The Tax Advance

Today I received the money designated to me by the U.S. government in the 2008 Economic Stimulus Package -- $300. But for all the talk of it being a "rebate," it is not -- it is an advance, and here is why:

As of May 7, 2008, the total outstanding public debt for the United States of America is $9,359,720,592,641.80, according to the U.S. Department of Treasury. That number is so big that you can't even look at it without getting confused, and you have to break it down comma by comma. It is a number that is almost impossible to even comprehend, and yet there it is -- over $9.35 trillion.

The fact of the matter is that the U.S. government cannot afford to be giving out "rebates," and any high school economics student would be able to understand why. And yet, here comes the money anyway, in a federal attempt to stimulate an economy that is in serious trouble. But with a national debt that exceeds $9 trillion and an Iraq war cost that currently exceeds $518 billion (both of which are growing every second), it is more than obvious that the U.S. government cannot afford this "stimulus," which totals $152 billion. And therefore, the government will soon need to ask for that money back -- which makes it not a "rebate," but an advance.

I urge you to not spend the money you receive on frivolous things you don't need and can't afford. The leaders in Washington are hoping that you will take this "rebate" and -- despite the stack of bills that you may have -- buy a new TV, or lawnmower, or pair of jeans, or any of the other millions of products that are made outside the U.S. It is a fantastic plan, to say the least. But don't spend it -- save it instead, because it's not really yours anyway.

And soon they will come collecting.