Great Recession Recovery Effort Shaped A Key Part Of Biden's Record

In February 2009, the country was in the midst of the worst economic downturn it had experienced since the Great Depression. Unemployment was over 8 percent, job losses were widespread and economic anxiety was spreading.

Congress passed a massive economic rescue package, just as it has to avoid economic peril from the coronavirus outbreak, known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. It included tax cuts, expanded unemployment support, infrastructure projects and money for a range of Democratic domestic priorities, such as green jobs and high-speed rail.

In total, the package added up to roughly $800 billion.

The person put in charge of overseeing how all that money was spent was the country's new vice president, Joe Biden. Now that he's secured the top spot on the Democratic ticket, Biden's management