Rebate checks now in limbo

Associated Press ^ | 02/07/2008 | JULIE HIRSCHFELD DAVIS and ANDREW TAYLOR

[george76]

The fate of $600-$1,200 rebate checks for more than 100 million Americans is in limbo after Senate Republicans blocked a bid by Democrats to add $44 billion in help for the elderly, disabled veterans, the unemployed and businesses to the House-passed economic aid package.

GOP senators banded together Wednesday to thwart the $205 billion plan, leaving Democrats with a difficult choice either to quickly accept a House bill they have said is inadequate or risk being blamed for delaying a measure designed as a swift shot in the arm for the lagging economy.

The tally was 58-41 to end debate on the Senate measure, just short of the 60 votes Democrats would have needed to scale procedural hurdles and move the bill to a final vote. In a suspenseful showdown vote that capped days of partisan infighting and procedural jockeying, eight Republicans — four of them up for re-election this year — joined Democrats to back the plan, bucking GOP leaders and President Bush, who objected to the costly add-ons.

Democrats choreographed the vote for maximum political advantage, presenting their aid proposal as a take-it-or-leave-it proposition for Republicans and calling back their presidential candidates to make a show of party unity behind their stimulus plan.

They calculated that Republicans would pay a steep price for opposing rebates for older Americans and disabled veterans, as well as heating aid for the poor, unemployment benefits and a much larger collection of business tax breaks than the House approved.

[umgud]

Rebate checks now in limbo

Not for me, I'm not qualified to get one, but I sure am qualified to pay for others.

[miliantnutcase]

D*mn! You were going to be buying me a new stall converter for my truck.

[ican'tbelieveit]

eight Republicans — four of them up for re-election this year — joined Democrats

Who were they?

[flying Elvis]

Who were the eight?

[Hunble]

But, but, but...

You mean that people who never pay taxes will not get a refund on something they never payed?

Oh the horrors!

[Chuck54]

Republican following the Democrats into oblivion.....

Coleman (R-MN)
Collins (R-ME)
Dole (R-NC)
Domenici (R-NM)
Grassley (R-IA)
Smith (R-OR)
Snowe (R-ME)
Specter (R-PA)

[WildcatClan]

Bush should have just shut his yapper. These ‘stimulus packages’ never do anything anyway. He is going to make certain another Republican never gets elected again if he hasn’t done that already. Veterans and Seniors, you add them or pay for it in the elections.

If this package is so great then add 55 billion more to the economy and that will make the stimulus even greater, right? Bush shouldn’t be so reactionary every time Wall St. squawks. He knows these stimulus packages are always a day late and dollar short, and he had to see the obvious moves the Dems were going to make in response. Now the Dems look good and the Pubs will appear evil. WTG, we really are the stupid party.

[Washi]

The skittish ninnies on Wallstreet to freak out over this and the Dow will plummet.

[george76]

Not sure exactly.

searching : eight Republicans — four of them up for re-election this year

[VeniVidiVici]

So the dastardly Democrats voted to cut our rebate checks from $1200 to $1000. What a bunch of inconsiderate bastards.

[ajay_kumar]

The demorats are trying to make the rebate into a “welfare” package. The rebate is tax payers money and rightfully should be returned to tax payers. Since the rebate is “taxable” 2008 income, part of this rebate will be returned back to the US Treasury in April 2009 or sooner.

On the other hand if people who paid no tax in 2007 are included the treasury won’t get anything back in the form of 2008 tax due. SO it then amounts to welfare, pure and simple.

[george76]

Thanks

[ican'tbelieveit]

I thought the original package already had some “welfare” attributes by providing rebates to those wage “earners” that did not pay taxes anyway.

[Eva]

So, the McCain gang acted without him.

[ajay_kumar]

Also, if the gubermint wants us to spend the money quickly, why not issue Gift Cards good at major retailers and with an expiration date within 120 days? That would guarantee the money will be spend and FAST! A check on the other hand can be used for savings, paying back loans etc. which won't stimulate even a hyper puppy dog.

[ajay_kumar]

Only those people with $3000 minimum taxable income are eligible in the house package. So every one eligible for rebate has paid some tax. I know many seniors who pay ZERO tax.

[Gator113]

Just wait until next year.

Something ugly this way comes.

[Lijahsbubbe]

I don’t know why the Republicans would object to disabled vets or the elderly getting a check. They okayed it for illegals.

I just don’t feel like I have a team to pull for here. They seem to be more and more similar every day.

[Hardastarboard]

It occurs to me that the whole damn "recession" goes away if we would just drill in ANWR. Oil prices, and subsequently gasoline prices, would go down. We wouldn't be making the utterly imbecilic mistake of turning our food into alcohol, causing its price to rise. Drilling would directly create jobs for the drillers, stimulate Alaska's economy, and free up the average family's money for consumer goods instead of gasoline, thereby stimulating the economy.

It's such a logical plan I'm sure it will be adopted over night, unanimously by both parties.

/bleeding, dripping sarcasm