Former Treasury Secretary Paulson reappears

Apparently feeling safe that public anger over his role in the $700b Wall Street bailout has subsided, former Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson made a rare public appearance Sunday to discuss the current fiscal climate.

"MR. PAULSON: Well, I've got to say, anything right now that is going to, that is going to, in effect, be a, a, a tax increase has got to be--has got to be questioned. And an expiring tax cut is a tax increase. But I'm going beyond that, because I really do believe that we are going to need a--to take a different approach to a number of things--taxes being one of them, housing policies being another."

Couple thoughts on Hank's performance:

1) A guy like Hank should have these talking points nailed down by now. Be specific, be clear and be brief. All this hemming and hawing just dilutes the point.

2) I welcome his support for extending the 2001 Bush tax cuts. There's been too much rhetoric coming from the Obama Administration about letting the tax cuts lapse. Folks, if the cuts aren't extended, what we'll have is tantamount to a massive tax increase in the middle of the biggest economic meltdown since the Great Depression. Even our Dear Reader would hopefully agree with that.