Decision Time, America

What do we do with the Rebate Check, Mabel?

Soon, many of us will be receiving a gift, of sorts, from our government. Yes, in their infinite wisdom, the folks in DC decided to pass back a little (very little) of the cash they so mercilessly snatch from our collective paychecks.

The rationale behind this largess? Well, to stimulate the economy by having us all run right out and blow it on a new digital TV or refrigerator or something. Personally, I'm either investing it or reducing debt, but that's just me.

The more fundamental question, in my view, is: If the economy is getting stimulated by giving us some of the tax money back, why would letting the 2001 and 2003 so-called "Bush Tax Cuts" expire not "un-stimulate the economy" ... causing the government to again pander to our stupidity by throwing us another bone?

It reminds me of the "Tax the Big Corporations" mantra. No corporation that I know of pays taxes. If taxes go up, their costs of doing business goes up. When their costs of doing business goes up, they either cut costs/resources or raise prices. Either way it's not a good thing for us.

I think the best strategy is to save or invest your rebate friends. You'll need it to pay the IRS when your taxes go back up. Having recently paid my own tax liability (interesting word, liability. Why do you think they describe it as a liability?) for Tax Year 2007, I am nonplussed (to say the least) about getting a couple hundred dollars back. In fact, I am curious just how much it's going to "cost" to give us back our money? Who's the genius that dreamt this one up ... I mean, puhl-eeeze?

Let's total up the postage, printing, man/woman-hours, overtime, energy costs, and etc ... what do you think, $100, maybe $200 bucks for each check ... I dunno, maybe there's some economies of scale here. Still, it had to cost a ton to do this.

It makes you wonder just how far we have drifted off the course set by the Founders of the Republic.

"What hath we wrought?" someone asked Benjamin Franklin.

He might have a different answer today. A nation dominated by a political class that has raised pandering and partisanship to an art form, only because citizens got too lazy to take responsibility to cast an informed vote. A system that allows for the most uncivil discourse and personal attack so as to debase even those strongest of character.

Somebody tell me that $600 isn't enough to buy them off. Please tell me that these people can't head fake you into not asking the tough questions with this sanctioned bribery ... Anyone?

I guess everybody already left to take advantage of the early bird specials at Wal-Mart.