MSNBC's Alter and Bashir Agree: 'We'd Be in a Depression Now if There Had Been a Balanced Budget Amendment in 2009'
On Monday's "Martin Bashir," MSNBC analyst Jonathan Alter proclaimed that America would "be in a depression now if there had been a balanced budget amendment in 2009." Bashir, concurring with the former Newsweek editor, added, "Indeed."
Reacting to Rep. John Boehner's (R-Ohio) press conference about the debt-ceiling deal, Alter and Bashir mocked the speaker's suggestion that a balanced budget amendment is needed to "handcuff" Congress.
[WMV video here. MP3 audio here.]
"Yeah, I mean, I'm laughing at that because let's say we'd had a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution in early 2009 when we were losing close to 800,000 jobs a month and headed for another Great Depression," groused Alter, a former Newsweek editor. "By Speaker Boehner's terms, we wouldn't have had any government efforts to try to end that near depression."
Alter's implicit assumption that President Barack Obama's $787 billion stimulus package was successful belies a 9.2 percent unemployment rate, an anemic housing market, and public opinion polls showing Americans think the country has been, and continues to be, on the wrong track.
Not only that, but a balanced budget amendment does not preclude the possibility of injecting stimulus in times of economic distress, but rather, it forces Congress to prioritize spending to live within its means.
It's not surprising that Alter would employ hyperbolic language to denigrate Republican proposals. After all, Alter told MSNBC's Cenk Uygur in April that in supporting the Ryan plan, the GOP voted to "throw granny into the snow."
A transcript of the segment can be found below:
MSNBC
Martin Bashir
August 1, 2011
3:45 p.m. Eastern
LUKE RUSSERT, NBC congressional correspondent: The most interesting thing that he said though, was when he spoke at length about a balanced budget amendment.
MARTIN BASHIR: Indeed.
RUSSERT: That is a direct attempt to cater to the Tea Party part of his conference, essentially saying hey look, I know this is the framework of your Cut, Cap, and Balance that we tried to pass a couple weeks ago. The idea of this balanced budget amendment, saying this is the best chance I've had for it in the 20 years I've been here to try and garner support for it, that is trying to say to these Tea Party folks, hey come on board. If we extend this plan, albeit it's not perfect, but we'll have a great opportunity to try to pass a balanced budget amendment down the line.
BASHIR: Indeed. Speaker Boehner actually said we would never have gotten into this mess in the first place had we had a balanced budget amendment.
(Laughter)
RUSSERT: Correct. That's the code word for the Tea Party, this balanced budget amendment.
BASHIR: Jonathan Alter, you were laughing at that.
JONATHAN ALTER: Yeah, I mean, I'm laughing at that because let's say we'd had a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution in early 2009 when we were losing close to 800,000 jobs a month and headed for another Great Depression. By Speaker Boehner's terms, we wouldn't have had any government efforts –
BASHIR: Stimulus, nothing.
ALTER: To try to end that near depression. Does he really think the country would have been better off if the Congress had been handcuffed and unable to take any measures to fight a coming depression? I think we'd be in a depression now if there had been a balanced budget amendment in 2009.
BASHIR: Indeed. Jonathan Alter, Luke Russert, and Joy Ann Reid, thanks so much for joining us.
--Alex Fitzsimmons is a News Analysis intern at the Media Research Center. Click here to follow him on Twitter.
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Comments
Spend and spend and spend
Submitted by Dan The Man 2 on Mon, 08/01/2011 - 5:39pm.
Spend and spend and spend some more, when we run the economy into the ground blame the GOP. They are following the Kennedy method f driving, into lakes and drowning th passenger then blaming her.
Lacking The Backing Of History
Submitted by Wildcatter1980 on Tue, 08/02/2011 - 9:40am.
More importantly, they lack the backing of history. At no time can they point to when increasing government spending led to years of economic prosperity.
From 1930 to the very late part of that decade, Hoover and FDR greatly increased government spending and I am pretty sure that unemployment never dropped out of double digits! By comparison, cutting taxes in 1919-1920, the early 1960s, the early 1980s and in 2001-2002 led to both booming economies and higher tax revenues than before the taxes were cut!
Put simply, it is hard not to conclude that any "smart" person insisting on continuing the current government spending policies either is not as smart as they think they are or they have another hidden agenda that they are following.
--
If you want to know what liberal secular progressives are really doing, just listen to what they are accusing others of.
Recommended reading: Liberal Fascism by Jonah Goldberg
you miss the point
Submitted by retrocon on Tue, 08/02/2011 - 11:15pm.
liberals use the idea of time correlation to prove all their points.
FDR spent money, we eventually came out of the depression. Ignore factors such as WWII.
Temperatures are increasing and so is CO2 emissions... must be a relationship. Regulate CO2.
Clinton increased taxes, the economy boomed. Ignore an entire new technology space being created (the internet).
Bush raised taxes, the economy faltered. Ignore 9/11. Ignore the CRA. Ignore social engineering by the left.
But, the liberals will link any two events to their advantage. Nothing scientific, nothing statistical. Just things that happen coincidentally. X + Y = Z, regardless as to what X, Y, and Z are.
Two Idiots Agreeing Doesn't Fill Me With Confidence.
Submitted by scottyusmc on Mon, 08/01/2011 - 5:40pm.
This country has taken a big step toward putting the final nail into the coffin of liberty and freedom... Never before have the American people been sold such a bill of goods from a bunch of criminal politicians. Impeach them all!!!!!!!
There are Two Bigger Idiots,
Submitted by Comrade Jim on Mon, 08/01/2011 - 9:03pm.
The two guys who pay their salaries.
Forgot to Mention
Submitted by scottyusmc on Mon, 08/01/2011 - 5:43pm.
The so called media have become nothing but political lap-dogs who do not deserve the 1st Amendment protection so many have died to provide and protect... They should be ashamed for they have really earned the title of "Useful Idiots."
Am I missing something
Submitted by killa37 on Mon, 08/01/2011 - 5:58pm.
Am I missing something here??? Have the economy or the employment situation or business climate or any of those other factors that are conducive to a better standard of living, more prosperity, and a better American way of life GOTTEN BETTER since we slumped into that recession??? What the hell are these dopes talking about??? They obviously don't live in the same world that most of us do.
Its liberal slight-of-hand...
Submitted by retrocon on Mon, 08/01/2011 - 7:47pm.
Obama and his gang have managed to make a depression that never existed disappear.
So, tell a lot of people that you're going to spend a bunch of their money to save us from a depression:
"Look, no depression happened, aren't we great!"
recession gets worse...
"Still no depression, aren't we great?"
It's easy to make claims about fixing things that were never broken.
It's impossible to "prove" that they saved us from a depression, but it's equally impossible to prove that they didn't (by liberal logic).
Presto, this administration has managed to make many things disappear that never existed
//oh, and they made jobs appear that already existed -- that was a good trick, too.
yeah, and they also 'saved' a
Submitted by killa37 on Mon, 08/01/2011 - 11:10pm.
yeah, and they also 'saved' a few million jobs, I think...........although how they managed to get to that number is beyond me, or anyone else with half a brain. And in my own world, the DID make things disappear that DID exist before this REGIME took over.
Who says we're not in a
Submitted by rockyracoon on Mon, 08/01/2011 - 6:42pm.
Who says we're not in a "depression?" Everytime I see, & hear our ruling class politicians, mostly Democrats, and their media minions, and especially think about who resides in OUR White House....I get depressed.
Facts are like kryptonite to the liberal.
Actually we'd be coming out of a depression...and
Submitted by Robert17 on Mon, 08/01/2011 - 7:43pm.
...and are IN A DEPRESSION NOW YOU IDIOTS!!!
what don't these idiots undertand about digging a hole
Submitted by ohio granny on Mon, 08/01/2011 - 7:46pm.
Do you fools really think that the way to dig yourself out of a hole is to keep digging. I guess you must because that is what you keep saying. Spend more, keep spending. Can't afford to cut anything. The hole must get deeper and deeper.
Of course when the hole gets deep enough, it will cave in on our heads. That is where we are heading. Even a first grader can understand this if it is explained to them. Why is it so hard for democrats and MSM to understand????????????????????? IDIOTS.
democrats and MSM = liars, cheats, crooks and hypocrites.
Luke RUSSERT. Gee, it's so
Submitted by Jack Bauer on Mon, 08/01/2011 - 7:50pm.
Luke RUSSERT.
Gee, it's so nice to be lectured at by a juvenile puke who just started shaving.
No nepotism there.
All of the above Mr Obama? --- How about ALL OF THE BELOW, instead.
You got that right, Jack
Submitted by Chris Norman on Mon, 08/01/2011 - 8:25pm.
Talk about brazen nepotism - if his last name was Jones, he'd still be writing about the science fair awards for his school newspaper.
Chris -- as far as I know,
Submitted by Jack Bauer on Mon, 08/01/2011 - 8:35pm.
Chris -- as far as I know, the child might be the world's nicest young adult.
But WHAT IN GOD'S NAME qualifies him to pass judgment on ANYONE. CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT?
Get outta here!!!!!
Has he had to struggle for a damn thing in his whole elitist life.
Puke inducing.
I wonder who HE will vote for when he's old enough.
All of the above Mr Obama? --- How about ALL OF THE BELOW, instead.
Jack,
Submitted by Chris Norman on Mon, 08/01/2011 - 8:43pm.
As I recall, he was doing a few color stories about the conventions and campaign in what I thought was just a nod to his father's passing and memory (an, "aw, isn't that nice" summer job for the son of a media elite) and the next thing we know, he's like a "go-to" expert on politics for NBC. What in the hell is that all about? Like NBC didn't think anyone would notice the obvious nepotism and, frankly, crass abuse of his dad's reputation? As you say, he may well be a great young person, but that's the thing - he's just a kid playing dress up as a journalist with no qualifications other than a last name.
He's working his way down
Submitted by Jack Bauer on Mon, 08/01/2011 - 8:47pm.
He's working his way down from the top at NBC.
You would THINK he would actually want to serve his time and gain his stripes for a few years. Just out of self-respect.
Memo to self: ARE YOU NUTS JACK. And stop referring to self in third person.
All of the above Mr Obama? --- How about ALL OF THE BELOW, instead.
$#@%!
Submitted by Chris Norman on Mon, 08/01/2011 - 9:36pm.
Chris Norman double posted.
To use the third person technique :)
Jack,
Submitted by Chris Norman on Mon, 08/01/2011 - 9:34pm.
The third person - how "Bob Dole" of you :)
One also wonders what his colleagues at NBC think of his meteoric rise - you know, the ones he was leap-frogged over. I'd guess that after years of slaving away, doing their duties of shilling for Democrats, and then watching him zoom past them in the pecking order, they must mutter under their breaths as they pass him in the hall.
Actually Jack...
Submitted by Rukus on Mon, 08/01/2011 - 10:44pm.
When ya think about it: "But WHAT IN GOD'S NAME qualifies him to pass judgment on ANYONE. CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT?
He's about as capable as anyone else on that network! Know what I'm sayin'?
Tim (RIP) must be rolling in his grave.
Submitted by drsamherman on Mon, 08/01/2011 - 10:51pm.
His son is such a monumental embarrassment as a journalist.
Trading on your father's name is one thing, but sullying it is another. Luke needs to enter a line of work for which his lack of intellect is more suited, like running the Postal Service.
If there had been a balanced......
Submitted by GregE on Mon, 08/01/2011 - 8:11pm.
......budget amendment for the last 100 years, 2009 would have just been another year on the calendar.
It must be the camel fleas
Submitted by Dave. on Mon, 08/01/2011 - 8:23pm.
-Dave
Vote for the American in November
We are in a Depression, you
Submitted by mattm on Mon, 08/01/2011 - 9:27pm.
We are in a Depression, you empty headed propagandist.
Perhaps if we were functioning under a balanced budget
Submitted by nonncom on Mon, 08/01/2011 - 9:27pm.
amendment all along, 2009 wouldn't have happened....because that would mean that we were being governed responsibly, which would mean Glass/Steagel isn't repealed, and the other financial "reforms" under Clinton never happened, and the CDS's didn't exist, and the housing mess would have been avoided because government would have known that not everybody is meant to be a home owner, and a mortgage would've been just as hard to come by as it was 30 years ago....and, and, and....ok, I'm awake now.....
MSNBC'ers make my skin crawl. Any dermatologists here?
Submitted by drsamherman on Mon, 08/01/2011 - 10:48pm.
UGH...such low life! Highly pathogenic bacteria have more courtesy and manners than your average MSNBC talking head
Depression
Submitted by grammajane on Tue, 08/02/2011 - 12:25am.
I'm in a depression every time Bashir opens his mouth. Really sick of all this terrorist,strapping bombs, blowing up the country talk coming from these un-useful idiots. Even the so-called VP got into the act. First racist, now terrorists, what's next says Bernie Goldberg and OReilly..........
The Next Frontier of Bile
Submitted by Chris Norman on Tue, 08/02/2011 - 12:37am.
Well, I'd say "conservatives are nazis" would be the next buzz phrase from the Left - but for their fear of a backlash from Jewish ant-defamation groups because of it trivializing the Holocaust. Right now, it's limited to the fringe of the fringe, but sooner or later, some one on MSNBC will test to see if he gets suspended for employing it.
Bernie
Submitted by grammajane on Tue, 08/02/2011 - 1:12am.
Bernie Goldberg states that when one goof on messnbc name calls, they all follow and use the same. Kinda like birds following the leader bird. Such simple minds who claim they are so elite and smart. We played follow the leader in pre-school
Will someone please tell these idiots we are in a Depression?
Submitted by acaiguana on Tue, 08/02/2011 - 6:02am.
Please?
ACA
...
Quoted from: 'Acaiguana notes from the Underground' (Soon to be at theaters near you)