(Re)bate and switch; Biofools

Nancy Pelosi is overjoyed that republicans have, for the first time, agreed with the democrats in Congress to send tax rebates to people who haven't paid income tax. Now listen folks, if they haven't paid taxes, it isn't a rebate it's just a "bate."

Gee, do you think the fact that it's an election year has anything to do with this? Sure it does. They're taking your money and (re)baitin' some hooks with it in hopes to snag a few voters. Republicans know they won't win any votes. But they realize they could lose a few independent voters during the general election if they give democrats the chance to make them look like Scrooge for being tightfisted with your money.

The New York Times noted that Congress "moved with unusual speed" to pass the measure. Finally something Washington can do quickly and efficiently: give away money it doesn't have.

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On a different note, you may have read about the research on the burgeoning use of "biofuels" and that in reality, they are worse for the environment than fossil fuels in terms of the greenhouse gases that supposedly cause global warming.

Here's the headline from the next day's paper in my hometown: Biofuel Users Say It's Still a Good Alternative. The story continues, "Advocates of the fuels said the studies do nothing to alter their opinion that biofuels are better for the environment than burning gasoline."

I used to run around with a group of friends and we often kidded one another with, "Don't confuse me with the facts!" We were being funny; these environment advocates are serious. It exposes the truth that the biofools' desire to muck up economic development is much stronger than their concern for the environment.

Life Support Two Ways

The signs of illness have been obvious for months. All indicators have pointed to an ever-worsening condition. The experts have been consulting one another to decide what to do and finally they've settled on a series of desperately needed transfusions. The treatment regimen was put the hands of the care givers and sometime in four to six months they'll get right on it.

The fact that our economy is on the brink of collapse has been common knowledge on the street for months. When Washington finally got on board and our lawmakers decided immediate action was necessary, they resolved to inject some cold cash into the still slightly warm corpse of an economy. Of course, ASAP for the government means that sometime this summer, and I'm not evening feeling a hint of spring yet, cash will get into the hands of the consumers.

By that time we'll either be pulling out of the recession without the government's help, or we'll be stranded so far out in the dry lakebed of vaporized consumer spending that the paltry $600 refund won't even pay for the first session with a bankruptcy attorney.

But don't worry about that too much, if Obamary gets elected, the same government apparatus that took 6 months to cut you a $600 check to "save" the economy will be scheduling your cancer treatment.

To quote Country Joe MacDonald, "Whoopie! We're all gonna die!"