Progressive Democrat Rep. Ro Khanna says Biden's inflation plan needs to go further

Progressive Rep. Ro Khanna says President Biden needs a "bolder" plan to address inflation.

The California Democrat made his case Thursday about Biden, a moderate, in a guest essay for the New York Times.

Khanna wrote that he he supports the president's efforts — outlined earlier this week in a Wall Street Journal op-ed — but said "we need a bolder vision and faster action."

Khanna writes amid high, persistent inflation, including a 40-year-high in March, that is impacting most Americans. 

"To meet the moment, Mr. Biden should convene an emergency task force empowered to lower prices and address shortages," Khanna also wrote. "We need an all-out mobilization, not just a few ad hoc initiatives reacting to headlines."

The congressman emphasized the need to bring down prices on everyday items like food and gas that are impacting Americans' ability to maintain their standard of living.

He proposed the Agriculture Department purchase essential items when prices are low and resell them at low cost to Americans when market conditions like the current ones occur. The Energy Department, he wrote, could do the same with petroleum.

"There is no patience for incrementalism or political spin about economic numbers in these times," he wrote, taking a dig at some of his moderate colleagues. "Democrats can't just blame the Republicans for lacking a plan."

In his op-ed, the president proposed leaving most of the job of reducing inflation to the Federal Reserve and blamed spiking gas prices on Russia's war in Ukraine.