3/11/2009 President Obama signed the $410 billion bill Wednesday morning to keep most of the government operations running until September 30. Banking on Obama's willingness to sign the bill, both Republican and Democratic lawmakers jammed the bill with about 8,500 earmarks worth of $8 billion. At $410 billion, the bill represents an 8 percent increase over last year's spending levels, more than double the rate of inflation. Given the fact that the U.S. national deficit has been making its record everyday - currently at $10.9 trillion, we all know where the money is going to come from. Read the original editorial cartoon at Cartoosh.