200 economists say "no" to the Democrats' "Stimulus" package.

This ad by the Cato Institute provides a powerful reason to oppose the Democrats' supposed stimulus package. As the ad says, "More government spending by Hoover and Roosevelt did not pull the United States economy out of the Great Depression in the 1930s. More government spending did not solve Japan’s 'lost decade' in the 1990s. As such, it is a triumph of hope over experience to believe that more government spending will help the U.S. today."

The package seems to be nothing more than the Democrats' wish list for many years dusted off and renamed "Stimulus Package." It rewards the usual Democratic constituencies and funds the usual Democratic programs under the cover of being a stimulus to the economy.

If these are dangerous and unusual times, wouldn't that indicate a need to conduct business a little differently rather than the same old tired Democratic answer for everything - give away more money to Democratic voters and contributors.

At a minimum, the ball seems to be in the Democrats' court. Can they gather 200 economists to put their reputation on the line to say that the Stimulus Package as now written will work?