As the debate rages in Congress over the size of the tax cut, both poitical parties will use words such as "growth", a Republican buzz word, and "stimulus", the Democratic word of choice. They vary only on one key point: who gets the money.

The Republican version lands the majority of the deficit expanding tax cut on the upper and upper-middle class, a group that has proven time and again as the least likely to spend the extra cash. They are supposed to, according to those who believe this type of plan, create jobs through reinvestment of the money saved by not paying taxes.

The Democratic version sees the money going to the less fortunate and also lower tax bracket tax payer. The theory here is that these folks, with cash in hand, will immediately spend it, thus stimulating the economy.

There is little chance of either growth or stimulus happening either way. A recent National Public Radio poll conducted with the Kaiser Family Foundation asked, before the war in Iraq began, what would you do if you had $300 in a tax cut. A surprising 41% said they would save or invest it, 40% said they would pay down debt, and a slim 19% would do their part and get out and spend the money.

Either way, the effect of the tax cut will have little near term effect on the economy and any long term effect will be difficult to blame on or give credit to the expansion of the deficit to record levels.

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