What’cha going to do with your rebate?
The rumor is that to stimulate the economy, we’re going to get a rebate. I heard the figure of $800 for each and every one of us. When did we get one the last time- six years ago? It was a piddily amount; I think Mike & I got about $300 and I just paid down a credit card bill with it. But hey, $1600, we’ll take a little trip or maybe buy a new sofa! So Pam, a little Vegas? Penn and Teller? I know this buffet where the desserts go on forever! 
Okay, way back when, I slept through some lectures about Keynesian (sp?) economics. The conservative ,more or less GOP view, of the way things work is that by giving tax cuts, special benefits to businesses, etc., it gives Mr. Business room to expand. The business sector is “sposed” to create more jobs, and more income taxes will flow back to the government. By helping the guy at the top, and it will “trickle down” to the average working person. Maybe that worked back when the USA still made things, but now we’re a service economy. Also, there are too many corporate creepoids that have no loyalty to a company. Darth Raiders that want to make money for themselves with bonuses, golden parachutes and dividends. Their game is how much work can be done, or money can be made with minimum employees and minimum benfits? Doesn’t help the Proletariat at all!
If you lived in The Peoples Republic of Doritaville and I ran things- and we were stuck with the progressive income tax- I would kick up the bottom limit. I’d make the first $50,000 of income tax exempt. Face it, even $50,000 isn’t that much anymore. Yes, interest rates are down, but a decent house in a metropolitan area with jobs to be had, still costs over $200K. A medium sized family sedan costs about $25,000 minimum. A box of Cheerios costs close to $4! My point being, that with a better tax break, those earning below $50K will have money to be patriotic- they can actually buy things and pay some sales tax. A little more money for frivolous stuff like doctor visits, or car maintenance. Or putting a little away in an IRA? Give the little guy more money and he’ll spend it on goods and services in our Service Economy.
We can’t call this “trickle down”, what shall we call it? How about the “Gushing Up” theory?
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