It should be obvious what’s wrong with this quote from the BBC:
The US economy grew at an annual pace of 3.5% between July and September, its first expansion in more than a year.
The growth was helped by a substantial government spending plan, including a scrappage scheme to boost car sales.
Post hoc ergo propter hoc anyone? That’s some pretty shoddy journalism. Of course everyone, especially the White House, is going to buy the story. But, of course, if you didn’t see the recovery it wouldn’t mean that the stimulus didn’t help.