Three contracors bid to repair the Whit House fence...

[MallenManson]

One is from Chicago, one from Tennessee, and one from Minnesota.



All three go with a White House official to examine the fence.



The Minnesota contractor takes out a tape measure and does some measuring, then works 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 Tennessee contractor also does some measuring and figuring, and then says, "I can do this job for $700: $300 for materials, $300 for my crew and $100 profit for me."



The Chicago contractor doesn't measure or figure but leans over to the White House official and whispers, "$2,700". The official, incredulous, says, "You didn't even measure like the other guys! How did you come up with such a high figure?"



The Chicago contractor whispers back, "$1000 for me, $1000 for you, And we hire the guy from Tennessee to fix the fence."



"Done!" replies the government official.



And that, my friends, is how the stimulus plan works. God Bless America!