Question: What's the difference between the democrats and the republicans? Answer: Democrats do not make a habit of backstabbing their own supporters. Now the media is reporting an agreement has been reached in congress over the terms of the stimulus package. It appears to be a game, set , match win for democrats. They get rebates, even for those who pay no income tax, but the rebates are income limited, so those earning above fairly low ceilings will get zilch. Gee thanks, republicans. Of course, the business constituency will get some goodies, mainly investment credits. Early on in the negotiations the republicans folded like a cheap lawn chair on the single most important issue, making the Bush tax cuts permanent. Somehow braindead republicans scared themselves silly over a two week period and gave away the store to democrats. Now we will be told that we "can't afford" meaningful tax relief, and that taxes must be raised on the "wealthy" to pay for all this. And they wonder why they lost the congress and their voters despise them? ************************ View larger image $300 to $1,200 Per Family WASHINGTON (AP) - Democratic and Republican congressional leaders reached a tentative deal Thursday on tax rebates of $300 to $1,200 per family and business tax cuts to jolt the slumping economy. Congressional officials close to the negotiations said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Republican Leader John Boehner of Ohio reached agreement in principle in a telephone call Thursday morning. The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the two wanted key members of their parties to sign off on the accord before any announcement. The accord came as the White House said Thursday an agreement was imminent. Pelosi, D-Calif., agreed to drop increases in food stamp and unemployment benefits during a Wednesday meeting in exchange for gaining rebates of at least $300 for almost everyone earning a paycheck, including low-income earners who make too little to pay income taxes. Families with children would receive an additional $300 per child, subject to an overall cap of perhaps $1,200, according to a senior House aide who outlined the deal on condition of anonymity in advance of formal adoption of the whole package. Rebates would go to people earning below a certain income cap, likely individuals earning $75,000 or less and couples with incomes of $150,000 or less.
Regardless of how this stupid, stupid, "stimulus" is set up, it is just plain, well, "stupid." Printing more money, adding to inflation, to give people a few bucks that they might buy some foreign products is really going to help, how pathetic. Squirt gun on a forest fire. c
who cares... give me the BUCKS now ".. in long run you shall all be vindicated.. but in long run we shall all be dead" -armoured saint LOL
I agree. If we're in recession, it is very mild. Is there a problem with unemployment? No. In fact, up until a few months back, the Fed was worried about labor shortages. Of course, there is a problem with housing and the credit markets, but I just can't see how running up more government debt helps that. Handing out free money to everyone who makes less than $150k may make perfect sense to democrats, but I can't see why on earth republicans would go along with it. What do we do if unemployment jumps from 5% to 6 or 7? Institute freezes on firing people? The republican establishment and party insiders are in a state of total denial. They actually think John McCain is acceptable to the party base. They still believe that the time-honored party motto of "we may be cowards and morons but we're not as bad as the other guys" can still win elections. These are the same people who brought us amnesty last summer and called anyone who disagreed everything from racists on down. We owe them nothing, except a lesson in what happens when you alienate your base. Apparently the lesson from '06 didn't take.
Future tax payers grab yer ankles and lube up, cuz Uncle Sucker is also getting ready to buy up even more troubled mortgages: Why don't they just announce that all debt is covered by the feds while they are at it, including credit cards? Using up all this Vaseline isn't going to help the price of oil, by golly.
they are lying about the unemployment numbers just as they are lying about the cpi/ppi stats. they have hidden M3... why do you think they did this? we are in a recession already and on the edge of a depression. the key here is geopoilitical. one false flag and they tank the markets(don't forget about the massive illegal naked shorts), blame it on al qaeda, start ww3 and say hello to the amero. i know this sounds harsh but the big boys are whining now.. buffet is warning of the derivatives bomb... soros is talking great depression. these two men are uber insiders... don't fade them.
And the usual libtards are griping that we haven't completely bankrupt the federal government yet: Christ, the feds could be printing money as fast as possible and handing it out on street corners, but the libs would be demanding that we bring back the 1000 dollar bill so they could print it even faster.
your neocons have almost doubled the national debt from 5 trillion to 9 trillion. yet you whine about libs.