Submitted by Michael Meyers, Sep 11, 2008 12:54

Do you really think that Charlie Rangel, Chair of the House Ways & Means Committee, does not/did not understand (Habla Espanol, Charlie?) his federal, state and city tax obligations? Even if he did not, isn't he "rich" enough to hire a tax adviser and knowledgeable enough to seek the competent guidance and explanations of tax experts or even to ask for an opinion from IRS as other taxpayers do? Stop fronting and apologizing for the power elite in our city and nation, please! This is surely not an issue of the need for a "flat tax" or any such thing. And, it is not what Rangel claims--that when he tried to get answers from the people managing his Dominican Republic villa they started speaking in tongues (i.e. Spanish)! You KNOW what this is--the same thing as that when Rangel tried to explain his having four rent-stabilized apartments in Harlem's luxurious Lenox Terrace - It is hubris. It seems there is one law for us commoners (for whom ignorance of the law is no excuse, and for we who pay for competent tax advice) and another law for the power elite who write the tax and many other laws and aren't so keen on living up to the spirit of, much less obeying those laws. How do you say, in Espanol, "Don't Cry for Charlie Rangel"?! Michael Meyers, Manhattan, New York

Note: Comments are screened, and in some cases edited, before posting. We reserve the right to reject anything we find objectionable.