Congress Gives Some of Us Back Our Money, and Gives Some of Our Money Away to Others

Beware of anything that has bipartisan support in Congress:

WASHINGTON — With unprecedented speed and cooperation, Congress and the White House forged a deal Thursday to begin rushing tax rebates of $600 to $1,200 to most tax filers by spring, hoping they will spend the money just as quickly and jolt the ailing economy to life.

Rebates would be even higher for families with children.

The one-time tax rebates are at the center of a hard-won agreement to pump about $150 billion into the economy this year and perhaps stave off the first recession since 2001. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Republican leader John Boehner and Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson worked out the details in negotiations that stretched into Wednesday night at the Capitol.

About two-thirds of the tax relief would go out in rebate checks to 117 million families beginning in May. Businesses would get $50 billion in incentives to invest in new plants and equipment.

Let's get the terms straight - it's not tax relief if we're giving money to people who don't pay taxes. In that case it's a redistribution of wealth from taxpayers to non-taxpayers. If you pay federal income taxes, the government is offering to give you back some of your money, and give some more of your money to other people.

The Congress will break their arms patting themselves on the back as they "give us money". Never forget that any money the government hands out had to be taken by threat of force from the wage earners of the country. The government has no money of its own.