Recession will end in 2009 says CBO even without stmulus

So why spend the money?  After reading what the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said about the stimulus package,

CBO, the official scorekeepers for legislation, said the House and Senate bills will help in the short term but result in so much government debt that within a few years they would crowd out private investment, actually leading to a lower Gross Domestic Product over the next 10 years than if the government had done nothing.

the more I think it's a bad idea.

International Business Daily wrote

The agency projected the Senate bill would produce between 1.4 percent and 4.1 percent higher growth in 2009 than if there was no action. For 2010, the plan would boost growth by 1.2 percent to 3.6 percent.

CBO did project the bill would create jobs, though by 2011 the effects would be minuscule.

"The American Republic will endure, until politicians realize they can bribe the people with their own money" is on point even if often misattributed to Alexis de Tocqueville

UPDATE:  An amazing graphic in the Washington Post on Taking Apart the $819 billion Stimulus Package