President Obama claims that the stimulus package was a rousing success, preventing the recession from getting much worse. Now(!) we learn that the recession ended in June 2009. But at that time, only about 5% of the stimulus money had even been spent. So if the recession was already over, after so little spending, is it reasonable to assume that expanding government debt had anything to do with ending it? On the other hand, with the officially recognized jobless rate approaching 10%, and the unofficial rate arguably much higher, why should we believe any government claim that the recession is over, even now? So which is it? Recession over, and all that government intervention unnecessary? Or recession not over, and all that government intervention basically useless? Or is the whole issue just an opportunity for Obama to crow about his massive expansion of government power over us at our (future) expense?
