you and the IRS decide to confront me about this "accident" I will simply state, "these were careless mistakes. They were avoidable mistakes, but they were unintentional, I should have been more careful." After that, I would happily pay you my back taxes. Would that be ok with you? I mean, it was just a "simple mistake" afterall.

As I make a pretty measley salary, you and the IRS would probably not notice that I was not paying in my contribution to the Government. If this were the case, I would keep that money in my savings account UNTIL I felt that the Government is responsibly handling my money and not handing it out to every poor soul that "needs a hand out." (what's that called again, Wealth Redistribution?) When I felt that the taxpayers' money was being handled fairly and responsibly, then and only then, would I happily cut a check back to the Government.

Please note that I have used the word "contemplated." I am a law-abiding citizen that could never bring myself to commit such an act. I am highly disappointed, however, that the people that have been selected to make decisions in my Government do not share the same attitude. Unfortunately, for us all, there are plenty of people in this country that will think it is ok to do the same as you have. You have set the standard for us all.

I wish you the best of luck in your current role and can only pray that you will take the high road from now on. I unfortunately will not have another say in the matter until the second Tuesday of November, 2012, but hopefully by then the world will see you and your colleagues for what you truly are: Criminals.

Respectfully,

SouthernGirl

A Taxpaying Citizen of the United States of America

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