If a hundred academic economists got together and put out a press release saying that current thinking is wrong, wouldn't that be covered as news, and wouldn't it start a public debate?

While the number wasn't one hundred, they have done this, and it was covered, albeit very briefly.  Kerry had the endorsement of something along the lines of twenty-five Nobel Laureates, who all signed a letter claiming that Bush's economic policies were endangering the country's future.  The story made it all the way to the nightly news.

It's paradoxical to suggest that they don't seem to mind what's published in the media, because it suggests they place a very low value on their own expertise. You'd think they'd at least make an effort to get some books published and put some time into promoting them.

It's either that, or they don't see much wrong with what's being said on their behalf, and the mainstream really doesn't disagree much at all.

As I said above, the best economists, with the exception of Krugman, are off doing research and aren't going to waste time with a bunch of media appearances.

Conservatives want live babies so they can raise them to be dead soldiers. - George Carlin