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.

[Gilbo_3]

/bleeding, dripping sarcasm

what u said...corrupt powerwhores are disgusting ...we both need some ointment...

[ChurtleDawg]

Wall Street freaks out over afternoon showers nowadays

[Schwaeky]

darn, I still need a heavy duty 8.5” posi unit for my Cutlass, the 455 will make the factory rear fall apart before long!!!

[miliantnutcase]

What do you got in there now just a 10 bolt?

[Schwaeky]

yeah, a 7.5” 10 bolt rear, single-trac too..

[Kozak]

Me too. (smiles)

[Kozak]

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.

So of course the first thing they do is exclude all those who pay most of the taxes./sarc

[GOP_Raider]

I'm eligible for a rebate check/purchase of my vote, but I actually did something financially non-stupid by getting an savings account on 'roids and HGH.

So I'll save my money while sheeple wait for their handout. So there.