Obama's $1k energy rebate just plain one of the dumbest things I have ever heard of

Barack Obama is merely pandering for votes by playing class envy. He has obviously never studied economics. This has got to be the dumbest thing I have ever heard of, and I have heard a bunch of idiotic proposals by politicians in the past.

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama on Friday called for a $1,000 "emergency" rebate to consumers to offset soaring energy costs amid fresh signs of a struggling economy with the nation's unemployment rate climbing to a four-year high.

Obama told a town-hall meeting the rebate would be financed with a windfall profits tax on the oil industry.

Click here for the whole story. There is no need for "emergency" relief. The idea of "windfall" profits is just plain fallacious. Furthermore, to abscond the profits of a legitimate corporation to redistribute the wealth is just plain communism. There is not hiding that concept; Obama is just plain endorsing full on communism.

The hypocritical part is that Obama flat out refuses to support the idea of offshore drilling to increase the supply of energy. You can not have it both ways. We would have lower energy costs and relief for consumers by having an increased supply. Simple economics dictate that increased supply equals lower cost. But Obama is apparently too blind to this by his communistic paradigm or is just too stupid to realize this. Perhaps he does know and is flat out lying for political gain, which is not beyond the scope of possibility, nay is probability.

When you give away free stuff and free housing, people come out like cockroaches

I found this news story this morning. Hundreds of people were looking for a government hand out in Florida. People wanting to suckle off the government teat lined up for hours, some overnight, to get vouchers for housing assistance. Obviously, many, probably all of these people already had housing. Many have children. Most probably are on welfare and want more of a free ride.

Sadly, I know people like this personally. They are always waiting for the government or others to hand them cash, give them health care, give them housing, etc. Boca Raton, Florida nearly had a riot from people wanting something for nothing.

Watch the video clip on this web site and read the story. Obviously, the people standing in line are not starving. Many are rather plump. If they can not afford housing, then why are they pumping out babies that they can not afford? Why is it the government's responsibility to take care of them and their crumb crunchers? Why do MY tax dollars go to people who refuse to take care of their own selves, much less bring children into the world to have them supported by others?

I hate to sound harsh, but this is the reality. The situation in which these people find themselves is mostly self inflicted and we are expected to bail them out. Then, when the efforts are made to a reasonable extent, these same people whine about things not being fair. Sorry, but the government teat only has so much milk. Go suckle somewhere else.

A rebate is for those who paid in the first place

Rebate
Pronunciation: \ˈrē-ˌbāt\
Function: noun
Date: 1656
Definition: a return of a part of a payment

To rebate something to someone who did not pay in the first place is not, by definition, a rebate. I am all for cutting taxes. However, a tax rebate is for those who pay taxes. Those who do not pay taxes should NOT get a "rebate". It becomes a hand out and a form of welfare or entitlement at the expense of all others who do pay taxes.

Here is the full article. And the relevant quote:

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Republican Leader John Boehner scheduled a news conference for 1:30 p.m. EST to announce the $150 billion package, hammered out in a week of intense negotiations with Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson.

"We are pleased that the negotiators have been able to reach an agreement on an economic growth package," White House press secretary Dana Perino said Thursday afternoon. She said Bush would make a statement about the deal later in the day.

Congressional aides, speaking on condition of anonymity because the deal had not yet been announced, said they hope the checks could go out as early as June.

Individuals who pay income taxes would get up to $600, working couples $1,200 and those couples with children an additional $300 per child under the agreement. Workers who make at least $3,000 but don't pay taxes would get $300 rebates.

The rebate part of the plan would cost about $100 billion, aides said. The package also includes close to $50 billion in business tax cuts.

It is my understanding that the "rebate" for those who do not pay taxes was a concession made by Republicans in order to get the tax rebate/tax cut. Though I am all for the tax cut and find it appropriate, the idea of yet another entitlement is repugnant.