They could take it out of Haliburton’s welfare check.
The same place as the $100 billion a year we squander in Iraq. Never again will I accept that lame excuse, “We can’t afford it!”
Free health insurance for all! And a free minature American flag too!
The speaker is the one who wants to turn a rebate into a handout. You don’t believe in Jesus, so why do you care whose side He is on?
Not believing Jesus is the immortal son of god does not exclude thinking Jesus had some chill thoughts. As for your first sentence, you’ll need to back that up. The precedent for this nonsense was set in 2001 under a Republican triple threat.
Daniel
it’s not a hand out it’s a hand up :p. The amount which will go to low income people is a pittance compared to what gets spent in Iraq and I don’t see you complaining about that. Why not?
I’ll tell yu waht, if you’re really that upset about it, I will personally refund to you whatever amount of money will come out of your taxes for this rebate. How much do you think that will be. 3 cents? 4? If you can’t live knowing that some minimum wage slaves will a check for three hundred dollars, I will personally send you 5 whole cents via Paypal. Then you will have nothing to bitch about. What do you say?
What difference does it make whether I believe it? If the Bible is right, then Jesus wants you to give your money to the poor. I’m just givimng you some food for thought. If you believe in Jesus, you should know you’re going against His will.
I wouldn’t mind that much if the money was instead used to benefit people directly. Such as helping with healthcare and prescription drugs for low-income folks, or expanded job placement and job skills assistance. More grants for college for low-income folks. I call it “investing in people who need it most.”
But if the government is going to engage in just passing out money so some people can be sort-of helped, and the rest can buy X-Boxes or yet another HDTV for their kid’s bedroom - in effect, a transfer payment to foreign electronics manufacturers - then fuck it, I want my check as well. I reckon that among the “die yuppie scum” crowd that that sentiment isn’t going to play very well, but tough.
Unless you make more than 150 grand a year, you are going to get a check. The vast majority of this money is going to people who do pay income tax.
ETA, I suspect you’re right that a lot of X-Boxes and MP3 players are going to get sold.
I’ve already decided to thwart our government’s fiendish plan to “jumpstart the economy”. I’m putting the whole thing in a savings account. 
Did the 2001 rebate include non-taxpayers? If so, I would like a cite, please.
I’m going to use mine to pay for gifts for friends and family. Unfortunately, it is stuff I bought them for Christmas, but haven’t paid off my credit card yet. Yay, free Christmas shopping!
My relationship with the Lord is none of your business, and you are wrong to question it.
Everything I’ve read is that it’s $75,000 per individual/$150,000 for a married couple. Do you have better info than that?
http://money.cnn.com/2008/01/24/news/economy/stimulus_package/index.htm?postversion=2008012421
Read carefully. Over those figures still get a check, just for a reduced amount. There isn’t any info on the cap amount yet (above which you get nothing).
Good Lord. The government is going to give you some extra money back and you complain about it? Sheesh. If you don’t want it, then donate it to charity or something. Please don’t begrudge those of us who need it. I imagine I’ll be buying groceries with mine. Is that OK?
I read, but cannot find the source, that the cap was $125,000 per individual. I’ll eagerly await the Straight Dope on the cap. However, while a reduced amount is better than nothing, it’s still not cool. And since I think the whole “shotgun money out to the masses and hope for something good to happen” approach is ugly, unsound, and hurtful to the folks who need assistance the most, then I guess it’s arguing for nothing.
Looks like I hit a nerve. Since when do I need permission to call hypocrisy in others?
Okay. The rebate is a sop. Plently of money is being wasted, e.g., on war. I asked a question that hasn’t been answered. How much money is spent on the war in a day? The answer might provide some context for why we’re in a recession. It might also provide a comparison to the amount the rebate is going to cost.
Goddamn Democrats! 
In August 2007 Iraq cost us about 2.3 billion a week.
As usual, Bush is playing games with the funding, so it’s hard to tell, but I’ve seen several reports that Iraq spending currently up to 3 billion a week. That’s $430 million a day; about $1.40 a day per American.
Huh. The White House is calling it a rebate:
If it was Pelosi’s idea, your President caved pretty easily.