PETER KIRSANOW: “The American people are being sold the biggest government program in history. They better get their money’s worth.” Nah. Most of the pro-stimulus constituency doesn’t pay taxes anyway. What do they care?

UPDATE: Jerry Pournelle: “The tax cut provisions of the ‘stimulus bill’ seem aimed at solidifying party control: most of it is transfer payments to people who don’t now pay taxes. In the US 40% don’t pay federal taxes. If any large number of those are given money as transfer payments they will learn to rely on them. At which point they will be motivated to vote. And community organizers will see that they do vote. Now understand: many of those who get negative income taxes do necessary work and they aren’t very well paid. The question becomes, is that a federal problem, and should it be dealt with by transfer payments? Because once this is instituted, it’s going to be pretty permanent. Those affected by it will be mobilized to defend it, and it will mean more to them than it does to those opposed. So it goes.” Plus, the meaning of Tom Daschle.