We stopped at Starbucks en route to the Colorado Symphony concert last night, so blame it on the rare evening infusion of caffeine. When we arrived home, I jumped on the computer to read the Op-Ed pieces in Sunday's New York Times. As often happens, Frank Rich's column hit a nerve. As doesn't often happen, I decided to post a comment about the column on the Times' website.

Mr. Rich's column is at http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/08/opinion/08rich.html

If you sort the 600-plus comments on that column by Oldest First, mine is #365 on page 15. Or you can just read it here:

When I read that Timothy Geithner didn't bother paying his back taxes for 2001-2002 until AFTER he had been nominated as Treasury Secretary, I was infuriated. I didn't for a nanosecond buy his excuse for not paying his 2001-2004 personal taxes when they were due. That he didn't voluntarily pay his 2001-2002 personal taxes back in 2006 when the IRS notified him about the delinquent 2003-2004 taxes seemed, well, ethically challenged.

I also didn't buy Team Obama's claim that Geithner was the only man for the job. Another administration without a Plan B? Great, just great.

So I tried two avenues of communication to voice my concerns to that black hole otherwise known as Washington, D.C.

First, I e-mailed Max Baucus, head of the Senate Finance Committee, about my concerns. No answer, even though I clicked the "Yes, I would like to receive a response concerning my email" button on his website.

(BTW, Mr. Baucus, there are two (2!) periods after the preceding quote on the "Email about an issue" page of your website. Hire a proofreader! In the current economy, there are even more unemployed English majors than usual from which to choose.)

Second, since Team Obama kept sending me e-mails suggesting that I share my opinions about the transition and priorities for the new administration, I e-mailed that crowd about Geithner, too. No response.

Sigh. "Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose," as my Belgian neighbors used to say. Moi, I'm going back to being an apolitical animal, and donating all my future time and money to the local animal shelter where I volunteer. At least the pit bulls act like they're listening when I talk to them.