Can you say Christmas?!?

My fellow bloggers and I have each taken a turn bashing Washington's economic stimulus package.  Strolling home this afternoon, I was thunderstruck by a brilliant idea to stimulate the economy. We've all heard of Christmas in July, right-the made-up holiday where everyone celebrates a mid-summer Christmas? Well I say we make it an official national holiday with all of the obligatory present buying, and capitalist mayhem. Imagine if retailers could look forward to Americans emptying the bank accounts twice a year instead of just once? Why give people money to spend when you can guilt them into spending money they already have? Forget the gas-tax holiday, Santa suit up you're getting called in for mid-year cheer!

I Am Not Stimulated!

Last week, I received my notice from the IRS informing me of the Economic Stimulus Payments I might receive as a result of Bush's stimulus package. Needless to say, what I read did not turn me on. The stimulus package is the most ridiculous idea since the helicopter ejection seat. If the stimulus package were Viagra, old people would never have sex. In fact, they'd probably have less sex than they did before because their egos would be so annihilated. Think about it...the government wants to stimulate spending, so they offer anyone who files at least $3,000 of income a $600 payment ($1200 for joint couples filing together) . $600??? Are you kidding me? Consider that people need this money to pay their mortgages before they're foreclosed. Consider that they need this money for groceries. Consider that the last thing people will be thinking is that they need to go buy that new, Spring wardrobe at the Gap. Oh, not to mention that this tax cut does nothing for the folks who may need this as much or more than the lower tax bracket: the middle class family. $600 does nothing for the middle class...but that's moot. Anyone making $75,000+ doesn't get a full payment or any payment at all. This clearly demonstrates that President Bush and Congress are so far out of touch with America. You want national security to be a priority this election season? With the dollar taking a royal swan dive and our economy floundering like a fish out of water, I think the economy is the utmost matter of national security.

Followup on Stimulus Package

I posted earlier today on the ecomonic stimulus package congress is about to make happen. Politico.com's blog the crypt has a nice summary of where the bill stands now.

Congress will continue to spin it's wheels until election time.