White House Declines to Clarify Paulson's Comments on Rebates

Source: Wall Street Journal



White House Declines to Clarify Paulson's Comments on Rebates
Associated Press
January 23, 2008 11:33 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- The White House declined to clarify Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson's comments that the planned economic stimulus package should reach a large number of U.S. "citizens," remarks interpreted as support for giving tax rebates to people who don't pay income taxes.

"I'm not going to read anything into Secretary Paulson's comments," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said Wednesday. "All those details about what's going to be in a package and how it will be disbursed are yet to be determined and be worked out by Secretary Paulson."

Leading the administration's effort to craft a stimulus package, Mr. Paulson is meeting lawmakers on Capitol Hill Wednesday.

The Treasury Secretary said last week that the White House wants to bring tax relief to "those who are paying taxes." But he appeared to back off of that line on Tuesday, when he told the U.S. Chamber of Commerce that the "package must reach a large number of citizens."


Read more: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120110454832910131.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

After all, with the corporate tax rate being what it is, and all the bookkeeping shenanigans (see, for example, Portland General Electric) large corporations have at their disposal, it would be horrible if the companies that are chiseling on their tax liability with fancy debt shifting practices couldn't get big fat rebates, too.

this just smacks of more corporate welfare paid from worker's taxes.

Last time we got 'rebates' many were faced with having to pay taxes come April. And since the money the average citizen spends to get by ALWAYS sifts UP to the top, that is really where this rebate will end up too.

Not a rebate so much as a bait & switch.

If the Treasury is handing out checks, whether to tax paying worker bees or 'citizens', it all ends up in the greedy paws at the top.

Tell Congress to just say no to bait & switch band-aids for the hemorrhaging economy.

bush's proposal to hand out checks is just a rerun of what he did back in 2001. didn't work well then to boost the economy, won't work well now. it's a short term bandaid, not a long term fix

When it passes congress, (notice I said WHEN and not IF - I'll explain further down in the post) and bush signs it - it's then up to the treasury to cut/mail the checks. Blatherhead speculation estimates the checks will hit people's mailboxes sometime in october - and I agree...

we know the rebate-bribe has little/no effect in the long term - so why waste time doing a quick fix as opposed to a long-term solution. well - it's a (s)election year.

if any dem stands up and says this is bushit - I'm voting against it - he/she will be tarred and feathered as not supporting the people. Ads will run saying "HE/SHE voted against helping your family"

the details of the rebate-bribe scheme may change but it's a sure bet that it's a done deal.

We need to raise hell to remind voters how well this DIDN'T WORK last time around.

I will have to pay taxes on that. So will everyone else.

now also suppose you are living at or just below the po verity level. I mean just below and you are now currently eligible for government assistance.

Now suppose you get your 800 clams that now puts you over the limit. I smell screw job coming for a lot of folks in this nation.

than to take a measly 800 or 1600 dollars.

but she doesn't pay taxes being she is living on $900 a month.

What will grandma get?

:kick: