[elfman2]

"The results are at odds with the Bush Administration's hope, and possibly that of retailers, for the tax rebate: that Americans would spend the money to help stimulate economic recovery."

The Author's a moron. Of course credit cards are paid off immediately, and then run up again almost as fast. The only failure is of desperate self-serving Democrats trying to talk down the economy.

[JohnGalt]

Spending does not equal "good for the economy," and Bush was advised wrongly on positioning his nonconsquential tax cut as such.

[TruthShallSetYouFree]

Of course credit cards are paid off immediately, and then run up again almost as fast.

Exactly! Plus, there are probably millions of Americans who increased their credit card spending in anticipation of getting the refund. And, of course, CBS has not even mentioned the possibility that people are not answering the question honestly. It sounds a lot more fiscally responsible to tell the pollster that you will use the money to pay off debt rather than on a frivolous purchase. I bet a poll asking how many people plan to go to church this Sunday would yield a higher percentage of intended rather than actual church goers.

A president does not have many avenues available to stimulate the economy. Keeping taxes and interest rates as low as possible are about it. The democrats, by blaming the Bush policies for the recession, are blaming the candles for the small amount of light during the blackout.