Campaign for America's Future: Stop the Posturing, Pass the Recovery Plan

WASHINGTON – While the Senate finally moves towards a vote on an economic recovery package, Robert Borosage, co-director of the Campaign for America’s Future, called on lawmakers to do the right thing for the American economy and pass a much-needed stimulus package.

The economic downturn is accelerating. We lost 2.8 million jobs last year and it is getting worse. The time for action is now. Americans are tired of partisan bickering and want an end to obstruction. They are looking for action.

The economic recovery plan passed by the House and endorsed by the administration, if enacted into law, will start to put people to work. It is time for the Senate to put aside the partisan posturing, the “gotcha” politics and pass the recovery plan

If anything, the Obama plan is probably too small, given the deepening crisis, and contains too many tax cuts, particularly business tax cuts that are markedly ineffective at creating new jobs. It is simply perverse that Republicans in the Senate seem intent on making it worse: reducing the public works in the bill and increasing the tax cuts for business. This is an echo of the failed economics that Americans rejected in the last election.

Every senator should be on notice. It is time to act. Americans will not put up with further delay and obstruction. No one will be given a pass on this vote. It is time to stand up and be counted. Voters across the country will be looking to see who stands for moving forward and who stands in the way.