THAT’S DEBATABLE:

As most Americans receive tax rebate checks designed to stimulate the economy, some controversy has developed as hundreds of thousands of U.S. military personnel, foreign high-tech workers, and other U.S. citizens and legal immigrants aren’t eligible. Congress limited the rebates to Social Security cardholders to keep them out of the hands of illegal immigrants.

Was that a mistake? Should Congress seek to get rebate checks to those living or working here legally who are otherwise disqualified?

The Economic Stimulus Package was such a cesspool of bad ideas and indefensible distinctions that there is no real context for evaluating whether the distinction based on Social Security-card possession was really a “mistake.” The whole package was a mistake.

Why does it exclude high-income taxpayers, who pay the most tax? Why does it go to people who never paid any tax in the first place? Why, if it is such a good idea, does it apply only to 2007 returns?

It was a cynical attempt to buy votes in an election year. My congressional primary opponent, Dana Rohrabacher, was one of only 35 House members to vote against the package, and I applaud him for that decision.

So I would say the whole package was a mistake and Congress should not be grasping at an excuse to borrow more money from the Chinese in order to send out more free-money checks and perpetuate the myth that the United States government is everybody’s rich uncle.

Ronald R. St. John

Republican candidate, 46th congressional district

Any U.S. citizen or legal immigrant should not be discriminated against because of their spouse’s legal status as long as the spouse is going through the proper legal channels to become a citizen.

The only limitation on the rebates should be on those who are going directly to an individual who is in the United States illegally.

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher

R-Huntington Beach