Washington – One in three people say they will use this year’s tax refund to pay bills as that nice annual check from Uncle Sam becomes less of a luxury for many people.Thirty-five percent said they plan to use the money to pay utility, credit card, housing or other bills, an Associated Press-AOL Money & Finance poll showed Thursday. That is up from 27 percent who said so a year ago, in a fresh example of how the ailing economy is affecting many families.About a third said they are saving or investing the money, down slightly from last year. Nearly a quarter said they are using their refund to pay debt from credit cards and other loans - essentially the same as the one in five who said so last spring.

Asheville Citizen-Times

Well duh, this is what we all said was going to happen. This is what happened last time. There won’t be any economic stimulus from these rebates. My money is going straight towards the $3,000 in dental bills I have racked up so far this year (and golly gee I’m still not screaming for universal health care). Even the people that will spend the money aren’t going to pack any kind of a punch. It doesn’t do much good for them to run out to Best Buy and purchase a car stereo made in China.

A buddy of mine told me that he and some other friends of mine all back in Pittsburgh were out together one night and said that when their checks come in the mail they should all head up to Canada and spend it there just to stick to the Feds.

This was all pure electioneering on behalf of Bush and the Democrats in Congress. Vote for us! We just gave you free money! Never mind the $150 billion hole it’s adding to the over $9 trillion national debt. Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain. If you only had a brain.