In the wisdom tradition and example of Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr read on...
"So what are you going to do with your $600?", asked my mom as we chatted by phone last night.
"What do you mean?", I responded.
"The tax cut money. That's what the news said tonight. That we'd each get $600 by June.", she answered.
"Oh. I didn't know that. I heard something about a tax break, but I don't watch the news much so I hadn't heard an exact figure, yet.", I explained.
"So, you should each get $600 - a total of $1200. What will you spend it on?", Mom reiterated.
And so the conversation went. I explained about credit card debt. I lamented the faulty logic of supporting our country by spending more money and she quipped the governmental jargon so prevelant in the Bush administration about it helping the economy.
We talked about recession. I remarked that the sky has been falling for quite some time but no one seemed to be listening to Chicken Little. Now, all of a sudden, it's doomsday and we're being encouraged, once again, to save our country by spending more money. Unbelievable!
So, my fellow travelers, what d'ya say we start a revolution?
Can you imagine the impact it would have if a majority of Americans refused to spend their refunds? Wow! What a message that would be to our leaders.
"We don't like the way you're running (or ruining) our country. We're NOT BUYING your brainwashing diatribe about how to fix the economy. It's your fault we're in this mess (can you say national debt, outsourcing, war on terror?) in the first place. We will not be your pawns in an attempt to put a band-aid on this gaping wound you've created!!!"
Can I get an Amen?
Here's our call to duty.
There's power in numbers and we have plenty of time to mobilize an army.
Will you join the ranks?
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12 comments:
I love to see it happen. Or just pay off a bill instead. Just don't buy.
Paying off a bill just negates the previous purchase which I think is a good balance too.
But yes, power in numbers.
Peace Out,
Ella
Heck yeah, I'm sticking it to the man and putting it into savings.
Take that consumerism!
AMEN.
just talking with my mom about the sick irony of giving money with the sole expectation that it will be spent.
You've got an AMEN from Charlotte. I simply do not understand our obsession with spending. Getting deeper and deeper into debt. How does that help our economy? I just don't get it. Not at all. I cannot stop shaking my head about that line of thought. No wonder we are in the trouble we are in as a nation!
Micro loans would be one way to go as well - if everyone donated a portion of their rebate it would boost the standard of living for countless folks around the world who are just scraping by. That would be a radical statement!
amen.
no bills here, we don't participate in the consumerism of our culture.
i doubt i'm really getting $800, but if i do get it...it's going to charity - probably schools, since that's where the money will be coming from.
Amen from Cleveland!
My wife and I will be putting any rebate towards our boys' college funds and pre-paying a bit more of the mortage.
It makes no sense for this country to borrow more money when we're already running a huge deficit, let alone expect that to jumpstart an ailing economy.
My take: this is a bipartisan political stunt in an election year. No party would dare say no as sending people money is wildly popular with most people who are living paycheck to paycheck, which seems to be the majority of people. If they will believe that its going to save the economy until after they vote in November, the stunt will have served its narrow political objective and who cares if it really worked?
You've got an Amen and a Blessed Be. What a scam! We owe nothing to no one - we do not participate in the credit/debt scam - and so we will probably save ours - just sock it away. The current administration is giving us this nice gift? and telling us to "spend it all at the mall" to keep America strong. What a farce. Sadly, many will do just that and believe they are doing it for the good of our nation. Thus the Catch 22 just keeps going round and round and where it stops no one knows for sure - but it won't be good and it won't be pretty! I sent a link to The Simple Living Network to friends and family. I'm also going to add this info. to my own blog tomorrow.
Lindy in AZ
Just got a link to your blog from simple living network. What a fantastic idea!!! I've sent an email to a bunch of friends and family, hoping they too will spread the word.
Stephanie
These are all interesting sentimets, but the fact remains that whethe you save the money, donate it or pay a bill, it still becomes part of the economy in one form or another. The only actual way to negate the effect of your rebate is to tear up the check or just return it to the government.
True, Mia - the money does become part of the economy. But spending or saving it wisely mitigates the effect of the damage already done by our current economic policies.
I'm so thrilled at how this effort has taken off, and am doing what I can to spread the word. Working together, we really can make a difference in this world.
And for the record, mine's going straight to the bank, so that, when I'm older, I can pay for decent healthcare. Oy.
Leigh Anne
I, too, just got a link to your blog from simpleliving.com and I, too, say AMEN! Some very great ideas there. May I add one? I'm pledging my rebate to the presidential campaign for the candidate of my choice, whom I believe WILL "change this stupid economy" -- with the Fair Tax and Fair Trade policies. ~Diane S.
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