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[[File:Varvel-11-19-09.jpg|thumb|330px|left|Gary Varvel pokes fun at VP Biden's outlandish claims]]

[[File:Varvel-11-19-09.jpg|thumb|330px|left|Gary Varvel pokes fun at VP Biden's outlandish claims]]

===Historical backdrop===

===Historical backdrop===

Following the [[Recession of 2008]] Obama declared failure to pass his [[Economic stimulus]]  would turn a "crisis into a catastrophe," and promised [[Unemployment]] would not rise above 7.8%.<ref>[http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1910208,00.html Obama's Stimulus Plan: Failing by Its Own Measure,]  Stephen Gandel, ''TIME'',  July 14, 2009.</ref><ref>[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31165217/ Obama promises economic relief this summer], AP, 6/8/2009.</ref> The House on Jan. 28 passed a stimulus package‎ of $819 billion in new spending and tax increases, despite unanimous Republican opposition. A revised bill passed the Senate with three Republican votes. A compromise bill known as the "[[American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009]]" was passed, providing for $789 billion in new spending. Democrats claim it will prevent 3-4 million jobs from disappearing, but economists are unsure how to measure the impact it will have. <ref>see [http://www.freemarketproject.org/articles/2009/20090224125726.aspx Conservative commentary]</ref>

Following the [[Recession of 2008]] Obama declared failure to pass his [[Economic stimulus]]  would turn a "crisis into a catastrophe," and promised [[Unemployment]] would not rise above 7.8%.<ref>[http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1910208,00.html Obama's Stimulus Plan: Failing by Its Own Measure,]  Stephen Gandel, ''TIME'',  July 14, 2009.</ref><ref>[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31165217/ Obama promises economic relief this summer], AP, 6/8/2009.</ref> The House on Jan. 28 passed a stimulus package‎ of $819 billion in new spending and tax increases, despite unanimous Republican opposition. A revised bill passed the Senate with three Republican votes. A compromise bill known as the "[[American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009]]" was passed, providing for $789 billion in new spending.  

Detroit spread gloom on Feb. 17 as GM starkly warned of impending bankruptcy unless it gets more aid. By August, both Chrysler and GM had entered bankruptcy, and come out again in much smaller size, as they closed a fourth of their dealerships, slashed wage rates, and paid off bondholders with 29 cents on the dollar.  Chrysler was given away free to Fiat of Italy, which acquired ownership without investing any money. Meanwhile the parts makers, which employ more workers than the Big Three automakers, verged on disaster and begged for federal billions.  The "[[cash for clunkers]]" proved to be a temporary stopgap, bringing people back to deserted dealerships at a cost of $3 billion.

Detroit spread gloom on Feb. 17 as GM starkly warned of impending bankruptcy unless it gets more aid. By August, both Chrysler and GM had entered bankruptcy, and come out again in much smaller size, as they closed a fourth of their dealerships, slashed wage rates, and paid off bondholders with 29 cents on the dollar.  Chrysler was given away free to Fiat of Italy, which acquired ownership without investing any money. Meanwhile the parts makers, which employ more workers than the Big Three automakers, verged on disaster and begged for federal billions.  The "[[cash for clunkers]]" proved to be a temporary stopgap, bringing people back to deserted dealerships at a cost of $3 billion.