according to a recent CNN poll.

"In the first year of the trillion-dollar stimulus, Americans have lost millions of jobs, the unemployment rate continues to hover near 10%, the deficit continues to soar and we're inundated with stories of waste, fraud and abuse," said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. "This was not the plan Americans asked for or the results they were promised."

Shifting the mix

In the coming months, the pace and mix of spending will change, senior administration officials said. Until this point, the bulk of the spending has been on tax relief and direct aid -- such as unemployment benefits -- in order to stop the economic freefall.

Going forward, the government will distribute $32 billion in Recovery Act funds per month, up from an average $27 billioncame a gloriously shining sword, in its sheath, and a shield. I first inspected the sword. It was in a dark brown sheath emblazoned with jewels at the bottom point. The hilt of the sword was encrusted in bright stones that seemed to shine; these stones were unknown to me. The sword was quite large, and the sheath had a strap that suggested it was meant to hang on one's back. I pulled the blade slightly out of its sheath to examine it. After investigating the bright, polished steel of the blade, I put it back in its sheath, quickly looked around, saw no other presence of life, and slung the sword onto my back, the hilt protruding near my right shoulder for ease of access. Picking up