THIS IS HOW IT'S DONE!
Three contractors are bidding to fix a broken fence at the White House.
One is from Chicago, another is from Tennessee, and the third is fromMinnesota.
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, 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 new stimulus plan works.
~~~GB~~~
