The "Stimulus Check"

[jj]

Yeah, right, how many of us here even qualify to get a "stimulus check"?

Please see poll, attached.

[The Central Scrutinizer]

Not me

[NewtonTrino]

I got nothing but my girlfriend got $900. If we were married she would have gotten nothing... I don't get this, why not just send everyone the same amount of $$$?

[LostAngeles]

Funnily enough, you can be too poor to get a stimulus check. If I hadn't gotten my education award from AmeriCorps and used it to pay off a fair chunk of student loans (and that was taxed at like 12% since it's considered self-employment/royalities type thing), my straight earnings would have been too low, since my actual earnings are my work study funds, of which I get less than $3000.

I have to say, filing taxes when you have grants (that aren't all Pell and hence taxable), an Education award, tax credits for student loan payments, and a W-2 isn't a lot of fun. In fact, even though I was on the phone with the IRS several times, I still botched my return.

They owed me another $3...

[TragicMonkey]

I'm supposed to get $600, but it hasn't come yet. How can I fix the economy if they don't send me the cash money dollars?

[Fiona]

What is a stimulus check?

[Darth Rotor]

What is a stimulus check?
It's the piece of paper one uses to pay a hooker when the credit card comes back disapproved when she uses the pocket scan.

DR

[Darat]

I may be middle aged but I don't need no "stimulus check", everything down there is in fine working order thank-you very much.

[brodski]

What is a stimulus check?

It's the socialistic redistribution of wealth by the Bush administration who have suddenly rediscovered demand management economic theories.

Essentially, in order to attempt to prop up the US economy the government is giving tax rebates to millions of people, apparently in inverse proportion to the amount of direct taxation levied on them.

[brodski]

I got nothing but my girlfriend got $900. If we were married she would have gotten nothing... I don't get this, why not just send everyone the same amount of $$$?
People who are better off tend to have a higher marginal propensity to save, if the idea is to stimulate demand in the economy, it makes most sense to give the money to those who are most likely to spend it.

Either that or to give it to the people whose votes can be bought for the amounts they are being offered, depending on how cynical one is.

[Fiona]

Funny how free market freaks go off it when their policies produce the inevitable results...

[jj]

Either that or to give it to the people whose votes can be bought for the amounts they are being offered, depending on how cynical one is.

Naaah. Ya don't think, do ya?

[Giggywig]

I got mine a couple of weeks ago. It went straight into the hands of Capital One and their auto loan division.

[UnrepentantSinner]

I waited until after the first of the year to sell the gold and oil futures I'd been holding so in addition to the kings ransom I got for them I would still receive my stimulus check. I'm going to cash mine and head to a high end strip club.

[Wildy]

Why doesn't the US give the world a stimulus cheque?

[UnrepentantSinner]

Why? What good would it do us?

[TragicMonkey]

Why doesn't the US give the world a stimulus cheque?

Have you noticed the dollar lately? Maybe the world should give the US a stimulus check.

[Charlie Monoxide]

3 or 4 weeks ago I got a letter saying that I must file taxes in order to get the "stimulus" check. I filed my taxes like I do every year (and paid about $2k). A few days ago I got another letter telling me I'm due for a "stimulus" check of about $133 and should receive it shortly. I thought this was a stupid waste of my tax dollars. Just send me the damn check when it's ready. I don't need to be "warned" about.

I worked for a federal government and a mailing is not a cheap endeavor ....

Charlie (especially when done by governments) Monoxide

[Darat]

You mean you haven't yet got your confirmation letter confirming that they've sent you the confirmation letter confirming your stimulus check will be being sent soon? You should write to them and let them know.

[Aoidoi]

I received the explanation that I'd be getting a stimulus check and the check itself on the same day.

I've cunningly thwarted their plan to stimulate the economy so far by just depositing it in the bank and letting it sit there.

[The Central Scrutinizer]

Why doesn't the US give the world a stimulus cheque?

First, the world would have to learn to spell "check". :)

[The Central Scrutinizer]

You mean you haven't yet got your confirmation letter confirming that they've sent you the confirmation letter confirming your stimulus check will be being sent soon? You should write to them and let them know.

That's nothing - I get a letter every month from my car insurance company informing me that 1) This is NOT a bill and 2) they will be deducting my premium from my banking account on a certain day.

WTF? :confused:

[TragicMonkey]

That's nothing - I get a letter every month from my car insurance company informing me that 1) This is NOT a bill and 2) they will be deducting my premium from my banking account on a certain day.

WTF? :confused:

My student loan company emails me a PDF file, which I have to download, then open with a special password, to read the information that I have a message from them on their website so I should go to it and log in to read it.

[BPSCG]

What is a stimulus check?

It's the socialistic redistribution of wealth by the Bush administration who have suddenly rediscovered demand management economic theories.Wait a minute. You mean Bush directed the Treasury Department to send out all them stimulus checks without even asking the Democrat-controlled Senate or the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives if it was okay with them?

Wow, he really is a dictator.

[brodski]

Wait a minute. You mean Bush directed the Treasury Department to send out all them stimulus checks without even asking the Democrat-controlled Senate or the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives if it was okay with them? If I had have meant that, I would have said that.


Wow, he really is a dictator.

No, but he is head of state, this is his administration, and he did approve the legislation necessary for this package, unless the democratic controlled congress has usurped the executive power from him...

[BPSCG]

If I had have meant that, I would have said that. Well, you made no mention of Congress whatsoever, suggesting the stimulus bill was something magically cooked up by Bush and his executive branch.

No, but he is head of state, this is his administration, and he did approve the legislation necessary for this package, unless the democratic controlled congress has usurped the executive power from him...
The administration refers to the executive branch of the government, not the legislative. The executive branch administers the laws. Executive power does not include the power to authorize appropriations. The Congress passes those bills, and presents them to the president, whose only choice then is to sign or veto the bill. He can try to get the Congress to pass bills he likes, but if his party is out of power, his ability to influence legislation is greatly diminished.

[Fnord]

Why doesn't the US give the world a stimulus cheque?


Oh, how bloody original! Imagine; the U.S. putting the rest of the world on the public dole. That, surely, has never been tried before! Imagine how popular America would be if only the U.S. government would spout foreign aid money to all the second- and third-world countries; even those that speak the Queen's English!

:rolleyes:

As if it weren't enough that the U.S. is called upon to fight their bloody wars for them, and to lend or lease to them the hardware that they never had the cobbles to provide for themselves...

:mad:

[LostAngeles]

You mean you haven't yet got your confirmation letter confirming that they've sent you the confirmation letter confirming your stimulus check will be being sent soon? You should write to them and let them know.

I get a letter from the Dept. of Ed about every month letting me know that my student loans are in deferment.

[Darat]

Oh I can beat all those, this happened with a company called Pet Plan (veterinary insurance company - good at coughing up for claims terrible admin):

Took out new policy for Molly the dog, starting mid-month but setting the direct payments to the 1st of each month.

Letter 1: Confirming insurance has been taken out and informing me that my insurance document will be sent shortly.

Letter 2: Arrived same post as Letter 1, insurance document, but with payment dates mid-month.

Letter 3: Arrived same post as Letter 1 & 2, informing me that a revised insurance document will be sent to show the altered (!) payment dates i.e. the 1st of the month.

Letter 4: Arrived - yep same post as Letter 1, 2 & 3, insurance document with payment dates 1st of each month.

Letter 5: Arrived - a week later, confirming the cost of the insurance and other details and saying if any details are incorrect I should inform them so the details can be altered before the insurance documents are sent out....

And in each of these letters was a copy of their pet magazine (the same edition) which is a glossy and 30 odd pages.

[devnull]

Have you noticed the dollar lately? Maybe the world should give the US a stimulus check.

Aussie dollar is at US0.95. You're economy is screwed, cos the australian economy consists of 3 guys digging a hole in Western Australia, and 2 guys occasionally growing bananas in QLD. Oh, and also Mary, the tea lady.

[Soapy Sam]

When will you foreign Johnnies learn to spell?

"Check" and "cheque" are quite different things.
I know, because I checked.