Texas Rebate Program A Frustrating Bust Jeers to Perry

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Today's much-ballyhooed Texas Trade Up appliance rebate program is pretty much a bust for thousands of frustrated residents trying to sign-up for a chance to get money back for upgrading their home electronics for newer, more energy-efficient models.

The state got $23 million in stimulus money to encourage people to get rid of their old junker appliances and pay them a bit to do so. It told the folks what was coming weeks in advance (giving conservative commentators ample chance to decry the creeping socialism of it all).

In this first-ever effort, Texas dedicated itself to high tech. Sign up for tweets and you'd get regular alerts on the start time (the original date was discarded as being too close to Easter vacation).

Then you could go online and sign your name up on the reservation list to be eligible for one of the rebates if you followed through and completed a purchase.
>>>>>>>>>

http://blogs.houstonpress.com/hairballs/2010/04/texas_rebate_appliances_texas.php

[sonias]

1. The whole enterprise fell off the cliff after that.

(from your blog link above)

The tweets came often enough to be annoying, but they worked. The whole enterprise fell off the cliff after that.

The web site ("The state's official site for powerful answers") crapped out early and often after its 7 a.m. start time today. Occasionally, tantalizing messages are left, promising there was "still $19 million left," "still $17 million left." But the site remained down or "limited."

Whoops - technical failure!

AAS 4/7/10
Appliance rebate program freezes many out

Public response to a statewide appliance rebate program proved to be overwhelming Wednesday, overloading a Web site and phone lines set up to handle requests for applications.

Thousands of Texans could not get through, despite trying for hours, leaving many frustrated and angry that the state would promote the energy-efficiency rebates for months and then not be prepared to handle the level of interest.

At one point, the Texas comptroller's office shut down the Web site for about two hours, while workers tested the computer server's capacity to handle the traffic. It was still difficult or impossible to get through after it came back online.

Despite the hangups, all $23 million worth of rebates had been claimed by 2:30 p.m. But the bottlenecks continued for several hours as people tried to get on a wait list for any rebates that end up not being used.

See no one is interested in rebates to upgrade to more efficient appliances. Absolutely no one! Why that's such a socialist idea! :eyes:

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2. Yep Wonder how many

freepers are quietly driveing Obamamobiles on public highway and toll roads.

[sonias]

3. All of them

But that's not socialism if they got a bank loan that's regulated by the Fed, or own a home they can deduct interest payments on their taxes, or drive on those heavily federal subsidized highways. No not at all. All of that is "free market" unfettered business activity . The good corporations would just make all that infrastructure for free and not gouge people on loans out of the goodness of their hearts.

Yeah right! :shrug:

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4. The Tea Party Socialist-Free Purity Pledge

in the inbox

The Tea Party Socialist-Free Purity Pledge

I do solemnly swear to uphold the principles of a
socialism-free society and heretofore pledge my word that I shall strictly adhere to the following:

I will complain about the destruction of 1st Amendment Rights in this country, while I am duly allowed to exercise my 1st Amendment Rights.

I will complain about the destruction of my 2nd Amendment Rights in this country, while I am allowed to exercise my 2nd Amendment rights by legally but brazenly brandishing unconcealed firearms in public.

I pledge to eliminate all government intervention in my life. I will abstain from the use of and participation in any socialist goods and services including but not limited to the following:

Social Security
Medicare/Medicaid
State Children’s Health Insurance Programs (SCHIP)
Police, Fire, and Emergency Services
US Postal Service
Roads and Highways
Air Travel (regulated by the socialist FAA)
The US Railway System
Public Subways and Metro Systems
Public Bus and Lightrail Systems
Rest Areas on Highways
Sidewalks
All Government-Funded Local/State Projects
Public Water and Sewer Services (goodbye socialist toilet, shower, dishwasher, kitchen sink, outdoor hose!)
Public and State Universities and Colleges
Public Primary and Secondary Schools
Public Museums
Libraries
Public Parks and Beaches
State and National Parks
Public Zoos
Unemployment Insurance
Municipal Garbage and Recycling Services
Treatment at Any Hospital or Clinic That Ever Received Funding From Local, State or Federal Government (pretty much all of them)
Medical Services and Medications That Were Created or Derived From Any Government
Grant or Research Funding (again, pretty much all of them)
Socialist Byproducts of Government Investment Such as Duct Tape and Velcro (Nazi-NASA Inventions)
Use of the Internets, email, and networked computers, as the DoD's ARPANET was the basis for subsequent computer networking
Foodstuffs, Meats, Produce and Crops That Were Grown With, Fed With, Raised With or That Contain Inputs From Crops Grown With Government Subsidies
Clothing Made from Crops (e.g. cotton) That Were Grown With or That Contain Inputs From Government Subsidies
If a veteran of the government-run socialist US military, I will forego my VA benefits and insist on paying for my own medical care

I will not tour socialist government buildings like the Capitol in Washington, D.C. I pledge to never take myself, my family, or my children on a tour of the following types of socialist locations, including but not limited to:

Smithsonian Museums such as the Air and Space Museum or Museum of American History
The socialist Washington, Lincoln, and Jefferson Monuments
The government-operated Statue of Liberty
The Grand Canyon
The socialist World War II and Vietnam Veterans Memorials
The government-run socialist-propaganda location known as Arlington National Cemetery
All other public-funded socialist sites, whether it be in my state or in Washington, DC

I will urge my Member of Congress and Senators to forego their government salary and government-provided healthcare.

I will oppose and condemn the government-funded and therefore socialist military of the United States of America.

I will boycott the products of socialist defense contractors such as GE, Lockheed-Martin, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, General Dynamics, Raytheon, Humana, FedEx, General Motors, Honeywell, and hundreds of others that are paid by our socialist government to produce goods for our socialist army.

I will protest socialist security departments such as the Pentagon, FBI, CIA, Department of Homeland Security, TSA, Department of Justice and their socialist employees.

Upon reaching eligible retirement age, I will tear up my socialist Social Security checks.

Upon reaching age 65, I will forego Medicare and pay for my own private health insurance until I die.

SWORN ON A BIBLE AND SIGNED THIS DAY OF IN THE YEAR

Signed Printed Name/Town and State

[sonias]

5. Seriously?

Holy crap! I want to see them stick to this - every freaking day of their life. How in the hell can they abstain from using these things. For all practical purposes they can't leave their homes! This is a joke right?

Upon reaching eligible retirement age, I will tear up my socialist Social Security checks.

Right so they're really not going to retire huh?

Use of the Internets, email, and networked computers, as the DoD's ARPANET was the basis for subsequent computer networking

Well they violated that one right away by e-mailing this pledge.

How come socialist television isn't covered in their pledge? The FCC must be part of the evil socialist network after all since they regulate broadcast licenses. I think they should pledge not to use TV and radio as well! :evilgrin:

[sonias]

6. Comptroller looks hard at appliance rebate foul-ups

Oh see now they got little Susan Combs mad! (she's really very tall)

Comptroller looks hard at appliance rebate foul-ups

The Texas comptroller's office isn't happy with how a contractor handled the statewide energy-efficient appliance rebate program on Wednesday after thousands of Texans could not get through to phone banks or a Web site set up to handle requests.

The state has sent a letter to Helgeson Enterprises Inc., the company hired to run the $23 million rebate program, asking for a performance report to determine whether the company met the terms of the $876,525 contract.

(snip)
But according to news reports, the company had similar problems in Minnesota and Iowa, where high demand crashed Web sites and jammed phone lines.
(snip)

The comptroller's office said 38,864 Texans got guaranteed rebates, with an additional 59,600 on a wait list in case not all of the rebates are used.

Let me guess, they went with the low bid contract and ignored the performance problems the company had in MN and IA. :shrug:

[sonias]

7. Please hold while your rebate hopes go unfulfilled

AAS 4/9/10 Editorial
Please hold while your rebate hopes go unfulfilled

In the precomputer days, when folks had to line up for government giveaways, this might have led to riots. Instead, what we had Wednesday were thousands of Texans stewing and steaming at their keyboards and keypads.

There is no excuse for what shall be known as the Great Appliance Rebate Snafu of 2010. And the blame belongs fully to Susan Combs, your state comptroller.

(snip)
And if what went on Wednesday wasn't frustrating enough, there's this: Combs used $876,000 of your tax dollars to hire a Minnesota company with a spotty track record to handle the rebate program.

Helgeson Enterprises Inc., a "rebate fulfillment company," offered a similar service for Minnesota and Iowa, which both had problems similar to what we went through on Wednesday. Combs' staff was aware of that history and made what it thought were adequate preparations to avoid a repeat.

Nice try.

Nice try. :sarcasm: