Dodging the Bullet

Economic Posts Unfilled Despite Big Pushes Ahead, New York Times
By EDMUND L. ANDREWS and ELIZABETH BECKER
Published: February 25, 2005

About one-third of the senior policy positions at the Treasury Department, which is central in both the tax and Social Security battles, are empty or about to be.

People close to the administration said that several potential candidates had said they were not interested in leading the tax policy team at the Treasury Department.

Meanwhile, people close to the administration said it had yet to recruit a chief of tax policy, who would be crucial in developing and defending a plan to overhaul the tax code.

At least one prominent tax expert, Michael Graetz of Yale, has turned down the post, two people familiar with the discussions said.

A former White House official said the administration was also rebuffed when it put out feelers to two well-known tax experts - Mark Prater, counsel to the Senate Finance Committee, and Lindy L. Paull, a former director of the Congressional Joint Committee on Taxation.

Meanwhile, people close to the administration said it had yet to recruit a chief of tax policy, who would be crucial in developing and defending a plan to overhaul the tax code.
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Why the dearth of Economists and Tax Policy Specialists? The Article cites personal and financial reasons of those asked, but George W. Bush remains one of the first Presidents who cannot field a Team over any Initiative. The real reason stands unmentioned by All, though understood by Most in D.C. The reason lay in the fact that Bush Tax desires are unfeasible, and no Economist or Tax Specialist wants the hard task of defending anything Bush would accept. Continuance of the Bush Tax Cuts will lead to a financial crisis because of the created fiscal crisis. Bush Trade policy can be best described as allowing Corporations unlimited license without taxation. Bush's Social Security Plan for Privatization will incite a financial crisis in the Short-term, and destitution for Seniors in the Long-term. Then Economists will have to defend the Bush policy of backloading all expenses until after his term of Office. Economists simply don't want to ruin their reputations trying to defend Bush.