Michelle Malkin | The bigger tax problems of Kathleen Sebelius «

The bigger tax problems of Kathleen Sebelius

By Michelle Malkin • April 2, 2009 08:41 AM

A group of conservative leaders including reps from the Family Research Council, Concerned Women for America, the American Conservative Union, and others released the following statement this morning regarding the HHS nomination of Gov. Kathleen Sebelius. Yes, the back taxes issue is aggravating. But this is worse:

Gov. Sebelius May Not Pay Her Own Taxes, but Has no Qualms about Using Tax Dollars to Pay for Others’ Abortions

“Disclosures that Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, President Obama’s nominee to head the Department of Health and Human Services, faces tax problems provides yet one more example of the incompetence that has characterized the Obama administration’s transition process. By disclosing that she was forced to pay over $7000 in back taxes after her nomination, Gov. Sebelius joined the ranks of Obama nominees who thought they were above paying taxes, a group that includes her predecessor as nominee for HHS, Sen. Tom Daschle.

Gov. Sebelius may not pay her own taxes, but has no qualms about using tax dollars to pay for others’ abortions. Even before she reported her tax issues Gov. Sebelius was manifestly unqualified to run America’s health care system, as illustrated by her coddling of the abortion industry at the expense of Kansas women’s safety. With her background, Gov. Sebelius can only be expected to politicize the office of HHS. Gov. Sebelius’s difficulties illuminate an emerging pattern: that Obama nominates non-experts who cannot be relied upon to solve their own tax problems, let alone govern effectively.

Obama Nominees See Taxes As Other People’s Problems

Obama nominations with tax problems are by no means limited to Gov. Sebelius and Sen. Daschle at HHS. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, OMB performance officer Nancy Killefer, Labor Secretary Hilda Solis, and U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk have all demonstrated an inability to get their own personal tax affairs in order, and yet Obama expects us to believe they are capable of governing a nation of more than 300 million people.

Gov. Sebelius Even Opposed Parental Notification

More acute than her tax problems, Gov. Sebelius is not to be trusted with any aspect of citizens’ health care. As a member of the Kansas House of Representatives in the 1980s and 1990s Gov. Sebelius voted to weaken or eliminate even such modest measures as parental notification, waiting periods and informed consent. As governor, she twice has vetoed bills attempting to protect the health and safety of women by more tightly regulating abortion clinics. Gov. Sebelius has been endorsed by Planned Parenthood and they have conducted fundraising activity on her behalf. Clearly, Gov. Sebelius has a track record of politicizing common-sense health issues.

Gov. Sebelius Can’t Be Trusted On Her Own Taxes, But Wants to Run 16% of Economy

As Secretary of the HHS, Gov. Sebelius will be tasked with implementing Obama’s massive health care changes. Someone so indebted to the abortion industry that she vetoes common-sense provisions is incapable of administering any meaningful change or reform in the health care sector.

Gov. Sebelius is unable to manage her own affairs or the affairs of her state. It is ironic that the same woman who pledged in a confirmation hearing to crack down on medical fraud to signal that there was ‘a new sheriff in town’ would ignore our tax laws until she is nominated to the Cabinet. Obviously, she is incapable of running the HHS.”