Why do people like government rebates, but hate government spending?

[Brucey]

People I talk to love rebates, never, ever complain about them, even when the rebates go to the rich. For example, a political science instructor at the college where I teach said, "I don't care how much money the government gives to wealthy people. Why should I care how much they get?" I hear similar sentiments from everyone. I've never heard anyone complain.

On the other hand, I hear lots of complaining about government spending. How wasteful it is, how overdone, how useless.

Now, it seems to me that spending means giving money to people for goods and services. Rebates means giving money to people and getting nothing in return. Why is getting nothing better than getting something? Even if there was tremendous waste in spending, wouldn't it still be better to get something than to get nothing for your money?

Has anyone else been disturbed by this? I brought it up with some faculty members and they stared at me like I was nuts. One teacher said she was happy to get $600 from the government because it was her money. I told her I was glad she got some money, but I wished we citizens would have gotten something in return, like some tutoring or teaching. Anyway, they all stared at me like I'm nuts.

Am I nuts?

[realFedUp]

1. Rebates go directly to person, spending goes into programs etc.

...harder for people to remember that spending
goes into infrastructure, fire, police, libraries,
schools, parks, jails etc. Things we take for granted
until they are gone or shut down.

It's the stuff that makes a civilized culture.

[ScreamingMeemie]

4. Excellent post, real.

eom.

[Girlfriday]

2. No, you aren't nuts...

...they are. :)

[ogminlo]

3. ME ME ME ME!

Because we are a nation of petty me-ists that ignores the important stuff in favor of American Idol or Friends. They can't see past next month's financials, thus the rampant debt troubles. Bottom line? They are ignorant and selfish. And they like it that way. Most people are just plain dumb.

[Brucey]

5. Halliburton is a good example.

If the government just gave rebates to the executives of Halliburton, probably no one would complain. But when the government spends money at Halliburton, people get very suspicious and upset. Why do they not complain about the rebates? Aren't they extremely wasteful? The country (citizens)get nothing.

[newyawker99]

10. Hi ogminlo!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[jonoboy]

6. call it what it is

stop using all these rediculous names and call it what it is

CORPORATE WELFARE

[luckydevi]

7. Welfare?

Are you against welfare.

[Thinman12]

8. Because everyone see Government waste all around you

Just over the last couple of weeks here I watched as the State Department of Transportation:

1. Patch 10 miles of highway
2. Repaint lines on the road
3. Resurface the entire road
3. Repaint lines of the road

I am so glad I got to pay to paint lines on the road twice. What was particularly frustrating is the SAME CREW of workers did all the jobs one after another. Did anyone on the work crew ask why they were repainting lines on a raod that was getting resurfaced next week?

I witness this, and then I read in the papaer tonight that DOT needs more money to maintain the highway infrastructure?

[Brucey]

9. Yes, that is very frustrating, I agree.

But I repeat my original question: If we just gave money to those workers and they did nothing at all (tax rebates), people would not complain! It is only when we get something in return (spending) that we complain! Why do you think that people see it like that? Why is getting nothing better than getting something?

[zoidberg]

15. People complain about transfer payments

I know plenty of people opposed to welfare, social security, unemployment insurance and similar programs.

I'd also dispute calling a tax rebate getting something for doing nothing at all.

[newyawker99]

11. Hi Thinman12!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[gottaB]

12. What College is that?

At the state schools I'm familiar with there have been awful budget cuts, wage freezes, hiring freezes, service cuts, rising tuition, rising fees for everything, and moaning and groaning all around. I can't imagine a college professor not being able to see the connection between shrinking government revenues on the one hand and cuts in services on the other.

Is your school doing well these past three years? I just can't believe college faculty even at a private school wouldn't understand your argument on a gut level.


How to argue with these nutty professors and other miseducated spend and pretend types.

Generally speaking "It's your money" is going to trump "It's your government" on an emotional level. The key is to identify those areas of government that people have an interest in, and talk about those. You probabaly have to get people to think beyond the next paycheck or fiscal year. Appeal to reason. You may also have to show that examples of outrageous abuse aren't representative of governemnt as a whole.

In your situation, you could find out how much dough your school takes in from government sources. You should have at least student financial assistance and probably many kinds of research grants. Deduct that money from your school's budget, and figure out how many poli sci profs you'd have to lay off to make up the difference. For the statistically minded, you could pose it as trade off: Would you exchange x fraction of your salary for y chance of losing your job?

That's hypothetical. In many public institutions the trade offs are more practical. Everybody knows that their real disposable income is shrinking more than they're getting back from the IRS--and they have less job security.

[kentuck]

13. Yes, Brucey...it is all taxpayer monies....

and when they really need it to fix the roads or whatever, it won't be there but they will have to get it somewhere. But it's like one member of the family runs up a big debt on the credit card and the other member has to pay it off. Guess which member wants to put it on the credit card?

[cap]

14. govt spending on social programs are code words

for spending money on minorities. We are just too polite to say it these days. That's what these people are really against.

Your faculty members depend on government grants. Ask how they feel when their research project is cut in order to make room for the $600 rebate. Or kids dropping out because of decreased student aid. Colleges receive a lot of help from the feds. Start detailing it out and they will be surprised. They like to think they are independent -- but they really aren't. Ask them to get private contributors for their R&D.

[Brucey]

16. Thanks everyone who responded

for your good and thoughtful advice. I do work for a public college and I am constantly amazed at how shallow the political thinking is here, led, unfortunately, by a political science instructor who only wants his taxes cut. Others are nearly as dense. For example, at a faculty meeting before the Iraq invasion a professor said, "I hope Bush goes in there and kills them all." Sometimes it's really difficult living in this country.