Boy, were you stupid

Stupid, that is, if you were a first time home buyer in 2008. You probably thought that when Congress granted you that $7,500 tax credit they were doing you a favor, because they wanted to encourage you to take the plunge and buy that first house. But then why did the fine print on that credit require you to pay it back on your subsequent tax returns? In normal discourse, when you have to pay back an advance, we call it a loan, not a credit.

If only you had waited! There's a new tax credit for those who had the sense to stay out of the housing market until 2009. Not only is this credit larger ($8,000) but you never have to pay it back! In other words, it's a real credit, not a loan with a blatantly misleading label.

I have been assuming, and all the media coverage reinforced this assumption, that forgiveness of the payback requirement would be extended back to the 2008 purchases. I was wrong. CCH is very clear on the point.

So the Congressional message to all home buyers is, "Wait—you might get a better deal later on!"

I would call that the exact opposite of stimilus. What's the word for that?