Americans now know that the "change we can believe in," which President Obama promised, means a taxes-optional administration. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner rode out the bad news about his failure to pay $34,000 in Social Security and Medicare taxes on income he earned while working for the International Monetary Fund, and still won confirmation. The man now in charge of the IRS says it was "an innocent mistake."

Remember that line -- in case you are audited.

Now come reports that Obama's pick to be both his health policy czar and secretary for Health and Human Services -- former Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle -- had to amend his tax returns and pay $140,000. Among other errors, Daschle forgot to pay taxes on a car and driver supplied for three years by, as he put it in a letter to the Senate Finance Committee, "a close friend."

Daschle wrote that he is "deeply embarrassed and disappointed by the errors that required me to amend my tax returns." Also: "My mistakes were unintentional."

Remember those words, too. There's just one problem with both Geithner's and Daschle's stories: If they really did not know that they were evading taxes, then they're stupid.

And if Daschle really thinks that media mogul Leo J. Hindery Jr. gave him a car and driver for three years out of friendship, and that "a gift from a good friend," as he put it Monday, would be exempt from taxation, then Daschle is too stupid to be trusted with health care reform.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters Monday, "The president believes that Sen. Daschle is the right person for the very important job of ensuring that we cut costs, reform our health care system, and finally give the American people in health care the outcomes that they deserve." Continued...