"First and foremost, the stimulus package will put money in the hands of hardworking Americans"

[tekisui]

House leaders and the administration reached agreement today on a roughly $145 billion economic stimulus package that would quickly send payments to poor and middle-class workers while offering businesses one-time incentives to invest in new equipment and write off tax losses.

In formally announcing the deal this afternoon, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), House Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) and Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson Jr. hailed it as a bipartisan effort that would help stimulate the economy by spurring consumer demand and creating new jobs.

Under the plan, as many as 117 million people would get rebate checks. Individual income tax filers would receive up to $600, working couples would get up to $1,200, and those with children would get an additional $300 per child.

"First and foremost, the stimulus package will put money in the hands of hardworking Americans," Pelosi told a Capitol Hill news conference. "This is a middle-class initiative to strengthen the middle class and to those who aspire to be in the middle class. It will be in the form of tax rebates and a child tax credit."

more at link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2008/01/24/ST2008012401981.html

How can she think that $600 STRENGTHENS THE MIDDLE CLASS!!???!??

[lumberjack_jeff]

1. If it's stimulus you're after...

... put it in the hands of hard-spending americans.

Meh.

[fasttense]

2. Big Whoop

this means that we hard working 60 + hours a week people can now put a new set of brakes on our 1987 car that barely runs as it is, while Warren Buffet (a BILLIONAIRE) has said his secretary pays more taxes than he does. What the Devil do Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi think they are doing? Does Brush have some kind of dirt on them that they should loose their minds like this?

[leftofthedial]

3. whoopee fucking shit

this is not a stimulus package. it's a PR campaign.

[Deja Q]

4. Nice to know the jobs aren't offshored yet...

Now there's an idea. Once all our jobs* are offshored; we'll get a lifetime of money for nothing; and the chicks for free too?


* they do help our economy AND the global economy too. Every country, being a part of the global economy, should go up or down with the others. Inevitable. Being up is better...

[billybob537]

5. I'll send mine to John Edwards

[damntexdem]

6. Hey, then when will the rest of us get ours?

;-)

[NMDemDist2]

7. is this from my 2007 taxes or 2008, do I have to pay it back? n/t

[Johonny]

8. IDK

Is this the best deal they could get? I know congress is severely handicapped by having to deal with the insane White house, but one time give aways doesn't seem like an extremely pointed measure for long term economic success. It seems to me the job of the stimulus package is to dump blame for all Bushes bad economic decisions onto the Democrats. He introduces it in hopes A) they don't pass it because it's stupid: then he blames them for not passing it B) they take too long arguing over it: then he blames them for not passing it fast enough. Either way I doubt the goal of this idea from the White house has anything to do with stimulating the economy.

[Disturbed]

9. Another scam on America & the Dems fall in line.

Until Americans wake up & realize that Rethugs & Dems don't give a damn
about the Middle Class, The Working Poor & the Poor things will get worse.

What America needs is a radical change in the System. It won't happen unless the demand
is overwhelming.

The Electoral System

Repeal the 12th amendment, reforming the electoral college, standardizing party qualifications in the states, qualified and free access to public airwaves.

1.Uniform Ballot Access
2.Loosen Third Party Ballot Restrictions
3.Universal Voter Registration
4.Election Day Holiday
5.Equal Media Access/Debate Inclusion
6.Instant Runoff Voting (IRV)
7.Secure Voting Machines
8.Public Campaign Financing
9.Direct Popular Vote Election of the President
10.Congressional Representation

* I seriously doubt that most of these changes will ever occur.

[Johonny]

12. You know

I believe some Dems do care about the middle class and the poor. I think it's clear Bush doesn't care. I think it's clear a strong majority in congress don't care. But that majority in congress seems to be heavily Rethug.

I like all those ideas except maybe 9. There is some value in the electoral college. There is some benefit to the voter in a system that sometimes allows the minority to win leadership. I'd really be interested in representation based on vote total rather than winner take all for congress.

1.Uniform Ballot Access
2.Loosen Third Party Ballot Restrictions
3.Universal Voter Registration
4.Election Day Holiday
5.Equal Media Access/Debate Inclusion
6.Instant Runoff Voting (IRV)
7.Secure Voting Machines
8.Public Campaign Financing
9.Direct Popular Vote Election of the President
10.Congressional Representation

[Mike03]

10. Humiliating Beyond Belief.

I can't even find the words to express how misguided this rebate effort is.

Nobody is fooled by it except for American investors who are not savvy.

[KG]

11. a stupid and useless gesture.

[7 of 11]

13. How about we dont pay taxes in 2007

Anyone making less than 120,000 a year pays 0.00 taxes in 2007. What ever is on that W2 will be returned... we get it all back.