They were promoted by both majority parties not as stimulating the economy, but of saving it from otherwise certain collapse. They are also government spending

They were promoted by both majority parties not as stimulating the economy, but of saving it from otherwise certain collapse. They are also government spending which the NYT article claims hasn't happened. The exact statement in the article is: "Here’s what you need to know: The whole story is a myth. There never was a big expansion of government spending."