The amounts are not as touted

After months of listening to our Washington congressional delegation, we as taxpayers have been hornswoggled again. A married couple with less than $150,000 combined income allowable for the stimulus payment of $1,200 for a couple, isn’t always getting that much. For lower middle class or the poor the amount they receive is a prorated amount of the $1,200 compared to the amount of income earned and reported in 2007.

After receiving a statement from the IRS our allowable stimulus payment is less than the allotted $1,200 for a couple. I contacted Sens. Murray and Cantwell’s local offices to ask about the discrepancy between what has been publicly touted by all in power and the reality. Both senators’ offices couldn’t explain why and had never heard of this situation before. I then contacted Congressman Larsen’s office and asked the same questions and was told that I could call back and talk to their IRS specialist and why was I upset — at least I got something.

The following day I contacted Sens. Murray and Cantwell’s D.C. offices and was given basically the same runaround and was told to contact the IRS if I had questions. I stated that I had contacted the IRS and was told that they can only follow the law the way it is written and then Sen. Murray’s office said they had other calls and hung up on me.

President Bush has touted this stimulus payment as the greatest thing since sliced bread. Can’t forget our members of the fourth estate for playing the stimulus payment up for the regular joe’s. All current candidates for president have bragged how they helped get it for the regular people.

So the long and short is beware of politicians bearing gifts. They just want your vote and will lie to get it.

David S. Lindsey

Marysville