How to: Stimulate the economy by March
January 28, 2008
The Bush administration, God love em, is planning to give $150 billion in rebates in the form of $600 and $1200 checks to individuals and families. The stimulus plan has a huge problem, it only works if people spend the money.
Earlier today Glen Hunter had a great idea, ’send your rebate to the troops’. I immediately got on board until my Dad pointed out that I wouldn’t be able to participate since I wasn’t getting a check (ironically, I am the most likely taxpayer to blow $1200 quickly). Then I had an idea:
What about doing both a) rewarding the troops and b) guaranteeing that economic stimulation would occur? We could simply give the entire $150B package to active duty military personnel resulting in rebates around $100K for each warrior. Who is more likely to blow $150K in a month than the average warrior? Give any 18-24 year old male $100K with the order to spend it in the next 30 days and I guarantee you will get immediate stimulation. We can count on our ‘economic warriors’ to help us out of our current malaise, while rewarding their service in a way our nation never has - with our treasure.
