Art Refice – 2/14/08

This page was last updated on February 15, 2008.

Almost dealt a losing hand; Art Refice; Beaver County Times; February 14, 2008.

I believe the whole rebate/refund thing is an election year political stunt by members of both political parties.

Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.

“If President Bush’s plan for rebates wasn’t revamped by the House of Representatives and Senate, millions of Americans would have been Bush-whacked.

“Initially, our president sought to provide refunds only to Americans who paid income taxes. He shuffled the cards and dealt losing hands that could not win part of the pot to millions of lower-income Americans and elderly who are surviving on Social Security.”

[RWC] Mr. Refice, if a person didn’t pay any income tax, it’s not a rebate or refund; it’s a handout paid for by your neighbors.

“In wanting no delays in his rescue package and to get the money into the hands of the people for a quick fix to the slumping economy and to avert a worse recession — and possibly a depression, which Republicans are very familiar with — Bush agreed to a proposal submitted by House Democrats that added 35 million lower-income Americans to his plan.”

[RWC] We’re not in a recession. A recession is a reduction in GDP for at least two consecutive quarters. For the third quarter of 2007 (the last quarter for which data has been released), “real GDP increased 4.9 percent” according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis.

“But that still omitted more than 20 million who depends largely on Social Security for a living.

“Under pressure of AARP and with seniors jamming phone lines with calls, Democrats in the Senate were finally able to win enough Republican votes to include in the legislation rebates for older Americans who survive on Social Security and for disabled veterans who didn’t earn enough to qualify for rebates. (In my words, a lot more pork for the poor.)”

[RWC] I’m confused. Mr. Refice obviously supports the handouts, yet he refers to them as “a lot more pork for the poor.”

“These plans were approved by Bush and passed by Congress.

“I know many former steelworkers who survive on small pensions and suspect that thousands more in similar circumstances across the United States would have gotten no rebates if Bush’s original play [sic] was approved.

“I hope that with these rebates Capt. Bush and his crew can upright their sinking ship and steer a smoother course.”

[RWC] Is Mr. Refice referring to the rebates or the handouts?