When there's NO cash or credit in a capitialistic system there is NO production. At this point there's a decreasing amount of cash and credit in the system so production will of course ramp down until cash and credit demand equals the excess inventory already produced. Enter the 'stimulus', earmarks and all! With a greater amount of cash and credit pumped into the system demand will increase, eventually buying up all of the excess production sitting in warehouses. After that new production will begin, including hiring more labor. At that point the treasury will begin to withdraw 'stimulus' money from the equation to prevent inflation...too many dollars chasing too few goods! As the treasury can make money 'appear', it can also make it disappear. Make money disappear? Say what? Certainly! Bankruptsey is what makes money vanish in the private sector...now 'ya owe it, now 'ya don't! The government can do the same thing simply by lowering the money supply. In the old days they actually burned the bills...today all it takes is a keystroke. People get all bent about this recession, blaming everyone and their brother and assigning all kind of conspiracies to the issue. It really comes down to the issue of having 'just enough' cash and credit in the system to support a given level of demand and production. Greed created far too much debt and the debt ate up the cash and credit. As the debt melts away, cash and credit, with the help of the 'stimulus' will reappear and happy days are here again! I hope 'ya'll took notes...there will be a test! No kiddin'!