What's With The GOP And Their "Rebates"?

Congressional Republicans Offer The "Gas-Poor" $100 To Go Away

The Republicans used to chide the Democrats for "throwing money" at problems. From Food Stamps to urban renewal to welfare, it was always the Democrats who were giving away the store.

Now, the worm turns -- and we can't tell which end is the head and which is the, er, other end.

First it was the GOP in the New York State Legislature, proposing to give homeowners "rebate" checks averaging $300 (total price tag in the neighborhood of $1.7 billion), to assuage anger over the out-of-control school property tax.

Governor Pataki axed that idea, only to see the Legislature override this not even "stop-gap" measure into law. [Notwithstanding, the Gov remains steadfast in saying, "No way, I won't pay!" He's right not to pay, but only because this ersatz fix does absolutely nothing to remedy the underlying failures of the property tax system, and not because he's miffed that the Legislature didn't pass the Governor's own rebate package.]

Meanwhile, the players in Albany only add to the NYS Legislature's aura of dysfunction and disconnect.

Now, the folks in Washington want to throw some money our way -- a $100 rebate, to be exact -- this in lieu of taking action (any action) to fix what's wrong with America's energy policy. [SEE, The New York Times article, Sharp Reaction to G.O.P. Plan on Gas Rebate.]

Could it be that the Republicans are the new Democrats? Tax. Borrow. Spend. Go to war. Offer a "rebate" to appease the masses. Pass on the debt to the next generation.

Wow! A whole $100! That's what, two tanks of gas? Perhaps half a tank, by this time next week.

Let's see. The GOP elite is proposing a $100 rebate, while Exxon Mobil is reporting first-quarter profits of $8.4 billion. Hmm. Seems fair to us.

Why, between the $300 we might get from Albany, and the $100 they'd like to send us from Washington, we're only about $300 short of a steak dinner for 4 at Morton's Steakhouse. Maybe we could get those nice Commissioners at Town of Hempstead Sanitary District 1 to pick up the rest of the tab!

But seriously. A $300 rebate here. A $100 rebate there. Share the wealth. Deepen the national debt. Make believe we're getting relief -- at the pump and on our property tax. It's all Monopoly money. And besides, most of us won't be around, anyway, when our great-great grandchildren are stuck paying the bill!