[StBernard] THREE CONTRACTORS

[Westley Annis]

THREE  CONTRACTORS
   
   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  from
Montana.  All three go with a White House official to examine the  fence.
   
   The  Montana 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. That's $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. That's $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 Government Stimulus plan  worked.