With a sputtering economy, Democrats and Republicans have come together to refund taxpayers $600 to $1200 this season. Families may get more. "I can't say that I'm totally pleased with the package, but I do know that it will help stimulate the economy. But if it does not, then there will be more to come," Nancy Pelosi explained. What wasn't she "totally pleased" about? She wanted increases in food stamps and unemployment payments. She didn't get that, but the Speaker of the House did get direct payments--which differ morally from tax refunds--to people whose income is so low that they don't pay taxes. What's the difference between a tax refund and a welfare payment? The refund is money the taxpayer earned. The welfare payment is money another citizen earned.

It would be a lot easier for our Government to take less money in the first place and it would help if they gave less of it away to those who don't produce or pay into the system.

But I'm getting the impression that schemes like this will become the norm and instead of our representatives working to become smarter with our money by being more fiscally responsible, they will see how far they can go in taxing us and when it's apparent that we can't pay anymore, only then will we see 'rebates' and possibly slightly less taxation. And only when it effects the economy, or course.

The perfect Governor for the Socialist Republic of Massachusetts gave his SotS speech last night full of doom, gloom and scary monsters if Government doesn't get more and spend more money. No hope and no reason to go on living and Government needs to be bigger and stronger if we are to survive.

I don't know who he was talking about. Outside of being mugged by Big Brother and the Commonwealth, I make it through every day on my own and do well enough take care of me and mine and have a wee bit left over to enjoy some of the fruits.

But, as you alluded to, governments don't cater to the payers but the takers.

I glad to receive it. My position is that, it's going to get spent anyway, spending is going to rise anyway, deficits are going to be run anyway, it's all going to hell anyway, at least I'll get some of my money back.

Of course any money back is a good thing. But both parties are essentially admitting that it's productivity and more money in our pockets that run the economy. So why do they continue to work to stifle both? And, of course, they need to do as much as possible to placate the masses in an election year.