Diligence

What's not important? What is? How someone analyses the world, and chooses what to pay attention to - and more importantly, what not to pay attention to - tells you a lot. Observation of what is happening today will tell you what to expect tomorrow.

You can observe a lot, just by looking. - Yogi Berra

What's pretty clearly not very important to the Obama administration? How about paying their taxes?

The news that the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pension committee has postponed consideration of Labor Secretary nominee Hilda Solis because her husband only yesterday paid off tax liens, some of which had been pending for up to 16 years, confirms that there's an inexplicable, widespread problem in the Obama vetting process ...

Or how about paying their taxes?

Fine, it was tricky and he got bad tax advice - not a real resume boost for a former Under-Secretary of Treasury aspiring to the top job, but there it is. However, as of 2006 he knew he had a liability for 2001 and 2002 - where was his check? Was his conscience unruffled by his non-compliance? Or does Geithner have a "Don't ask, don't tell" policy on back taxes?

Or maybe paying taxes?

Ms. Killefer, 55 years old, failed to pay employment taxes on household help for a year and a half, the Associated Press reported. In 2005, the AP said, the District of Columbia filed a $946.69 tax lien on her home for failure to pay the unemployment compensation tax.

Observation of this - and of the Bill Richardson and Tom Daschle influence-for-money escapades - is a pretty strong indicator that the Administration turns a blind eye to transgressions by members of the Ruling Democratic Party. So there wasn't too many "have you paid your taxes" checking done.

In other words, it's not important. We'll probably see more of this.

So what is important?

Asking the appointees this:

Tucked in at the end of the questionnaire and listed under “Miscellaneous,” it reads: “Do you or any members of your immediate family own a gun? If so, provide complete ownership and registration information. Has the registration ever lapsed? Please also describe how and by whom it is used and whether it has been the cause of any personal injuries or property damage.”

That's a lot of questions, just to find out if a potential appointee has some heat. Why?

I suspect that the answer is "ideology". A corrupt Democratic politician can be a reliable vote for the administration. An honest one can be problematic when the votes are tallied.

It looks like we're seeing which butters more parsnips in the White House.

In other new of the obvious, the sun set in the west today.