Obama's response to reporter's question this week and criticism from Paul Krugman:

"Democrats or Republicans, we welcome good ideas...I want this to work. This is not an intellectual exercise, and there's no pride of authorship. If members of Congress have good ideas, if they can identify a project for me that will create jobs in an efficient way, that does not hamper our ability to over the long term get control of our deficit, that is good for the economy, then I'm going to accept it. If Paul Krugman has a good idea, in terms of how to spend money efficiently and effectively to jumpstart the economy, then we're going to do it. If somebody has an idea for a tax cut, that is better than a tax cut we've proposed, we will embrace it. One of the things I'm trying to communicate in this process is for everybody to get past the habit that sometimes occurs in Washington of whose idea is it? What ideological quarter does it come from? Just show me. If you can show me that something is going to work, I will welcome it. If it works better than something I've proposed, I'll welcome it. “