There’s a place for honest debate. The theatrics of the last few days have not been honest debate. Distractions and politicking have taken over. The times are too serious and the crisis to vast for this to continue.
"[i]A not-so-funny thing happened on the way to economic recovery. Over the last two weeks, what should have been a deadly serious debate about how to save an economy in desperate straits turned, instead, into hackneyed political theater, with Republicans spouting all the old clichés about wasteful government spending and the wonders of tax cuts.
It?s as if the dismal economic failure of the last eight years never happened ? yet Democrats have, incredibly, been on the defensive. Even if a major stimulus bill does pass the Senate, there?s a real risk that important parts of the original plan, especially aid to state and local governments, will have been emasculated.
Somehow, Washington has lost any sense of what?s at stake ? of the reality that we may well be falling into an economic abyss, and that if we do, it will be very hard to get out again.
It?s hard to exaggerate how much economic trouble we?re in. [/i]"
We’re in a crisis. Only fools argue against this. No one can be sure that any stimulus package can work, but government spending and tax cuts are needed. The exact composition of the bill can and should be debated, but lets be constructive and demand constructive arguments from our leaders.