Honestly, the Republicans need to stop getting their economic advice from Joe the Plumber
and start listening to serious economists.
The very business of government, in the economic realm, is to smooth out the wild boom and bust cycles of raw, unregulated capitalism. To give a simplistic example, it isn't healthy for the GDP to grow at 6% one year then crash to -2% the next, when stable 2% annual growth is possible given sound monetary and fiscal policy.
Here’s a very good, professional analysis of the impact of the stimulus package, and why the beneficial effects of these measures will prevent the recession from deteriorating into a depression
The unemployment rates in Chart 7 are particularly striking.