I want to be positive about our country’s political system. But try as I might, I just can’t.

The latest of course is the $819 billion stimulus packaged which has made its way past the House and currently up for debate before the Senate. In theory, the idea of pumping a boat load of money into our economy to stimulate spending and job growth sounds good.

In fact, the economist in me thinks it sounds great. In order to get out of a depression, you have to stimulate growth. How do you do that? Spend. And the stimulus plan includes around $550 billion in spending.

On the surface it looks good: $142 billion earmarked for education, $111 billion for healthcare, $90 billion for infrastructure, $54 billion for energy, $13 for housing, etc.