The confirmation hearing has begun just now in the Senate Finance Committee. Chairman Max Baucus (D., Mont.) immediately brings up Geithner’s failure to pay $34,000 in self-employment taxes: “These are disappointing mistakes, but after discussing them with Mr. Geithner, I believe them to be innocent mistakes.”

Maybe the Finance Committee should make it a priority to simplify the tax code, so that a reputed financial genius like Geithner can understand it.