The federal government is giving away $35.2 million to Californians who are buying energy-efficient appliances, but consumers will have to act fast to get the mail-in rebates provided by the latest federal stimulus program.
Rebates will be distributed through the "cash for appliances" program beginning Thursday — Earth Day — to boost the economy and cut energy use in the nation's most populous state.
Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to buy energy-efficient appliances, recycle their old ones and take advantage of the program's three rebates: $200 for refrigerators, $100 for clothes washers and $50 for room air conditioners.
The federal program was created last year, but each state is distributing the money according to its own rules. In California, the Energy Commission is administering the rebates.
Here we go again. They are transferring wealth from one group of taxpayers to another group--One group doesn't need to buy anything but they still have to chip in for the group that was going to buy anyway. Absurd. Well, at least appliance makers and suppliers make a killing, right? Of course, our government doesn't have the cash to fund this program so it has to do some borrowing by selling government bonds, and therefore pay interest to bondholders, to "give away" these rebates. Ladies and gents, your tax dollars at work.
