IRS comes a-knockin' on my door

Yesterday I got a letter in the mail with the return address of the IRS (Internal Revenue Service). I was like, oh great, what do they want? I paid my taxes, and thankfully, getting a big refund since I didn't make that much money last year, both in the US and here in Holland. But once opened, I found I was one of the (many) lucky middle class (who make under $75,000/yr) recipients of the The Economic Stimulus Act of 2008. I have heard about this in the news in the past few weeks, with media outlets asking "normal Americans" how they will spend their extra tax refund of $300 (or $600). Bush wants the nation's citizens to just go back out and spend it, to stimulate the economy or to avert the economy from a recession. You think that $300 will do the trick? After all the debt most people are in, and with this housing-mortgage "crisis"...$300 won't do the trick. It won't even put a dent in my student loans- That's like a one month payment. It took me 2 full years of living in DC to pay off all my credit debt - and I was only able to pay it off at the very end when I sold everything I owned and left! And plus, $300 is only like 200 euros. Well, maybe I'll get my hair cut with that money. Ah, I'm being sarcastic, that is a bit elitist. I didn't even think that I was going to receive this money, it never occurred to me. Really, that money won't do much, but I'll be happy to take it. But I think over-abundant and unnecessary spending got us into this crisis/recession to begin with. Maybe we should stop spending and save a bit to avoid further problems down the line!

Now, I'll go stimulate the European economy with my American dollars. I better watch out for the laughing and snickering.