Newsbusters' Noel Sheppard notices MSNBC's Martin Bashir calling on Speaker of the House John Boehner and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor to either raise taxes on the "wealthiest" Americans or resign. That's ridiculous enough, but I noticed another problem or two. Martin Bashir is, as he proves in the transcript, both economically and politically ignorant. First economics:
So here’s a message to the House leadership, Speaker Boehner and Majority Leader Mr. Cantor. 68 percent of Americans and 68 percent of all millionaires believe that it’s time to raise taxes on the wealthiest individuals so that this nation’s economy can start moving again.
"Raise taxes on the wealthiest individuals so that this nation's economy can start moving again?" And that's going to jump start the economy and spur hiring how? Do I need to cite the long list of economists, Republicans, and yes, Democrats who have chimed in that it's not a good idea to raise taxes in a down economy? I could start with the President himself.
But that's only the warm-up act. Referring to Congress, Mr. Bashir asks:
But honestly, what have they done? What have they done to address the persistently high level of unemployment? What have they done to reduce the vast gulf between the haves and the have-nots in America.
Is that the job of Congress? To "reduce the vast gulf between the haves and the have-nots in America?" Can anyone tell me where the Constitution authorizes the Legislative branch to intervene in that way? Heck, does the Constitution authorize any branch of government to equalize economic results among the people?
I'm not going to belabor the point. It's simply a shame that he's in a position to influence the debate on TV.
Oh, wait, sorry, he really isn't. He's on MSNBC.
