tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post4239243657214678837..comments2023-10-22T18:25:39.688+08:00Comments on The View from Taiwan: Vouching toward BedlamMichael Turtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17974403961870976346noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-58999209224032216222008-11-21T19:01:00.000+08:002008-11-21T19:01:00.000+08:00Obviously the reason why foreign taxpayers are exc...Obviously the reason why foreign taxpayers are excluded is because we can't vote.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10963560235793981185noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-65590862579326632762008-11-20T13:40:00.000+08:002008-11-20T13:40:00.000+08:00We taxpayers but non-citizens cannot get one.My wi...<I>We taxpayers but non-citizens cannot get one.</I><BR/><BR/>My wife was saying that those married to citizens may still be eligible for this. At least my daughter should be born before the new year.<BR/><BR/>For the voucher vs. cash, many people will essentially bank the vouchers, but others will see it as extra money. Also, because each voucher must be spent at once (no cash back) means that some will get some extra things to get them over the limit.<BR/><BR/>But in the end, the payback on these vouchers will be piss-poor.Robert R.https://www.blogger.com/profile/12956389352825464115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-75608249039700969182008-11-20T10:54:00.000+08:002008-11-20T10:54:00.000+08:00Maybe they should issue "Gold Certificates" again,...Maybe they should issue "Gold Certificates" again, so people can give the government their gold and get a worthless piece of paper in return.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-75234417628968944012008-11-20T10:43:00.000+08:002008-11-20T10:43:00.000+08:00Americans saw firsthand the benefits of tax rebate...Americans saw firsthand the benefits of tax rebates, which are still more convenient than coupons, a few months ago. The government mailed cheques to everyone. I received US$300... which I will never spend in the US as I don't live there or pay US taxes. (A study that analyses the effectiveness of the rebate is here: www.voxeu.org/index.php?q=node/1541)<BR/><BR/>Second quarter consumption increased. What then? Consumption went back down again as the real problems started. And the government consequentially had to make due with US$100 billion less, although with the amount of debt they are accruing, I doubt it would have made a difference. <BR/><BR/>I am sure that there will be a small but positive effect on Taiwan's economy. But, as you have already noted, the real questions are whether or not this is really the best use for the money in question and whether or not spending the money in this way now will cause other problems later. Then there is the problem of Ma/KMT credibility. They refuse a tax cut before, then refuse rebates, then approve a dumb coupon system that won't really solve anything in the long term. <BR/><BR/>If this recession really lasts two years, this coupon plan will be a minor blip on the radar. The whole thing sounds more to me like a ploy to gain public support in the short term rather than solve any economic problems in the long term.Tommyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13552370490869601403noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-71662539083858844072008-11-20T10:15:00.000+08:002008-11-20T10:15:00.000+08:00Michael, not much we can do about bias. Era TV act...Michael, not much we can do about bias. Era TV actually went out on the streets and asked the loaded question: Do you agree that Chen Shui-bian's family will get over 30 thousand becaus etheir family has ten members? Gee, guess what was the response.<BR/><BR/>Why don't they ask questions about the land that was taken from their own neighbors, the money and properties stashed in the US, for generations to come?<BR/><BR/>No wonder they lost the war because the ones on top kept the money... *sigh*TicoExpathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09924420017053186115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-9836633425574969732008-11-20T05:24:00.000+08:002008-11-20T05:24:00.000+08:00That photo with the "province of china" label is r...That photo with the "province of china" label is ridiculous, unless if "province" means an independent self-governing entity with its own flag, currency, governance, and rule of law.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-2739806887634217012008-11-20T02:10:00.000+08:002008-11-20T02:10:00.000+08:00I just wanted to let you know that your comments a...I just wanted to let you know that your comments and interaction are welcome at our blog. The other commenter "Daniel" seemed to indicate that your thoughts weren't welcome but as one of the authors of the blog I want you to know you are more then welcome to be a part of the conversation at anytime in anyway at www.taiwaneers.com whether I agree with you or not.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-89769871707598323042008-11-19T22:49:00.000+08:002008-11-19T22:49:00.000+08:00The claim of the KMT at the time was that you can'...The claim of the KMT at the time was that you can't raise public debt in order to fund a tax rebate check. The problem with that logic of course is that's what they are doing now.<BR/><BR/>The idea behind spending vouchers is that there is a limited amount of time you must use it in, so you <I>have</I> to spend it, stimulating the economy instead of simply putting it into a savings account where it will do nothing for the economy.<BR/><BR/>That's stupid because if I was spending X dollars a month, I'm simply going to replace a portion of that with spending vouchers and save the rest, just like I was doing before. Well, there's probably something like a "wealth effect" going on, so it's possible I will spend more, but absolutely nothing guaranteeing I'm going to spend the voucher, since it replaces cash spending that I can easily save now.<BR/><BR/>They should have just handed out rebate checks. The administrative costs are much lower.<BR/><BR/>And the KMT needs to start owning up to clear mistakes, like claiming this was a bad idea, then doing it a couple of months too late.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-77930496967339265202008-11-19T22:24:00.000+08:002008-11-19T22:24:00.000+08:00USPS most likely use the ISO country codes which l...USPS most likely use the ISO country codes which lists Taiwan as Taiwan, Province of China. I thought there is a lawsuit in Switzerland on this issue. Do you happen to know any follow ups?Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15756895498153464461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-24199426297830315432008-11-19T21:48:00.000+08:002008-11-19T21:48:00.000+08:00If you can't sell the vouchers or give them back t...If you can't sell the vouchers or give them back to the government... can you stash them in Swiss bank accounts or give them to your children overseas?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com