redblueamerica.com

Looks like a stimulus deal has been struck:

House leaders and the White House on Thursday reached a tentative agreement on an economic stimulus package of roughly $150 million that would pay stipends of $300 to $1,200 per family and provide tax incentives for businesses to encourage spending.

A House aide close to the negotiations said that Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California and the Republican leader, Representative John A. Boehner of Ohio, reached an “agreement in principle” after Ms. Pelosi agreed not to include two proposals that had broad support among Congressional Democrats: an extension of unemployment benefits and a temporary increase in food stamps.

Putting aside, for the moment, whether tax rebates are good are not, the good part of this program is that it generally targets the money to people who need it -- lower- and middle-income workers. If you earn more than $75,000 (or more than $150,000 in your family) you won't get a check. But you will get a check even if you didn't pay taxes last year.

The down side: Extended unemployment benefits are off the table. Given that unemployment itself has been extended lately, it would have been helpful.