The Hiller Instinct: Cash for Appliances

Are you shocked? I could take a cheap shot and ask how government can possibly handle health care when it can't even give out rebates for refrigerators, but I won't.

Instead, here's a harder question: do you actually believe there's such a thing as a $5 dishwasher?

If you do, then please stop listening.

This latest version of Cash for Clunkers could more accurately be called Cash for Clunkheads, and that's us.

Who's saving on the rebates? It's money collected in taxes--and if it's not enough to cover the rebates, then Washington will just borrow more, and we'll pay for that, too...in interest on the national debt.

Attention, shoppers: has it occurred to you that Wall Street got hundreds of millions of dollars from Washington, while you're getting just hundreds for your new clothes washer?

But that won't stop us from rushing out, reserving our rebates and congratulating ourselves on what smart shoppers we are.

Welcome to Bail Out Nation, where our new motto is, "Where's mine?"

And don't spend a second wondering where all these new dishwashers, freezers and refrigerators will go...since it was also announced today that foreclosures in Massachusetts are up, to their highest point since last summer.

I’m Andy Hiller, that’s my instinct.

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