Government as a Venture Capitalist

"In January 2009, the administration claimed that if Congress passed a rush stimulus bill, the United States would be saved from economic catastrophe that was threatening to send unemployment figures above 8 percent.  Government stimulus was the answer and if we cared about our country, we would set aside our reservations and do what needed to be done to pass the bill.  Congress passed the bill.  Unemployment continued to go up and has been well over 8 percent ever since.  (In fact, economist John Williams of ShadowStats finds unemployment to be closer to 23 percent using traditional methodology.)  Yet some are claiming the first stimulus worked and all we need to bring back prosperity is more government stimulus."