The hed: "the $800 billion deception." OK, we're going to talk about how this gigantic spending program was foisted onto the people!

The subhed: "Republicans claim the stimulus has failed. But it's barely started."

Where to start. First, the ACTUAL deception was that we were told the program would "save or create" enough jobs to keep unemployment below 8%. Without it, we were told, by the end of 2009 unemployment could be above - horrors! - 10%. We're well above 10% now, before the end of 2009. So, who's being deceptive?

Also, Gross is being grossly illogical - just like he always is - when he claims that there's some contradiction between someone claiming the stimulus has failed, when it's barely started. From the very beginning of the debate, many Republicans were calling for IMMEDIATE stimulus like, for example, a payroll tax holiday. They pointed out that it WOULD fail BECAUSE it would be too slow. Now that it's failing, we're told that it's unreasonable ("deceptive"!!!!!) to point that out...because it's slow. Huh?

If it really was failing I'd think the USA would be clearly and unquestionably deep in the toilet right now. Looking around....eh...looks okay from where I sit.

Why don't you tell those people who have been laid off especially the ones that are no longer eligible for unemployment benefits and the ones who are on the verge of being laid off that it looks okay from where you sit. Why don't you tell all those people whose companies cut their hours that it looks okay from where you sit. Why don't you tell the people that didn't really get a tax stimulus as they no longer have the income to pay taxes that it looks okay from where you sit. Why don't you tell all those people that continue to be foreclosed on because the financial sector used their stimulus to shore themselves up instead of using it for what was intended that it looks okay from where you sit. They only paid the stimulus they got back because the government was going to put regulations on their sacred bonuses if they still owed stimulus money. Why don't you tell the people who work or worked for companies that have either had to file Chapter 11 to reorganize or went totally out of business because GM and Chrysler couldn't stay out of Chapter 11 themselves (that alone had a tremendous domino effect) even with the billions of dollars that we gave them that it looks okay from where you sit.

Just because some of the people who have not been affected by this recession feel just fine about the way that things are going does not mean that it is fine. I am sure that the financial, portions of the automotive and portions of the construction industry think it looks okay from where they sit as they were all bailed out in one form or another. I am sure that there are other industries that think it looks okay from where they sit especially if they are in areas that are vital to everyday lives. At this point I have a secure job, my home is in no danger of being foreclosed on and I have enough money in the bank to take care of my bills for quite a while but I don't think things are just fine. I have a friend who has been laid off for almost a year. The company he was with had him as an independent consultant and he was not eligible for unemployment. He has eaten through a good portion of his savings and there is no relief in sight. I am sure that it doesn't look okay from where he sits.