"To sum it up - tax cuts and zero social investment. Repugs gave up figments of their sick imagination, Dems gave up money that could have actually helped ordinary people."
Wojtek,
I agree -- this is a fucked up deal. Below is more about how the "rebate" would actually work, from AP. It says a couple with $160,000/yr could actually get about $1,200 in their welfare, sorry I mean rebate, check, though it's complicated. Originally, no one who made under $40,000 would get anything since they never paid in. That's changed, I think, but I'm still fuzzy on some of the details. In the meantime, no increase in food stamps, no increased healthcare, no home heating help increase -- no increase or extension of unemployment benefits ... but folks making over $100,000/yr can get a check. What the holy fuck.
-B.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080125/ap_on_go_co/economy_stimulus_examples
How the proposed rebate would work
By The Associated Press Fri Jan 25, 4:02 AM ET
How Americans in different financial situations would fare under the rebate plan proposed by House leaders and the White House.
_An individual with $2,500 in earned income in 2007: Disqualified because income fell below the $3,000 threshold. No rebate.
_A married couple with no children, with adjusted gross income of $100,000 in 2007: Would qualify for the full $1,200 couples. A $1,200 rebate.
_A worker with one child, who earned $9,000 and owed no taxes in 2007: Would qualify for the $300 rebate available to individuals who pay no taxes but earned at least $3,000, plus an additional $300 for the child. A $600 rebate.
_A couple with income of $145,000 in 2007, with three children: Would qualify for the full $1,200 for couples, plus $300 for each child. A $2,100 rebate.
_A couple with income of $160,000 in 2007 with two children: Would qualify for a partial rebate, reduced by $50 for every $1,000 in income above the $150,000 threshold. An $1,800 rebate — $1,200 for the couple plus $300 per child — would go down by $500 for this family. A $1,300 rebate.
_A couple with income of $200,000 and four children: Disqualified because their income exceeded $174,000, the phase-out limit. No rebate.
_An individual with adjusted gross income of $23,000 and no dependents would get a rebate of $600.
_A couple with adjusted gross income of $184,000 and two children would get a $100 rebate.