It looks like President Obama has finally decided to take the gloves off and go over the media pundits. He published an op-ed in today's Washington Post, outlining why the stimulus plan is necessary right now.
Much of the first few paragraphs is familiar rhetoric at this point - the dire situation in the economy right now and the consequences of failure to act. But the two things that really stick out are the commitment to the long-term spending (which Fred Hiatt saw fit to whine about in a response) and, most importantly, a full-on indictment of Republican economic theory.
In recent days, there have been misguided criticisms of this plan that echo the failed theories that helped lead us into this crisis -- the notion that tax cuts alone will solve all our problems; that we can meet our enormous tests with half-steps and piecemeal measures; that we can ignore fundamental challenges such as energy independence and the high cost of health care and still expect our economy and our country to thrive.
I reject these theories, and so did the American people when they went to the polls in November and voted resoundingly for change. They know that we have tried it those ways for too long. And because we have, our health-care costs still rise faster than inflation. Our dependence on foreign oil still threatens our economy and our security. Our children still study in schools that put them at a disadvantage. We've seen the tragic consequences when our bridges crumble and our levees fail.
Here he indicts the "half-steps", the rising health care costs, and the broken education system as representative of failed policies - just like excessive deregulation, low-tax policies and Republican incompetence.
Read it.
Pass it on.
And if you live in Maine or Nebraska, FLOOD your Senators with calls to support Obama's plan.
He's going on offense now. It's time for us to do the same.