Subject: The New Stimulus Plan

Emailed by several people:

Three contractors were bidding to fix a broken fence at the White House. One is from Chicago, another is from Oklahoma, and the third is from Minnesota.

All three go with a White House official to examine the fence. The Minnesota contractor took out a tape measure and did some measuring, then worked some figures with a pencil. "Well," he says, "I figure the job will run about $900: $400 for materials, $400 for my crew and $100 profit for me."

The Oklahoma contractor also did some measuring and figuring, then says, "I can do this job for $700: $300 for materials, $300 for my crew and $100 profit for me."

The Chicago contractor didn't measure or figure, but leaned over to the White House official and whispers, "$2,700."

The White House official, incredulous, said, "You didn't even measure like the other guys! How did you come up with such a high figure?"

The Chicago contractor whispered back, "$1000 for me, $1000 for you, and we hire the guy from Oklahoma to fix the fence."

"Done!" replied the government official.

And that, my friends, is how the new stimulus plan will work.