[GCFL-discuss] Stimulus

[Discussion of the Good, Clean Funnies List]

I just a got in the mail AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM THE URS ON THE
ECONOMIC STIMULUS ACT OF 2008. Anyone have any thoughts on this subject?

My first thought when it was announced amounted to, anything that Nancy
Pelosi and George W. Bush can agree on is probably no good.

My second thought was, sure, I can use some free money. Who would have
thought George W. Bush would have advocated such free-spending welfare?

Will I spend it or save it?

Truth to tell, it just might push me over the edge to buy that laptop I
don't really need, since I haven't filled the 4 GB hard drive on my
Toshiba Tecra 550 CDT running Windows 98. But my building has installed
wireless access, and I also need something that can talk to my digital
camera (not W-98). Of course I'll look for a bargain priced
not-cutting-edge unit running Windows XP, avoiding Vista like the plague,
so it may not do much to sustain jobs for people making the latest and
the greatest.

Finally, since the government has no money of its own, this is pretty
much robbing Peter to pay Paul. On the other hand, putting money in the
hands of people earning under $75,000 ($150,000 if married) and not those
above that level is a step in the right direction. A better and more
permanent approach would be to exempt  the first $20,000 from taxation
for EVERYONE ($50,000 for families with dependent children), and maybe
beef up the earned income credit as well. But, to get the stimulus check,
even if you otherwise didn't have to file a return, now you do. Paperwork
reduction?

Making payments out of the federal treasury is a gimmick. Since it
doesn't come out until May, in the meantime I am sending a check with my
1040 for slightly more than the stimulus check will amount to. I can run
up some credit charges while I wait for it though.

Siarlys