More stubborn facts

The CBO, a non-partisan government accounting agency, on whom both Democrats and Republicans cite to evaluate legislation, concluded that the stimulus has worked, in that it's created jobs and helped economic growth.

And yet, the American public thinks it's been largely a failure. The word "stimulus" has blended with the bailout of the banks and in general with the overall loss of jobs to the economy. Political opponents of the President and Democrats have very effectively conflated these issues, while supporters have a hard time convincing people that "things would be worse" without the stimulus.

But economist after economist says the stimulus, which is both tax cuts and spending, has had its intended affect.

You could find probably dozens of jobs in our area, from teachers to city workers to nonprofit agencies to small businesses employees who got low interest loans, that show successes.

Certainly there are good arguments to be made that we could have gone a different route — nothing but tax cuts to stimulate growth. Or do nothing and let things take their nature course. But to say the stimulus didn't create or save jobs, or help spur economic growth, is just flat wrong. In today's world though, where facts get in the way of justifying our pre-conceived ideology, or promoting our political agenda, lies and spun reality take the place of stone cold truth.