Economist Robert Barro looks at the stimulus package and declares it a bad deal:

"How attractive this short-run deal looks depends on how much one values the added governmental activity. If it's considered useful public investment—such as building a needed highway or, more modestly, fixing potholes—it might look good. If it's wasteful spending in a hastily constructed and highly political stimulus package, it looks bad."

There are those who would argue that this is Monday morning quarterbacking.  They would be wrong.  Anyone who plans big projects knew that the "shovel-ready" project concept was a crock.  The rumblings were there all along.  Now let's apply these lessons going forward.  There are very important things that government can and should do - roads, bridges, safety, education (at a local level, please).  Then there are things that government shouldn't do - own GM, move car sales around, force loans to bad risks, offer appliance incentives.

The bad ideas will always be presented with a straight face by "super-smart" people who don't need to explain things so we can understand them.  That doesn't make them good ideas.  The best stimulus package is a tax cut.  Give people more of their own money without any middle-men.  The results will be amazing.

Thanks, David.