Voices What Do You Think?
Can the Government Earn Back Its Own Money?
After a think tank proposed that federal agencies pay themselves dividends, the Reporter asked households whether money can be owed to the person who spent it.
“Every month I write down what came in and what went out, and I have never once been able to make the second number pay the first one.”
Carol Ederer, 63 Retired bookkeeper “If the government wants to pay itself interest, it can start by paying me the interest on the money I loaned it.”
Tyrell Banks, 29 Delivery driver “I put a dollar in the collection plate and I got a dollar back in the form of a bulletin. I think that is the same thing.”
Maureen Huckaby, 71 Church secretary “I don’t understand the question, but I have been paid in advance by the same family for nine years, so I’m not going to be the one to ask.”
Russell Dorn, 46 Commercial roofer “I think you can earn your money back if you stop buying things, and I have been very disciplined about this, and it has not helped, so I’ve started a second savings account.”
Ginny Lacasse, 38 Hotel night auditor